Lester Weaver was a vocal on field leader who epitomized the emotion, pride, perfection, great expectations and high standards of the Youngstown State football program.
Weaver was a free safety for YSU from 1991 through 1994 as the Penguins won national titles in three of his four campaigns.
In his career, he played in four National Championship Games and started his final 30 games for the Penguins.
While in the secondary, he recorded 170 total tackles while finished third in school history with 16 interceptions. He also tallied 221 interception return yards, the second most in YSU history. Weaver also finished with 10 pass breakups.
Weaver's senior year was his most decorated. He was a first team All America selection by The Associated Press, the Football Gazette, the AFCA and The Sports Network. He was also a captain who helped lead the Penguins to a 14 game winning steak after a season opening tie. YSU finished the year 14-0-1 beating Boise State 28-14 in the Division I-AA title game.
He was named YSU's Ron Stoops Inspirational Player and was the first Penguin in the football contingent that traveled to White House to speak with President Bill Clinton.
On the field, he recorded 65 tackles, including 33 solo stops. He had a career high seven interceptions to go along with two pass breakups, two fumbles caused, three fumbles recovered.
As a junior in 1993, he started every game recording 70 total tackles, including 37 solo stops. He had two interceptions and a pass breakup on the year. YSU defeated Marshall 17-5 in the National Championship game while posting a 13-2 record.
In 1992 as a sophomore, he had 16 total tackles, including seven solos. He had three interceptions, four pass breakups, a fumble caused and a fumble recovered. YSU finished the year 11-3-1 losing to Marshall 31-28 in the title game.
As a freshman in 1991, Weaver was a member of the Penguins' first national title winning team. For the year, he had 19 total tackles, including 10 solo stops, four interceptions, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery. In the playoffs that fall, he had an interception and two pass breakups. YSU finished the year 12-3, winning its final eight games, including a 25-17 victory over Marshall in the National Championship game.
Weaver earned his degree in Secondary Education from Youngstown State. He is currently a High School Social Studies Teacher in the DeKalb County Schools System in Decatur, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. He teaches 12th grade Economics and Psychology and 9th grade World Geography and Citizenship.
He had also tutored seniors to pass the Ohio Proficiency Test and was a senior class sponsor at the Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, GA.
A native of Tampa, Fla., he is a graduate of Hillsborough High School before heading North to be a Penguin.
Lest and his wife Laurie, a 1996 YSU graduate, reside in Lithonia, GA. They have two children, a five year old daughter Logan and a six month old son Landon.
