From today’s Tribune/Vindy
Youngstown State hammers South Dakota, 45-24
LOCAL SPORTS
OCT 29, 2022
JOEL WHETZEL
Staff writer
jwhetzel@tribtoday.com
Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Youngstown State receiver Bryce Oliver reaches the ball across the goal line during the Penguins' 45-24 win over South Dakota on Saturday. Oliver had seven receptions for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
YOUNGSTOWN — After skating by inferior opponents for two consecutive weeks, Youngstown State put the hammer down.
Fueled by a massive second quarter that saw YSU outscore visiting South Dakota by 25 points, the Penguins rolled to a 45-24 Missouri Valley Football Conference victory over the Coyotes on Saturday afternoon at Stambaugh Stadium.
It was the third consecutive league win for YSU (5-3, 3-2), which is now 6-0 at home against USD (2-6, 1-4). It also marks the first time since 2017 that YSU has won three straight MVFC games.
“It builds up a lot of momentum,” defensive end Dylan Wudke said of the win streak and dominant performance. “If you keep winning and winning, guys feel good, and there’s a lot more confidence throughout the team. Everybody feels good about it. It really builds up for the next game, and that’s what we’re worried about now — the next game.”
And after speaking on the need for more complementary football in his media availability Tuesday, head coach Doug Phillips got exactly what he was looking for Saturday.
Locked in a 10-10 tie after a South Dakota field goal, Youngstown State’s offense responded with a four-play, 76-yard drive to retake a 17-10 advantage as Mitch Davidson hit Bryce Oliver up the sideline for a 42-yard touchdown pass. That was set up by 32-yard connection between the duo just two plays before.
Then, after the YSU defense forced a punt, the Penguins went on a lengthier drive, marching 90 yards to the house on 13 plays, capped by a 1-yard Davidson run after he faked to tailback Jaleel McLaughlin. The score put Youngstown State up 24-10.
The drive also included a 45-yard reception by former Alliance quarterback Brandon Alexander, who was starting in place of injured Latrell Fordham.
On the ensuing kickoff, Devin Johnson jarred the ball loose with a hard hit, and Preston Zandier recovered at the Coyotes’ 22. That was parlayed into a three-play drive that ended with a Davidson shovel pass to Struthers graduate Brandon Serrano for a 6-yard touchdown.
Finally, on the next Coyote drive, Wudke forced and recovered a fumble on a strip sack of Aidan Bouman, and YSU subsequently scored on a 3-yard run by McLaughlin to blow the game open, 38-10.
“As you move into November, you have to be playing three phases of football,” Phillips said. “For us, there’s always been a mistake here or there, maybe on special teams or the offense didn’t score after a turnover. But today, when we got the ball back from our defense or from our kickoff unit, boom, we went down and scored touchdowns.”
After a shaky start at Western Illinois a week ago, Davidson was sharp Saturday, completing 14 of 21 passes for 242 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. It marked just the second time this season the Coyotes had given up more than 200 yards in the air. Cal Poly was the last to do so in a nonconference game on Sept. 17.
Bryce Oliver grabbed seven passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns, while Max Tomczak had four grabs for 35 yards. Serrano had three receptions for 30 yards and his score.
On the ground, Jaleel McLaughlin tallied 119 yards and two scores on 19 attempts, and reserve quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw added nine attempts for 46 yards.
“It’s all about preparation,” Oliver said. “We know whatever (South Dakota) likes to run, we have options to beat that, and that comes from preparation. We watched a lot of film this week, especially the receivers. We watched a lot of film with the quarterbacks, so that definitely played a big factor.”
The YSU defense also returned to form, particularly in the run game. After surrendering 187 yards rushing to Indiana State and 170 to Western Illinois, the Penguin front kept a physical USD attack to 56 yards. In all, YSU outgained its visitors 451-310 on just eight more plays, 68-60.
The Penguins also were able to apply pressure to Bouman, as YSU racked up five sacks and two more quarterback hurries. Wudke had two sacks, defensive back Jordan Trowers had one to force a turnover on downs and Andres Lehrmann and Chris Fitzgerald each added a sack, as well.
Phillips noted that with YSU building such a significant lead, it allowed the Penguins to pin their ears back and just bring pressure on passes because USD couldn’t get into its run game.
“All they can do is revert back to their passing game, and when you revert back to the passing game, (the defense) can start putting pressure on the quarterback and they have to block you up front,” he said. “I think a lot of that was what our kids did to create that. Our kids came ready. We wanted to start fast, and I thought we started fast, got up on it real quick and then we never took the foot off the gas pedal in that first half.”
November begins with a critical road trip to Illinois State (5-3, 3-2).
