Jeff Powers
Football
1993-94
A two-time National Champion in 1991 and 1993, Jeff Powers was one of the key contributors on a Youngstown State defense that stymied opponents. He started every game since the middle of his junior season in 1992 and was voted a team captain for the 1993 season by his teammates. During his career at YSU, Powers was on four playoff teams in which three advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA National Championship Game.
Powers, the 1993-94 Vindicator/YSU Student-Athlete of the Year recipient, totaled 186 tackles in his Penguins career at outside linebacker under Jim Tressel. One of YSU’s smartest players, this Penguin from Austintown Fitch High School was always around the ball. Of his 186 tackles in his four year career, more than fifteen were behind the line of scrimmage including numerous interceptions.
In 1993, the Austintown senior was a team captain on a team that defeated Marshall 17-5 in the title game to capture the school’s second championship in three years. Starting in all of the Penguins fifteen games, Powers accumulated 60 tackles with four sacks. Of the 60 tackles, eight were for loss. In addition to the 60 tackles, he forced two fumbles and had one recovery. To go along with the turnover theme, the senior captain also intercepted three passes.
During his junior season, Jeff Powers finished as the Penguins second leading tackler with 96 after securing the starting job midway through the year. Of his 96 tackles, 61 of them were solos. Always making plays behind the line of scrimmage, the outside linebacker led the team in sacks with six and tackles for loss with seven. He won the One Hour Photo “Defensive Player of the Game” twice in wins over Indiana State and Villanova. In addition to winning defensive player of the game, he also won the Big Mac “Defensive Lineman of the Game” three times.
In the first championship season in school history, Powers saw reserve action as a sophomore. In scattered playing time, he made 24 tackles with sixteen of them being solo. Out of the 24 tackles, two were for loss. To go along with the tackles, the linebacker caused one fumble in YSU’s championship year.
As a freshman, Jeff Powers played sparingly during this playoff season. In a reserve role with the Penguins, he made six tackles and had one quarterback sack.
Jeff Powers was a Telecommunications major from Austintown Fitch High School in Austintown, Ohio. He is the son of Mrs. Frances Powers.
