He did just that, rallying Youngstown State to an unlikely 14-10 win.
“It was definitely a crazy experience,” recalled Mays, the former record-setting QB at Urbana High School. “I got the game ball. It was one of the most craziest days in my life, that’s for sure.”
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Another season highlight will play out for Mays and five other area players on Saturday when Youngstown State (12-3) plays streaking James Madison (13-1) in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas at noon (ESPN2). This previously was known as Division I-AA.
Mays was a four-year starter for Urbana. He passed for 9,852 yards and had 113 touchdown passes, both among Ohio’s all-time bests. He verbally committed to Youngstown State prior to his junior year of high school, but later that season then-Penguins coach Eric Wolford was fired.
Mays considered pursuing other options until Bo Pelini — himself relieved as Nebraska’s coach after seven seasons that fall — was named Youngstown State coach. Pelini, a Youngstown native, assured Mays he was one of four incoming recruits he wanted to retain. Former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, the school’s president, also told Mays that Youngstown was the place to be.
“That solidified it for me,” recalled Mays.
Mays is still 6-foot-3, like he was at Urbana, but now he’s 215 pounds of versatility. He’s embraced the wildcat formation, taking a direct snap in certain short-yardage and goal-line situations. Middletown resident and Cincinnati Moeller graduate Ricky Davis initially was the Penguins’ QB starter this season but gave way in midseason to yet another quarterback.
Mays has maintained his spot as the backup QB since the Northern Iowa heroics. He estimates his playing time is “15-20 snaps.” He’s completed 11 of 18 passes for 133 yards and has gained 126 yards rushing on 35 carries.
“It’s been an interesting year,” he said. “I go in and do a lot of zone reads and read-option type stuff. … I go in there as a little power back.”
Youngstown State, a Missouri Valley Football Conference member, has history on its side, having won four NCAA Division I-AA championships under Tressel in the 1990s. The Penguins overcame a 24-10 deficit to stun host Eastern Washington 40-38 in last week’s semifinals.
Youngstown State also beat Samford, Jacksonville State and Wofford in the postseason.
James Madison (Harrisonburg, Va.) has confidence on its side, having ousted five-time defending national champion North Dakota State at Fargo last week, 27-17. The Dukes have won 11 straight games, losing only at North Carolina in Game 3. They also beat New Hampshire and Sam Houston State in the playoffs.
“It’s been awesome and definitely something we thought of before the season,” Mays said. “We felt we definitely had the talent and experience to get (to a national championship game). Once we got to the second round it hit us that this could really happen.”
• Saint Francis (Ind.) defeated previously unbeaten Baker (Kan.) 38-17 to win the recent NAIA Football National Championship at Daytona Beach, Fla. Saint Francis senior defensive end Lucas Sparks, a Springfield Shawnee grad, was among the team’s leading tacklers. Also on the Saint Francis roster were Xenia grads Rocky James (WR), Danny Naylor (QB) and Ryan Johnson (CB), all freshmen.
FCS CHAMPIONSHIP
Who: Youngstown State (12-3) vs. James Madison (13-1)
When: Noon Saturday
Where: Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas
TV: ESPN2
AREA PLAYERS
Youngstown State
• Ricky Davis, QB, jr., from Middletown, Moeller
• Nathan Mays, QB, R fr., Urbana
• Cole Newsome, C, R jr., Wayne
• Lamont Ragland, DT, so., Trotwood-Madison
• Kieran Winn, SS, fr., Trotwood-Madison
James Madison
J.T. Timming, OL, fr., Lakota East
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