Pelini has hired Ron Brown (Associate Head Coach/Running Backs), Brian Crist (Wide Receivers), Kyle Brey (Tight Ends/Special Teams), Carl Pelini (Defensive Line), T.J. Hollowell (Linebackers), Richard McNutt (Secondary) and Tim Marlowe (Assistant Secondary).

Returning from the previous coaching staff are Shane Montgomery (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Carmen Bricillo (Offensive line) and Ron Stoops (Defensive Coordinator). Stoops has been elevated to coordinator after coaching the Penguins' linebackers the past two seasons.

Additonally, John Murphy assumes the duties of Director of Football Operations.

Brown, Crist, Brey and Marlowe all were members in some capacity of Pelini's staff at Nebraska last year. His brother Carl, who was the Head Coach at Florida Atlantic in 2012 and 2013, was on Bo's staff in Lincoln from 2008-11. Hollowell also worked under Pelini at Nebraska for three seasons.

The Penguins start spring drills on Tuesday at Stambaugh Stadium.

Coaching Staff Highlights

Ron Brown | Associate Head Coach/Running Backs 

Brown, who spent 24 seasons as an offensive assistant coach at Nebraska, spent his last four years serving as the running backs coach for the Huskers. He spent 17 seasons with NU from 1987 through 2003 and coached with Pelini from 2008 through 2014. During his tenure in Lincoln he coached the tight ends, running backs and wide receivers while working for Pelini, Frank Solich and Tom Osborne. Most recently, I-back Ameer Abdullah enjoyed one of the finest careers in school history.

Brian Crist | Wide Receivers

A seasoned FCS coach, he spent 10 seasons at UMass during two different coaching stops. Highlighting his tenure with the Minutemen was winning the FCS National Championship in 1998. He was a member of the staff 1996-2001 and 2007-10 in Amherst,working with UMass's quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends and special teams units. Last season he served as the director of player personnel on Coach Bo Pelini's staff at Nebraska.

Mike Brey | Tight Ends/Special Teams

Brey has two years of Power Five conference expeierence spending the past two at Nebraska and previous two at Kansas. Brey was an offensive graduate assistant for the Huskers in 2013 and 2014 working primarily with the tight ends. 

TJ Hollowell | Linebackers

Hollowell was an assistant coach at Huntsville High School in Texas last season. Prior to his one year at the high school ranks, spent four years at Nebraska with current YSU Head Coach Bo Pelini. As a defensive graduate assistant for the Huskers, Hollowell worked primarily with the linebackers during his tenure from 2010-13.

Carl Pelini | Defensive Line

Pelini was defensive coordinator at Nebraska under, Bo Pelini, from 2008-11. In 2012 he became the head coach at Florida Atlantic where he was with the program for two seasons. A 1989 Youngstown State graduate, Pelini has coached at the high-school and collegiate level during a coaching career that spans almost 25 years. 

Richard McNutt | Secondary

Has coached defensive backs at the NFL, FBS, FCS and Division III ranks in his 12-year coaching career. McNutt knows the state of Ohio well. YSU is the fourth school and fifth location in the state where he has been a coach. During his coaching career he has been with Toledo, Kent State, Ohio State and was also a member of the Cleveland Browns' staff. Most recently, he was the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at North Carolina Wesleyan in 2014.

Tim Marlowe | Assistant Secondary

A native of Youngstown and graduate of Cardinal Mooney, Marlowe spent the 2013 and 2014 as an offensive assistant for the Huskers after playing for the Big Red from 2008-13. He worked with the offense while being part of the Nebraska staff.

Carmen Bricillo | Offensive Line

Bricillo, a key member of the offensive staff the past five seasons, will continue as the Penguins' offensive line coach. Bricillo has coached  . During the 2014 slate, YSU's line had just one senior in center Stephen Page. The Penguins consistently started a junior, two sophomores and a redshirt freshman. Highlighting his tenure at YSU was Chris Elkins who was tabbed a second-team All-American in 2013.

Shane Montgomery | Offensive Line

One of the top play callers on the FCS level, Montgomery will be in his sixth season with the YSU this year. In his five years with the program, the Penguins have consistently put up impressive offensive numbers. In each season, YSU has thrown for more than 2,000 yards and rushed for more than 2,000 yards. The program has accomplished the feat 12 times in school history with the seven other times coming in seasons where the Guins reached the postseason.

Ron Stoops | Defensive Coordinator

Stoops assumes defensive coordinator duties for the first time on the collegiate level. Previously for Coach Eric Wolford at YSU he has coached the safeties, nickel position and linebackers. Stoops spent nine years as the defensive coordinator and running backs coach for Cardinal Mooney High School for P.J. Fecko prior to coming to YSU in 2010. He is in his sixth season at YSU.