Heacock resigns as YSU football coach

Athletic director Ron Strollo said he would begin a national search immediately.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — Barely 24 hours after a season concluded with one of his team’s best performances of the season, Youngstown State football coach Jon Heacock announced his resignation.

On Saturday the Penguins rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat North Dakota State, 39-35.

The victory gave Youngstown State a 6-5 record, Heacock’s sixth winning season in his nine seasons, but a disappointing one considering the Penguins had high hopes, with 16 returning starters, for a return to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

“When we became a part of Youngstown State University and, specifically, the YSU football family, excellence was defined in ‘wins’ and success defined in ‘making a difference,’” Heacock said in a statement released by the university.

“On behalf of my family, through 16 years, the last nine as head coach, we have been blessed to share in both. Thanks to everyone who made that possible.”

Heacock was defensive coordinator for former coach Jim Tressel from 1992-96 and again in 2000, and was selected to replace the ultra-successful coach when Tressel was hired at Ohio State in January 2001.

Unfortunately for Heacock, his record always was measured against his predecessor. Tressel qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in 10 of his 15 seasons at YSU and won four national championships.

Heacock’s first YSU team finished with an 8-3 record, a year marked by what became a trend as YSU coach. The Penguins were not selected for the playoffs, based primarily on their two losses to conference rivals Northern Iowa and Western Kentucky.

In his nine seasons with the Penguins, Heacock was just 7-26 against teams that finished tied with or higher than YSU in the conference standings.

He had particular troubles against Northern Iowa (0-9) and Southern Illinois (3-6), the teams that were ranked 1-2 in conference wins since 2001 (YSU was No. 3).

“I’ve known Jon since my senior year on the football team in 1991, and he has always been a genuine, caring person for the Youngstown State program and the community,” said Youngstown State director of athletics Ron Strollo in a statement.

“I would want Jon, as well as our fans and supporters, to know that we appreciate the tremendous challenges and expectations of being the head football coach at Youngstown State. He fulfilled those duties in a manner that would make every Penguin fan proud.”

Strollo will have a press conference today at 3:30 p.m. in the Coaches Court Room at Beeghly Center to address the coaching situation.

Under Heacock’s direction, the Penguins won two then-Gateway Conference titles and finished with at least seven wins on five occasions.

Youngstown State reached the playoffs in 2006 and came up just short of the postseason in 2001 and 2005 despite winning eight games in each of those campaigns.

He was twice selected as conference coach of the year, in 2005 and 2006, and was named the American Football Coaches Association’s Region IV coach of the year and was a finalist for the AFCA coach-of-the-year and Eddie Robinson coach-of-the-year awards both years.

Heacock coached 29 All-Americans, and his teams had 77 all-conference selections. Running backs P.J. Mays and Marcus Mason were the conference offensive players of the year in 2001 and 2006, respectively.

He also had 39 academic all-conference picks and 15 academic all-district honorees, including two first-team members this year.

“I want to thank Coach Heacock for his commitment and dedication to the football program, the university and this community,” YSU president Dr. David C. Sweet said in a statement. “No one has worked harder, both on and off the field, to make YSU football successful. He has been a tremendous role model for his players and all scholar-athletes at Youngstown State.”

Strollo said he would immediately begin a national search for the next coach.