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16

YSU Penguin Athletics / SDSU Game Preview

« on: November 08, 2023, 08:37:31 AM »

Youngstown State vs. South Dakota State
Nov. 11, 2023 | Stambaugh Stadium
Youngstown, Ohio | Noon

Broadcast Information
TV – ESPN+ (Brad Wells, Kelly Burke, Danan Hughes)
Radio Network – 570 AM WKBN (Bob Hannon, Steve Leslie, Ron Potesta, Mike Orto)
Internet Radio – 570wbkn.iheart.com
App Audio - iHeartRadio App

Penguins
Record: 6-3, 4-2 MVFC
Last Game: at Indiana State (W, 19-7)
Head Coach: Doug Phillips (Fourth Season)
X (Formerly Twitter): @ysufootball

Jackrabbits
Record: 9-0, 6-0 MVFC
Last Game: vs. North Dakota State (W, 33-16)
Head Coach: Jimmy Rogers (First Season)
X (Formerly Twitter): @GoJacksFB

Series History
All-Time Series: SDSU leads 16-7
In Youngstown: SDSU leads 10-4
Win Streak: SDSU, 4 games
Last Meeting: SDSU 47-16 (2021)

    The No. 22 Youngstown State football team plays its final home game of the regular-season against No. 1 South Dakota State on Saturday afternoon.
Kickoff for the contest at Stambaugh Stadium is set for Noon. The game is available on ESPN+, WKBN 570 AM and iHeartRadio.
    The Penguins (6-3 overall, 4-2 in MVFC) picked up their third consecutive win beating Indiana State 19-7 last Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Terre Haute, Ind. YSU trailed 7-0 before scoring the final 19 points and holding ISU scoreless the final three quarters.
    After falling behind 7-0, QB Mitch Davidson scored on an 18-yard keeper late in the first quarter to tie the ballgame. Neither team could muster points in the second quarter and YSU took a 13-7 lead after three following Andrew Lastovka 35 and 45-yard field goals in the third period. The Penguins added a score on a 37-yard run by QB Beau Brungard for the final margin.
    The defense was solid throughout the game holding the Sycamores to just 191 yards of offense, 47 snaps, a 20:31 time of possession and 0-for-10 on third downs. YSU registered four sacks in the contest and forced two key fourth-quarter turnovers.
    South Dakota State (9-0, 6-0) has won and FCS-best 23 straight games after dominating rival North Dakota State, 33-16 on Saturday in Brookings. The Jackrabbits trailed 9-7 midway through the second quarter before erupting for 23 unanswered points taking a 30-9 lead. After NDU closed within 30-16, the Jacks kicked a field goal in the final minute to seal the win.
    SDSU has scored more than 30 points in seven games this season while holding its opponents to fewer than 16 on seven occasions.
    YSU's last win in the series came back in 2017, a 19-7 victory at Stambaugh Stadium. The Jackrabbits own a 16-7 all-time series lead, including a 47-16 win in Youngstown in November of 2021.
    On Saturday against South Dakota State, Youngstown State will honor the following seniors prior to the contest: Bryce Oliver, Quincy Lenton, Dra Rushton, Alex Howard, Greg Benton Jr., D'Marco Augustin, Chris Fitzgerald, Tyshon King, Mitch Davidson, Gage Salyers, Dylan Wudke, Andres Lehrmann, Marcus Hooker, Alijah Curtis, Mike Morris, Ryan Johnson, Jake Benio, Devin Lee and Haeden Gump.

Offense Putting Up Points
    In their eight games against FCS opponents this season the Penguins have scored at least 31 points in seven of them. In five of those contests, the Guins have registered 40 or more.
    YSU has set a school record with six consecutive 30-plus point contests and tied the school mark for 40-point games in a season with five (2016, 2001 and 1978 are the others).
    The Penguins opened the season by scoring 52 points against Valparaiso before adding 48 against Robert Morris to conclude the non-league season. In five league games, YSU has scored 44 against Missouri State, 41 vs. UNI and Illinois State and 31 each against Southern Illinois and South Dakota.
    In the eight FCS games, YSU is averaging 38.3 points per game. In their six MVFC contests, the Guins are scoring 34.5 points per game.

Passing Numbers Skyrocket
    The Penguins have unleashed their aerial attack the past four contests with 83 receptions for 1,139 yards and 11 scores. Through the first five games of the season, YSU had just four passing touchdowns.
    Against Missouri State, YSU threw for 415 yards, the third most in a game in school history.  Only a 446-yard effort vs. Eastern Kentucky in 1985 and 418 at Western Illinois in 2018 rank higher. It was third time this year the Guins had thrown for more than 300 yards in a game.
    At Indiana State, YSU passed for 254 yards as Mitch Davidson was 25-of-37.

Tough On the Run
    The Penguins are one of just 12 FCS teams allowing fewer than 100 yards rushing per game.
    Through nine games, YSU is allowing just 94.3 yards per game which ranks ninth in the FCS. Seven times this year, the Guins have allowed fewer than 111 yards in a game, highlighted by a season-low six against Southern Illinois.
    On 231 carries against, the Guins have surrendered just 849 yards this season. However, 457 of those yards have come on 12 carries. On the other 219 attempts, YSU has allowed 392 yards (1.78 per rush).

Scoring on the Ground
    Through the first nine games of the season, YSU has scored 24 rushing touchdowns. Last year in 11 games, the Guins had 20 and that was with first-team All-America running back Jaleel Mclaughlin in the backfield.
    First-year TB Tyshon King leads the squad with nine rushing scores. TB Dra Rushton has seven scores while QB Mitch Davidson has added five rushing TDs.
    In total, five Guins have scored a rushing touchdown. In 2022, only four Penguins scored on the ground.

King Penguin Impresses
    Transfer running back Tyshon King has been a strong addition to the program since coming in from Northern Michigan.
    In nine games at YSU, King has rushed for 722 yards on 130 carries and scored a team-high nine touchdowns.
    Four times he has rushed for more than 111 yards, all of which have come at Stambaugh Stadium, including a career-high 148 yards vs. Illinois State.
     On three occasions he has been named the MVFC Newcomer of the Week for his efforts.

Rushton With Career Year
    TB Dra Rushton has had the best stretch of his YSU career last month.
    In the five contests he had 77 carries for 357 yards and four touchdowns. He also had an important receiving touchdown in the win over Illinois State.
    At South Dakota, Rushton rushed for a career-high 116 yards on 16 carries. He ripped off a career-long rush of 33 yards vs. the Coyotes.
    Against Illinois State he had 109 yards on 19 carries. He had a key touchdown reception in the fourth quarter vs. the Redbirds.
    This year he has rushed for 468 yards on 110 carries. Entering this season he had 387 yards on 87 rushing attempts.

Lastovka Making Kicks
    First-year PK Andrew Lastovka has been a major contributor after taking over for three-year starter Colt McFadden this season.
    Lastovka is 11-of-12 on field-goal attempts this season. He made a season-high three field goals against Missouri State before making two of three, including a career-long 45-yarder at Indiana State. He is 35-of-36 on PAT kicks this season as well.
    Against Illinois State, he kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired in YSU's 41-38 win.
    The walk-off winner vs. Illinois State was almost exactly one year since Colt McFadden made a 42-yard field goal as time expired to beat Western Illinois.

Strong on Special Teams
    The Penguins special teams have performed well through the first seven contests.
    YSU ranks 11th in the nation in net punting at 40.7 yards and is third in the nation with four blocked punts.
    Michael Voitus blocked a Valparaiso punt and Jaylen Castleberry returned it for a touchdown. Against RMU, Daryan Bowling was able to get his hands on a punt. At UNI, Bryce Oliver blocked a punt that was recovered by Deamontae Diggs and set the Guins up at the UNI nine. Against MSU, it was Diggs with a block that set up a field goal just before halftime.

Oliver Closing in on Flea
    WR Bryce Oliver has been a big producer for the Guins since his arrival and he could soon be the program's leader in career touchdown receptions.
    Oliver has 23 touchdown catches and trails only Jim "Flea" Ferranti by just two with three regular-season games to play. 
    Oliver has played in 29 games and has a touchdown reception in 16 contests (four in 2023, seven in 2022 and five in 2021).
    In the last 13 games he has played against MVFC foes dating back to October 2022, he has caught touchdown passes in 10 contests.
    In his YSU career, Oliver has 127 receptions for 1,751 yards and 23 touchdowns.  This season he has 42 catches for 664 yards and five scores.

Charleston Back on Field
    One of the great stories this season has been the return to the lineup of CJ Charleston.
    Charleston missed last year after suffering an Achilles tendon injury in fall camp.
    He has 423 yards on 28 receptions and three touchdowns this year. Entering the season he had 27 catches for 361 yards in his career.
    He had a career-high six catches for 119 yards against RMU in September. He has touchdown receptions against Valparaiso, Illinois State and Missouri State. His 72-yard touchdown reception vs. ISU was a career best.
    The season-opener against Valpo marked his first game since Nov. 20, 2021, which was at Southern Illinois. Since his debut in 2019, has caught 55 passes for 820 yards in 26 games played.

Howard Having Big Year
    LB Alex Howard leads the Penguins with 59 total tackles (32-27) on the year. That total crushes his 2022 season total of 34.
    He's had at least five tackles in all but one game with a high of nine against Valparaiso and Illinois State.
    He has been credited with sacks against Valparaiso, Ohio State and Southern Illinois. Last time out he had six tackles at South Dakota.
    Last year, Howard had 34 total tackles and just 3.5 TFLs playing in 10 games while making three starts.

Davidson First Over 2K in 10
    QB Mitch Davidson is the first YSU quarterback to pass for more than 2,000 yards since Kurt Hess in 2013. This year, Davidson has completed 170-of-241 passes (70.5 percent) for 2,169 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also has five rushing scores this year.
    He's tied the school record with three 300-yard passing games in one season joining Denny Klembara on the short list.
    Davidson threw for 390 yards vs. Missouri State, 332 at UNI and had 303 against Robert Morris. He has four touchdown passes in each of the last two games. In 10 of his 15 career starts, he's thrown for more than 200 yards.
     Davidson had an impressive performance during the 2022 campaign completing 119-of-201 passes for 12 touchdowns and just one interception.
    He has thrown just three interceptions in his last 337 attempts.

Career 300-Yard Passing Games
1. Trenton Lykes (1984-87) - 4
1. Denny Klembara (1968-71) - 4
3. Mitch Davidson (2018-Present) - 3
3. Brandon Summers (2008-09) - 3
3. Ron Jaworski (1969-72) - 3

O-Line Features Strength
    YSU's offensive line features four of five starters from a season ago. That group has a large amount of starting experience with Jaison Williams (36 starts), Aidan Parker (34 starts), David Metzler (27 starts) and Ryan Johnson (24 starts) leading the way. Redshirt freshman Desmeal Leigh has started nine games at left tackle.

Preseason MVFC Accolades
    WR Bryce Oliver, OL Jaison Williams and DE Dylan Wudke were all named preseason first-team All-MVFC selections. DT Chris Fitzgerald and LS Sam Merryman were named to the preseason second team while TB/TE Jake Benio, LB Greg Benton and DB Quincy Lenton were tabbed preseason honorable-mention.

Experience On the D-Line
    The Guins have a wealth of experience on the defensive line as well.
    The defensive line features veterans Dylan Wudke (33 starts), Chris Fitzgerald (30), Anthony Johnson (15), Andres Lehrmann (nine) and Devin Lee (five). Fitzgerald has started 30 straight games while Wudke has started 28.

Numbers of Note
• Turnover Margin: Since 1996, YSU is 156-48 when they win or tie the turnover margin. When committing more turnovers, YSU is just 30-87.
Since 1990 YSU is:
• 177-22-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 21 points in a game.
• 156-23 when rushing for 200-plus yards.
• 180-32 when scoring 28-or-more points.
• 96-14-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing in a game.
• 209-23 when leading entering the fourth.
• 95-3-2 holding opponents to 10 points-or-less.
• YSU is 21-6 when a back rushes for more than 200 yards in a game.

17

YSU Penguin Athletics / Penguins Fall to Louisiana, 72-62

« on: November 07, 2023, 08:18:04 AM »

Lafayette, La. – Senior Brandon Rush scored a team-high 14 points and graduate student DJ Burns posted a double-double, but the Youngstown State men's basketball team dropped a 72-62 decision to Louisiana on Monday night at the Cajundome.

The Penguins fall to 0-1 on the year while Louisiana improves to 1-0.

Burns, who recorded his first double-double with Youngstown State, scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Rush grabbed eight boards and senior Bryson Langdon added 11 points.

The Penguins built a 20-8 lead keyed by a 3-pointer by Burns and another 3-pointer by Rush at the 8:53 mark of the first half.

The Ragin Cajuns would score the next 11 points to cut the YSU lead down to one, 20-19, and then took a 25-24 lead at the 3:24 mark.

A basket and two free throws by Rush put Youngstown State back up three, 28-25, with 1:55 left before halftime, but Louisiana used a 10-3 run to close out the half with a 35-31 advantage at the intermission.

The Penguins began the second half strong by scoring eight of the first 10 points to take a 39-37 lead with 15:28 to go. Langdon hit a pair of shots to start the rally, and Burns made two layups to tie the game and regain the lead.

Louisiana used a 10-0 run to take an eight-point lead, 47-39, and extended its lead to 10, 51-41, at the 10:38 mark.

Two free throws and a driving layup by Ziggy Reid and a dunk by Gabe Dynes brought the Penguins back within four, 51-47, with just under nine minutes left.

After the Ragin' Cajuns extended the lead back to eight, the Penguins, who went 0-for-10 from 3-point range in the second half, would never get closer than five points.

Youngstown State visits Michigan, Friday, Nov. 10. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. in Ann Arbor, Mich. The game will be broadcast on 570 WKBN and the Big Ten Network.

18

YSU Penguin Athletics / Mitch Davidson MVFC Offensive Player of the Week

« on: October 30, 2023, 01:22:05 PM »

This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week include QB Mitch Davidson of Youngstown State; LB Logan Kopp of North Dakota State; P/PK Hunter Dustman of South Dakota State; and PK C.J. Elrichs of North Dakota.
 
Offensive Player of the Week
QB Mitch Davidson, Youngstown State

6-4, 220, Senior, Salem, Ohio (Salem HS)
Davidson passed for a career-high 390 yards while tying a career best with four touchdown passes as the Penguins defeated Missouri State 44-28 on Saturday at Stambaugh Stadium. Davidson completed 26-of-33 passes and connected with three different players for scores. He had touchdown passes of 51, 20, 10 and two yards in the victory. His previous high was 332 which came earlier this year at UNI. That total ranks third in school history for single-game passing yardage. He has 11 touchdown passes in the last three games.

19

YSU Penguin Athletics / Bowling Has Perfect Sunday to Win Destination Orlando Title

« on: October 30, 2023, 10:06:47 AM »

The Youngstown State bowling team went 3-0 to climb from fourth place to the championship on Sunday at the Destination Orlando: Sunshine State Classic tournament at AMF Sky Lanes.

The Penguins captured their third tournament title in program history and their first since 2019. YSU took down No. 1 Vanderbilt, No. 5 Stephen F. Austin and No. 7 Jacksonville State on Sunday in the best-of-seven bracket to claim the championship.

"I'm really proud of the ladies because it was a total team effort," said YSU head coach Doug Kuberski. "They did a heck of a job staying together throughout the tournament and staying focused on the process. And in big moments, they were cool and calm. Today, we felt as one. We're going to enjoy the victory, rest up tomorrow, and get back after it on Tuesday with our focus on continuing to strengthen our process and togetherness."

Youngstown State had the second-highest Baker pinfall on Friday, and it had to grind through some low scores during the middle matches of traditional on Saturday to remain in the top four and have a chance at a title run. The Penguins averaged 207.81 to beat Vanderbilt and SFA 4-2 and sweep Jax State 4-0 in the championship match. Vanderbilt was the third seed in the bracket, SFA held the top seed, and Jacksonville State was the second seed.

Jade Cote was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, serving as the Penguins' anchor for most of the weekend.

YSU dropped the opening game against the Commodores and the Ladyjacks, and the Guins trailed SFA 2-1 before rallying. Youngstown State had a big 194-193 win in game four against Vandy to take a 3-1 lead in the match, and YSU had victories of 236-233 and 213-205 over Stephen F. Austin.

Youngstown State began the championship match with a statement by bowling a 254 in the opening game, and a 213-203 win followed to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead. YSU then took game three 236-175, and Guins threw the final five strikes in game four. Madison Doseck and Kirsten Moore started the string with strikes in the eighth and ninth, and Cote tripped the 8-pin on her first ball to extend it. She then punctuated the tournament title with two more strikes to give YSU a 211-182 win in game four.

Youngstown State was the runner-up at its season-opening, giving the Penguins a pair of top-two finishes to start the 2023-234 season. YSU's next tournament will be at the SFA Ladyjack Classic in two weeks.

20

YSU Penguin Athletics / GAMEDAY SCHEDULE: Penguins vs. Salukis

« on: October 06, 2023, 07:41:33 AM »

The Youngstown State football team plays their first MVFC home game against Southern Illinois at Stambaugh Stadium on Saturday evening. Kickoff for the contest is set for 6 p.m.

Tailgating festivities are set to begin at Noon in the M-70, M-72 and M-81 Tailgate Lots. Beer will be on sale in all tailgate lots at that time. Parking will be available in various surface lots around the Stadium and in the M-30 Deck.

Accessibility parking in the M-60 Lot located south of the stadium will be available starting at 4:30 p.m. YSU Parking Services will offer golf-cart shuttle service to near the South concourse elevator.

This season, YSU will be doing a hybrid of acceptable tickets for entry. Mobile and printed tickets will both be accepted, however mobile tickets are highly encouraged.

The YSU Bookstore, which is open from Noon to 6 p.m., will also be selling merchandise at the game on the West Stands Concourse. They will be accepting credit cards for purchases.

Throughout the game members of the softball team will be selling 50/50 Raffle Tickets. The 50/50 raffle is also available online. The YSU women's golf team will be selling game programs throughout the stadium.

As always, YSU students are admitted free with a valid student ID. Tickets on gameday are $22 for reserved seats, but only $20 in advance. The YSU Athletic Ticket Office is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. prior to the day of the contest. On Thursday, the Ticket Office opens at 9 a.m.

For those individuals who cannot make Saturday's game can follow the game via LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO. Fans need a subscription to ESPN+ to watch the contest.

Saturday's Schedule

    9 a.m. - Athletic Ticket Office opens
    Noon - Tailgate Lots open
    Noon - YSU Bookstore opens
    3 p.m. – Football Alumni Tailgate (M-72 Lot)
    3:30 p.m. - YSU Team Walk (M-70 Lot)
    4:30 p.m. – Stambaugh Stadium Gates open
    4:30 p.m. - YSU Alumni Terrace Luncheon
    5:00 p.m. - YSU Icebreakers Band Show (adjacent to Rec Center)
    5:00 p.m. - Mosure Hall Opens
    6:00 p.m.- All Tailgating Lots close
    6:02 p.m. - YSU vs. Southern Illinois

    Halftime: YSU Marching Pride, Columbiana High School band
    In-Game Recognition's: 2023 YSU Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Champions, 2023 YSU Men's Basketball regular-season champions, YSU Family of the Year

Post-game: Bryant Heating & Cooling 5th Quarter Radio Show on AM 570 WKBN

21

YSU Penguin Athletics / Basketball Holds First Official Practice

« on: September 27, 2023, 10:01:56 AM »

The defending Horizon League Regular-Season Champion Youngstown State men's basketball team held its first official practice of the 2023-24 season with an intense and informative two-hour session at the Beeghly Center.

The new-look Penguins, who tied a school record with 24 wins and set the mark for most conference victories, are spearheaded by All-Horizon League Third-Team selection Brandon Rush and All-Freshman Team pick John Lovelace, Jr., and welcome a dozen newcomers to the program.

Rush, a 6-foot-3 fifth-year senior guard, averaged 13.9 points per game and shot 47.8 percent from the floor (173-of-362) and 37.9 percent from 3-point range (77-of-203) last season. He has scored 1,294 career points and has made 195 career 3-pointers and needs 527 points to reach 1,000 scored at Youngstown State.

Lovelace, Jr., appeared in all 34 games last year and averaged 4.3 points per game and shot 52.6 percent from the field.

The Penguins' newcomers include seven players from the transfer portal, a junior-college transfer and four true freshmen.

Jaylen Bates, a 6-foot-7 forward transferred from Florida A&M where he appeared in 28 games and made 26 starts last season. He averaged 9.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, scored 252 points while grabbing 200 rebounds and had 33 assists and 21 blocked shots. Bates also reached double figures 12 times.

DJ Burns, a 6-foot-7 graduate forward, transferred to Youngstown State after spending the last two seasons at Murray State. Burns started all 32 games with per game averages of 8.8 points and 6.6 rebounds and shot .540 from the field (105-of-185) and a career-high from the free throw line at .770 (67-of-87).

Junior EJ Farmer, a 6-foot-5 guard from Cleveland, Ohio, spent the last two seasons at Toledo. Last year, Farmer started five of 35 games played and scored 209 points while grabbing 67 rebounds. He averaged 6.0 points and 1.9 rebounds, and shot 52.8 percent from field (76-144) and 40.0 percent (12-of-30) from three-point range.

Bryson Langdon, a fifth-year guard, did not play last year, but spent three seasons at Northern Kentucky. During the 2021-22 campaign, he scored 202 points and dished out 126 assists, and averaged 6.3 points and 3.9 assists per contest. Langdon had the Horizon League's fourth-ranked assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.1 an also grabbed 65 rebounds and had 35 steals.

Fifth-year senior Ziggy Reid, a 6-foot-6 forward, spent four years at Merrimack and scored 1,183 career points with 146 made 3-pointers and 450 career rebounds. Last season, he scored 483 points while grabbing 138 rebounds on the year and averaged 14.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Reid was also named the NEC Tournament MVP after averaging 23.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in the three-game tournament.

Fifth-year senior Brett Thompson, a 6-foot-1 guard, comes to Youngstown State from Tennessee Tech. Last season, Thompson played in all 30 games and made 18 starts. He averaged 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, and scored 370 points while grabbing 91 rebounds and adding 94 assists. He also connected on 41.7 percent of his 3-point attempts (48-for-115).

Imanuel Zorgvol, a 7-foot-0 center, transferred to YSU after two seasons at Northern Kentucky. Zorgvol redshirted his first season, but appeared in 32 games and made one start year. He Averaged 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, and finished the year by scoring 82 points while grabbing 90 rebounds. Zorgvol also recorded 21 blocked shots and connected on 59.6 percent (34-for-57) from the floor.

Tommy Fryda appeared in four games last season for the Penguins.

Other newcomers include Anthony Breland (6-4, Fr., G), Dante DePante (6-4, Fr., G), Gabe Dynes (7-3, Fr. C), Christian Kirkland (6-9, Fr.,F), and David Wilkerson (6-4, So., G).

The Penguins open the 2023-24 campaign at Louisiana, Monday, Nov. 6, in Lafayette, La.

22

YSU Penguin Athletics / UNI football hosts Youngstown State in MVFC opener for both

« on: September 27, 2023, 09:34:19 AM »

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI football will get its first opportunity to face off against Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) competition early on Saturday afternoon as the Panthers host the No. 23/19 Penguins of Youngstown State in their league opener in the UNI-Dome.

Having won its last three games against the Penguins, UNI will look to even its record on the season coming off the bye week last Saturday. The Panthers are 14-6 under head coach Mark Farley after a bye week as well as conference openers, and have won 59 games against top-25 ranked opponents under Farley.


 

UNI PANTHERS
UNI enters league play after being picked third in the MVFC preseason poll. The Panthers have finished in the top-five in the conference standings seven times in the last ten seasons, including a second place finish in 2019.

Northern Iowa looks to replicate its success from its last outing on Sept. 16, a 41-17 win at Idaho State. In Coach Farley's 175th career victory, the Panthers scored big in the passing game with receiver Sam Schnee setting a career-high with 174 yards on seven catches and a pair of touchdowns. Schnee enters this week as the MVFC's leader in receiving touchdowns (3), receiving yards per game (101.7) and all-purpose yards per game (131).

Quarterback Theo Day also produced a career game at Idaho State, throwing for a career-best 388 yards and two touchdowns, moving him up to sixth on UNI's all-time passing yards list (6,306). The redshirt senior gunslinger ranks fifth in the nation with 288 passing yards a game, the second-best mark in the conference, while also commanding the nation's ninth-best passing offense (291 yards per game).

UNI's offensive line and defense also showed signs of improvement, not giving up a sack all game against the Bengals, earning Chase Arends MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors last week. Cordarrius Bailey recorded three sacks against Idaho State, while Jahsiah Galvan recorded ten tackles. Galvan enters the fourth game of the season in the top-five in the MVFC in tackles per game (8.3), with Edwin Dearman ranking 13th in the league (6.7 tackles per game).

On special teams, placekicker Matthew Cook continued to make history with his 71st career field goal made, becoming the first Panther kicker to reach 70 in his career. The Cedar Falls, Iowa native also remained perfect on his career with his 131st made PAT kick. In the punting game, Noah Pettinger, despite only punting once against the Bengals, continues to lead the MVFC and rank sixth in the FCS with a 45.2 yard average.



 

YOUNGSTOWN STATE PENGUINS
The Penguins, also coming off their bye week last weekend, will be in search of their first win in the UNI-Dome since 1999. After a dominant season-opening win against Valparaiso and a 35-7 loss at Ohio State, Youngstown State bounced back with a convincing 48-28 win against Robert Morris (PA) on Sept. 16.

With a run-heavy offense, the Penguins average 219 rushing yards a game and have scored 12 touchdowns on the ground this season. Running back Tyshon King, last week's MVFC Newcomer of the Week, leads the YSU run game with 294 yards on 35 carries and five touchdowns, averaging just under 100 rushing yards per contest. King ran for a career-high 117 yards and three scores two weeks against vs. Robert Morris

Through the air, quarterback Mitch Davidson is coming off a career day with 339 passing yards on 21 completions against Robert Morris, with one passing and rushing touchdown to his name. First Team Preseason All-MVFC receiver Bryce Oliver and teammate C.J. Charleston became the first pair of Penguin receivers to eclipse 100 receiving yards since 2017 as Oliver totaled 108 yards on seven catches, while Charleston tallied 119 yards on six targets, including three receptions of 20+ yards.

Defensively, Youngstown State posts the second-best red zone defense in the league, holding its opponents out of the endzone 71.4% of the time. The Penguins bring four defenders into Saturday's matchup with double-digit tackles on the year, including Alex Howard (21), Tyjon Jones (15), Marcus Hooker (13) and Greg Benton Jr. (11). Howard also leads the Penguins with four tackles for loss and three sacks).


 

FAMILY WEEKEND
The University of Northern Iowa will celebrate Family Weekend, Sept. 29-Oct. 1. All tickets for Saturday's home football game against Youngstown State at 1 p.m. CT can be used to get into UNI volleyball's home match the same day at 6 p.m. CT vs. UIC. Please contact the UNI Ticket Office at 319-273-4849 for inquiries or more information, or visit unipanthers.com/tickets.

23

YSU Penguin Athletics / On-Demand Game Replays on ESPN+

« on: September 18, 2023, 05:05:56 PM »

I really like having the game replays on ESPN+. Even though I go to most every game, you can see so much that you missed from the stands. To see the replays, you go down below the upcoming games and it lists them by date.

24

YSU Penguin Athletics / Week-2 FCS Poll

« on: September 11, 2023, 05:02:31 PM »

We moved up to #25

FCS Coaches Poll
Updated Sep 11, 2023

RANKING   SCHOOL   RECORD   POINTS   PREV
RANKING   SCHOOL   RECORD   POINTS   PREV
1   South Dakota State (52)   2-0   1,396   1
2   North Dakota State (3)   2-0   1,335   2
3   Montana State   1-1   1,263   3
4   William & Mary   2-0   1,208   4
5   Idaho (1)   2-0   1,141   7
6   Holy Cross   1-1   1,092   5
7   Furman   1-1   989   6
8   Sacramento State   2-0   986   9
9   Weber State   2-0   926   12
10   UIW   1-1   906   10
11   New Hampshire   1-1   830   11
12   Montana   2-0   764   13
13   Southeast Missouri State   1-1   666   14
14   North Dakota   2-0   620   17
15   Southern Illinois   2-0   552   24
16   UC Davis   1-1   540   15
17   North Carolina Central   2-0   467   18
18   Samford   1-1   390   8
19   Southeastern Louisiana   0-2   369   16
20   Mercer   2-1   264   20
21   Rhode Island   1-1   245   22
22   Delaware   1-1   241   19
23   Florida A&M   1-1   150   23
24   Villanova   2-0   135   NR
25   Youngstown State   1-1   105   25
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Gardner-Webb 88; Central Arkansas 83; Western Carolina 81; Northern Iowa 72; Abilene Christian 51; UT Martin 44; Morgan State 43; Eastern Kentucky 36; Tarleton State 28; Fordham 25; Albany 19; Jackson State 13; Yale 11; Eastern Washington 9; Campbell 8; Illinois State 5

25

YSU Penguin Athletics / Ogletree, Rivers, McLaughlin Earn Initial NFL Roster Spots

« on: August 30, 2023, 01:12:29 PM »

Former Youngstown State standouts Jaleel McLaughlin, Derek Rivers and Andrew Ogletree were named to the initial 53-player rosters of the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts the organizations released on Tuesday.

McLaughlin made the Broncos squad as an undrafted free agent while Ogletree was a sixth-round draft pick of the Colts in 2022. Ogletree missed the 2022 campaign after suffering a torn ACL in fall camp. Rivers is in his seventh NFL season and has been with the Texans since the 2021 season.

A former FCS and Division II All-American, McLaughlin set the NCAA All-Division career rushing yardage leader with 8,166 yards. In 2022, he was first-team All-America by The Associated Press, Athlon Sports, FCS Stats Perform and HERO Sports. In his three seasons as a Penguin, he rushed for 3,418 yards on 535 attempts and had 30 touchdowns. He was a two-time first-team All-MVFC selection while adding second-team honors as well. Prior to coming to YSU he spent two seasons at Division II Notre Dame (Ohio). At Notre Dame, he was a two-time first-team Division II AFCA All-American.

Ogletree transferred to YSU from Findlay and was a member of the program for the 2021 spring and fall seasons. In the spring of 2021 he had 12 catches for 109 yards. In the fall 10-game campaign he caught 28 passes for 282 yards. He was the first YSU offensive player selected in the draft since offensive lineman Jim Zdelar in 1989.

Rivers played a major role in the Penguins advancing to the 2016 National Championship game. In his NFL career, he has appeared in 24 games playing for the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Texans. At YSU, Rivers became the first Penguin to be drafted since Harry Deligianis was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1998 NFL Draft. Rivers ended his career with 41 sacks, 56.5 TFLs and 173 tackles in 49 games played. He broke the school record for sacks by 19 and ranked in the top five in FCS history in career sacks. A second-team All-American selection in 2016, he had 58 total tackles, 19.5 TFLs and 14 sacks.

26

YSU Penguin Athletics / Thursday Schedule

« on: August 29, 2023, 04:43:06 PM »

Thursday's Schedule

    8 a.m. - YSU Bookstore Opens
    9 a.m. - Athletic Ticket Office opens
    3:30 p.m. - Tailgate Lots (M-81/M-70) open | Parking available in M-71/M-66/M-63/M-30 deck
    5:30 p.m. – Car Coach Display Day
    5:30 p.m. - YSU Team Walk Through M-70 Tailgate Lot
    6 p.m. - Stambaugh Stadium Gates Open
    6:30 p.m. - YSU Marching Pride Icebreaker
    6:30 p.m. – Raising Cane's Tailgate Radio Show LIVE AM 570 WKBN
    6:30 p.m. - Mosure Hall of Gridiron Glory Opens on Concourse Level
    7:15 p.m. - YSU Marching Pride Pregame Show
    7:30 p.m. - Tailgate Lots Close
    7:32 p.m. - YSU vs. Valparaiso
    Halftime: YSU Marching Pride

Postgame: Bryant Heating & Cooling 5th Quarter Radio Show on AM 570 WKBN

27

YSU Penguin Athletics / Inaugural Rock The Lot Tailgate Party Set For August 19

« on: August 15, 2023, 10:45:17 AM »

The inaugural "Rock the Lot" Youngstown State Football Preseason Tailgate Party Fundraiser Featuring The Vindys will be held in the M-70 Tailgate Lot located next to Stambaugh Stadium on Saturday, August 19. Tickets are available for purchase online at the YSU Athletic Ticket Office.

It will be an unforgettable evening filled with delicious food from a variety of food vendors, exciting games and refreshing beverages.

Grab your friends, bring your team spirit, and come Rock the Lot in the ultimate pregame celebration before the big 2023 YSU Football season kicks off. The event promises to be a perfect blend of fantastic music, mouthwatering food, and a great atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.

Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind tailgate party! Mark your calendars for August 19 and join us to we rock the lot starting at 3 p.m..

A special thank you to our corporate sponsors:
898 Marketing
Allstate - Jason Durica
Cut and Toast Cigars
Compco
HBK CPA's
McHenry Industries
Penn Ohio Sealing
Servpro
Sobe Thermal Energy

Gather your crew and get ready to have a blast at the Inaugural YSU Football Preseason Tailgate Party!

Concert schedule

3 p.m. - Gates Open
3-5 p.m. - DJ
5-5:45 p.m. - Larry Elefante
6:30-7:15 p.m. - Fifth and Aurora
8-9:30 p.m. - The Vindys
9:30-11 p.m. - DJ

28

YSU Penguin Athletics / Three Penguins Earn First-Team Preseason All-MVFC Accolades; Eight Total Guins H

« on: August 03, 2023, 08:56:14 AM »

The Youngstown State football team had three players named preseason first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference the league announced on Tuesday morning. Additionally, YSU had two preseason second-team and three preseason honorable-mention All-MVFC honorees.

Earning first-team laurels were wide receiver Bryce Oliver, defensive end Dylan Wudke and offensive tackle Jaison Williams. Following the 2022 season, Oliver was a first-team All-MVFC pick, Wudke was a second-team selection and Williams was an honorable-mention honoree.

Oliver enters the season tied for third in school history with 18 career touchdown receptions. Wudke finished third on the squad a year ago with 43 tackles and posted a team-high five sacks. Williams has started 27 games in his Penguins career and been a two-time All-MVFC Honorable-Mention honoree.

Defensive tackle Chris Fitzgerald and long snapper Sam Merryman were named to the preseason second team while fullback/tight end Jake Benio, linebacker Greg Benton and defensive back Quincy Lenton were tabbed preseason honorable-mention.

In the team preseason poll, the Guins were picked to finish sixth in the strong 11-team league. Defending National Champion South Dakota State was a near unanimous pick to win the conference title receiving 44 of 45 first-place votes among completed ballots. North Dakota State was picked second, UNI third, North Dakota fourth and Southern Illinois was fifth ahead of YSU. The Penguins play the Jackrabbits and Salukis at home and visit the Panthers in late September.

29

YSU Penguin Athletics / Meet The Team Event Presented by 21 WFMJ TV Set for August 5

« on: July 31, 2023, 10:38:02 AM »

Youngstown State football fans can get a great chance to get to know the members of the 2023 YSU Football team at the "Meet the Team" presented by 21 WFMJ TV on Saturday, August 5 at Stambaugh Stadium.

The free event is set for 1-2:30 p.m. where fans can get autographs, photos and interact with the members of the 2023 Penguins.

Fans can try on a YSU uniform, clock their 40-yard dash time, kick field goals, enjoy inflatables and toss footballs around with members of the team and the coaching staff. Pete the Penguin, along with Penny, and members of the YSU spirit squad will also be in attendance.

The YSU Athletic Ticket Office will be open from 12:30-2:30 p.m. for those interested in buying season tickets for the upcoming campaign. Tickets for season opener on August 31 vs. Valparaiso will also be available.

Parking will be available in the M-70 Lot across Fifth Avenue from Stambaugh Stadium. Fans can look for members of the YSU Spirit Squad who will be directing fans into Stambaugh Stadium.

New in 2023 will be the addition of select food truck vendors in the Stadium for fans to enjoy.

For more information contact the YSU Athletic Ticket Office at (330) 941-1YSU.

30

YSU Penguin Athletics / Oliver Named Preseason All-American, Headlines YSU Phil Steele Selections

« on: July 31, 2023, 10:36:39 AM »

Youngstown State senior wide receiver Bryce Oliver has been named a preseason third-team FCS All-American by Phil Steele, the publication announced. He was also among 11 Penguins named to Phil Steele's Preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference squad.

Oliver was joined by Darius Cooper of Tarleton State and MJ Wright of Fordham on the third-team. Three receivers were named to the first, second and third-team squads. Last year, Oliver was a first-team All-MVFC selection after making 59 receptions for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns. The 10 touchdowns were the most receiving touchdowns by a Penguin since 1983. In his career, has 18 touchdown receptions in his career tying a school record at the FCS level.

Oliver was also a first-team preseason All-MVFC pick by Phil Steele along with standout defensive end Dylan Wudke. Other Penguins named to the preseason All-MVFC squad were offensive lineman Jaison Williams (second team), long snapper Sam Merryman (second team), offensive line Aidan Parker (second team), tight end/fullback Jake Benio (second team), defensive lineman Chris Fitzgerald (third team), linebacker Greg Benton (fourth team), defensive back Jordan Trowers (fourth team) and wide receiver Max Tomczak (fourth team).