Norwin grad Anthony DelleFemine sets sights on playing time at Youngstown State

In many ways, Anthony DelleFemine is living proof that to gain something, you have to give something up.

But how much can one man lose before he reaches a breaking point?

There are days when the former Norwin football standout believes in curses and voodoo dolls. Days when he asks, “Why me?”

Days when he wonders if college football is supposed to be a part of his life; worth this much pain to be part of his life.

“I never let anything hold me back,” he said. “That’s just how I am.”

DelleFemine, a wide receiver who was off the grid for a couple of years, or so it seems, following the start of his college career at Robert Morris, has a new home with some old friends.

And he has quite a story to tell his teammates at Youngstown State, where he has reunited with former Norwin teammates Gianni Rizzo and Jayvon Thrift.

The three are roommates and hope to make an impact with the Penguins sooner rather than later.

Rizzo began his career at YSU, while DelleFemine and Thrift are transfers — from RMU and West Virginia.

Of course, for DelleFemine, later is an overused word. He is tired of hearing about patience and waiting for his time to come. A player this jammed up with here-we-go-again injuries doesn’t want a free pass. He just wants his chance.

He has done all the right things. So why do bad things keep happening?

“I know it could be lot worse, and there are guys with much worse injuries,” DelleFemine said. “I just want to make my dreams come true. I want a fair shot. I have been in such a dark tunnel. The goal is to find that light.”

His first setback was a torn miniscus in 2017, which led to him earning a grey shirt, meaning he had to enroll in classes later, after an extra semester, and he rehabbed for eight months.

He recovered and played in ‘18 as a true freshman, leading the Colonials in receptions in three games.

But a double sports hernia was discovered shortly after, and he was put on the shelf for five more months. He could not redshirt because he played in four games.

“It was overuse that caused it,” he said. “It was very frustrating to deal with; two injuries like that two years in a row. I was pretty down.”

The plot thickened.

It was during camp in ‘19 when the real life-changing injury happened. DelleFemine was lined up against a defender during a drill. It was a run play, and he was set to block.

The ball was snapped and he went hand-to-hand with his teammate. A teammate whom he did not name but said was “trouble” in more ways than one.

DelleFemine said he was cheap-shoted when he took a vicious punch to his right eye. The player’s fist went through his facemask.

Suddenly, he couldn’t see. He couldn’t move his eyeball. His orbital bone was fractured and a muscle was torn.

He had to have surgery to install a metal plate below his eye socket, and he wore an eye patch for about 10 weeks.

“My mom had to put in eye drops four times a day for weeks because I couldn’t do it myself,” he said. “I couldn’t do my classes. I couldn’t use my cellphone.”

While there were witnesses and film of the incident, DelleFemine chose not to pursue legal action and did not file assault charges.

“I was mad, yes. But I wanted to take the higher ground,” he said. “They might have said it happened on a football field. That it was a football fight. It happened. It’s in the past. It was tough to go back to RMU after what happened.”

The injury and subsequent surgery, which doctors warned could have cost him his vision in his right eye, earned him a medical redshirt.

Looking for a change of scenery, DelleFemine left RMU for Youngstown, with a little help from Rizzo.

“I’ve been the facilitator of all this,” Rizzo said with a chuckle. “I went to the coaches and told them about Anthony and Jayvon. AD is a fighter. He fought at RMU, and he’s fighting here.

“It’s great to be able to play again with dudes I grew up with.”

When DelleFemine regained his vision two months later and began working back into form, another setback: the covid-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 season.

“I’m thinking, really?” he said.

A shortened, seven-game season in the spring allowed DelleFemine, a redshirt sophomore, to play in two games.

“I admit, I was hesitant and kind of always looking over my shoulder,” he said. “What happened definitely changed the way I look at some things.”

Rizzo, a redshirt freshman, played in six games and made five tackles for new coach Doug Phillips, who came in after Bo Pellini left to become the defensive coordinator at LSU.

“They moved me to a nickel position, so I lost weight and got down to 205 (pounds),” Rizzo said. “Then we had some injuries, so they moved me back to linebacker. By the end of camp, I was repping with the (first team) LB’s. I gained the weight back. Instead of a DB diet, I’m on a tight end diet.”

Thrift transferred to the school to which he initially committed. After spending a short time at WVU as a preferred walk-on — he later earned a scholarship — the 5-foot-10, 192-pound safety decided to recommit to YSU.

“It’s been real good getting back a little team chemistry,” Thrift said. “And honestly it had some effect on my decision. (DelleFemine) had a tough path but I feel like his injuries don’t define him.”

DelleFemine, Rizzo and Thrift hope the time will come when they all see the field all at the same time.

“There is a great culture here,” DelleFemine said. “This is a great program. It’s great to have friends here. I have had am amazing support system. My parents have been incredible. They’re what keep me going. I have been through so much. I am just waiting for my reward, to play.

“I am passionate about what I do. “I have a love for the game that won’t let anything keep me back.”

Amazingly, DelleFemine, who is five years removed from high school, has three years of eligibility left. He can play until he’s 25, assuming he pursues his master’s degree after graduation.