Doug Phillips, a native of nearby New Middletown, Ohio, has been named the Head Football Coach at Youngstown State University, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Ron Strollo announced on Friday.
Phillips previously coached at Youngstown State as a graduate assistant in 1991 and 1992 for current YSU President Jim Tressel. Phillips becomes the eighth coach in school history.
"It is a tremendous honor to return to Youngstown State as the Head Football Coach," Phillips said. "I have such great memories of my time at YSU. I would like to thank Athletic Director Ron Strollo and President Jim Tressel for this outstanding opportunity. I've been fortunate to work at great places to prepare me for this position. We're going to play with fire and proudly represent our great university and community on and off the field. Go Penguins!"
Phillips spent the past three seasons on the University of Cincinnati football staff. He coached tight ends and served as UC's special teams coordinator in 2017 before shifting to the role of running backs coach in 2018.
A former head coach at Springfield Local and Salem High Schools, Phillips has nearly 25 years of football coaching experience, including six seasons at the FBS and FCS levels. He has coached in three National Championship games.
He returned to an on-field coaching role with the Bearcats after spending the 2016 season at Iowa State as the director of player personnel.
"We're very excited to have Doug Phillips as our football coach," Strollo said. "Doug has been a great representative of the Mahoning Valley and is a very well-respected coach among his peers. His background is perfect to be the leader of our program."
Phillips was a high school administrator from 2008-15, serving as a principal and superintendent, most recently as the superintendent at West Branch Local Schools in Beloit, Ohio. Phillips was also an assistant principal and principal for the Dickson County school district in Dickson, Tenn., and principal at Dalton Local Schools (outside of Canton, Ohio) from 2009-12.
He coached the defensive ends and served as Bowling Green's recruiting coordinator from 2007-08, helping the Falcons share the 2007 MAC East title and earn a bowl bid.
Phillips joined the Falcons' staff after spending a season as the defensive quality control coach under Tressel at Ohio State in 2006. That year the Buckeyes won the Big Ten championship, played in the BCS title game and ranked fifth in the country in scoring defense. On the field, he assisted with OSU linebackers including All-American and Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner James Laurinaitis.
He worked and coached for 15 years at the high school level, including nine as a head coach. Phillips served as head coach at Springfield Local High School (1997-2000) and Salem High School (2001-05), turning around both programs.
Phillips led his high school alma mater, Springfield Local, to back-to-back state playoff appearances. His 1999 team won the first of consecutive league championships and made the first of two playoff appearances, while his 2000 squad went undefeated in the regular season and returned to the postseason, where it reached the state quarterfinals. After four years at Springfield Local, Phillips moved onto Salem High School, where he spent five seasons and guided his teams to better records every season, culminating with a league runner-up finish in 2005. In addition, he guided the school to consecutive winning records for the first time in 30 years in 2004 and 2005.
Phillips received his start in college football at Youngstown State with Tressel from 1991-92. He coached tight ends, defensive backs and running backs/kickers during his stay. Under Tressel, Phillips coached in three National Championship games including 2006 at OSU and in 1992 and 1991 at YSU. The Penguins won the NCAA FCS title in 1991.
While an undergraduate student at Toledo, Phillips got his coaching career started at Toledo St. Francis DeSales and Sylvania Northview. After earning a bachelor's degree in education from UT in 1991, he received a master's degree in educational administration from Youngstown State in 1995.
Season tickets for the 2020 Football season are available to purchase for $115 by calling the Youngstown State Athletics Ticket Office at (330) 941-1978. The Penguins have six home games this fall and open the season at Akron on Sept. 5.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Born: February 29, 1968
Hometown: New Middletown, Ohio
Education: Toledo (1991, B.S.); Youngstown State (1995, M.S.)
Phillips' Coaching Career
1991-92: Youngstown State - Graduate Assistant
1997-2000: Springfield Local HS - Head Coach
2001-05: Salem HS - Head Coach
2006: Ohio State - Quality Control (Defense)
2007-08: Bowling Green - DE/Recruiting Coord.
2016: Iowa State - Director of Player Personnel
2017: Cincinnati - Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
2018-19: Cincinnati - Running Backs
Postseason Appearances:
1991: Youngstown State (FCS Playoffs/NCAA FB Championship)
1992: Youngstown State (FCS Playoffs/NCAA FB Championship)
2006: Ohio State (BCS National Championship)
2008: Bowling Green - Humanitarian
2018: Cincinnati - Military
2019: Cincinnati – Birmingham
What Others Are Saying About Coach Phillips:
Iowa State Head Coach Matt Campbell
"I couldn't be more excited for Northeast Ohio and Youngstown State University for getting a great teacher, coach and leader of men to lead its football program. Doug will bring an energy, pride and unification to the great history of the Youngstown State football program and demand excellence for a bright future."
Cincinnati Head Coach Luke Fickell
"I'm excited for Doug and Youngstown State. He was one of my first hires at Cincinnati and he's helped build a championship-level program here, and now he's coming home to do the same thing. I've known Doug for a long time and he's a great coach, recruiter and a better person. He's going to invest in his student-athletes on and off the field. He will bring his passion for football, young men and his community to YSU! Amy and I wish him nothing but the best."
