Niles’ Gardner discusses commitment to Youngstown State
Niles’ Gardner discusses commitment to Penguins
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NILES -- For the past four years, Niles McKinley High senior Antuan Gardner entertained area football fans while putting together a record-breaking career with the Red Dragons.
Now, those same fans will have the opportunity to closely follow Gardner's career at the next level.
On Wednesday, Gardner accepted a scholarship offer and signed a letter of intent with the Youngstown State University football program.
Gardner will begin his Penguins career next fall. He plans to major in business administration while at YSU.
"I can't wait to get started," Gardner said. "One thing that has always been clear to me is that Coach (Doug) Phillips and the rest of that staff are really committed to Youngstown State, they are committed to building the program and to winning.
"It was obvious that the entire program is filled with great coaches and players who are also really good people. I can't wait to be part of that culture."
Earlier this month, Gardner visited the University of Maine, and was impressed with what he saw. He also entertained other offers, but in the end, he says he couldn't come up with any reasons not to become a Penguin.
"Everything about the Maine visit was positive, but in the end YSU is everything I was looking for and more," Gardner said. "My family gets to closely follow my career, which means everything to me. I'm very blessed with this opportunity."
Gardner recently wrapped up a high school career in which he rewrote the Red Dragons' record book. This fall he rushed for 2,479 yards and scored 31 rushing touchdowns, both single-season school records. He averaged 8.3 yards per carry, and also hauled in 10 passes for 209 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Gardner finished his career with a school-best 4,746 rushing yards and 61 touchdowns. In a playoff win against Edgewood, he set a Mahoning Valley single-game rushing record with 471 yards, which also ranks 11th-best in Ohio history.
For his efforts, Gardner was recently named Trumbull County Player of the Year. He was also a First Team All-Ohio selection.
"I was blessed with a great group of coaches and great teammates," Gardner said. "Football is the ultimate team game. My coaches prepared me every week. My teammates led the way. I'm nothing without a great quarterback and without the big guys up front leading the way."
Gardner seemed destined to make his mark as a ball carrier right from the start. Asked to recall the moment he knew he wanted to be a running back, Gardner goes all the way back to 2012, when he was playing youth football and touched the ball for the very first time.
"I remember it like it was yesterday," Gardner said. "The coaches wanted to see what I could do, I got the call and on my first carry I ran for a 70-yard touchdown. Even back then I remember thinking that this was where I belonged."
Niles coach Jim Parry remembers a similar instance four years ago when he wanted to get a glimpse of a freshman who was entering high school with a strong reputation.
"We knew about Antuan, we kept hearing really good things about him, so in a scrimmage against LaBrae I was like, 'Let's put him in and see what this freshman can do at this level,'" Parry recalls. "By the end of the scrimmage we were like, 'Holy moly, this kid is ready.'"
Gardner played in eight games his freshman year, rushing for 564 yards. He followed that up with a sophomore season which saw him run for 1,514 yards and 18 touchdowns. An early-season injury kept him out of the majority of the 2022 campaign. He then ended his high school career in record-breaking fashion.
"Antuan's career speaks for itself, but just as important and impressive was the maturation process," Parry said. "During that junior year he really grew up and he came to understand his role as a player and a teammate. He was already a great player and he grew into a great leader."
Parry noted that numerous scouts marveled at Gardner's toughness and his ability to run through contact. Gardner's versatility will also pay dividends for the Penguins, according to Parry.
"First and foremost, Antuan is a football player," Parry said. "He's great on defense, and that sometimes gets overshadowed because of what he did on offense. He can play special teams. He's just an all-around solid player who can help any team in numerous ways."
Parry noted that "in a selfish way," he was excited to see Gardner sign with YSU.
"I'm excited that I get to continue to follow him close-up," Parry said. "But this is great for Youngstown and for Valley football in general. This is a high-profile kid staying home. It's good in a lot of ways."
Youngstown State opens its 2024 season Aug. 29 at Villanova. Nine days later, the Penguins kick off their home schedule with a game against Valparaiso.
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