Youngstown State vs. Valparaiso
August 31, 2023 | Stambaugh Stadium
Youngstown, Ohio | 7:30 pm.
Broadcast Information
TV – ESPN+ (Drae Smith, Chris Sammarone)
Radio Network – 570 AM WKBN (Bob Hannon, Steve Leslie, Ron Potesta)
Internet Radio – 570wbkn.iheart.com
App Audio – iHeartRadio App
Penguins
Record: 0-0
Last Game: vs. Southern Illinois (W, 28-21 in 2022)
Head Coach: Doug Phillips (Fourth Season)
X (Formerly Twitter): @ysufootball
Beacons
Record: 0-0
Last Game: at New Mexico State (L, 3-65 in 2022)
Head Coach: Landon Fox (Fifth Season)
X (Formerly Twitter): @valpoufootball
Series History
All-Time Series: YSU leads 3-0
In Youngstown: YSU leads 3-0
Win Streak: YSU, 3 games
Last Meeting: YSU 42, Valparaiso 7 (2018)
The Youngstown State football team opens the 2023 campaign against Valparaiso on Thursday evening at Stambaugh Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. The game is available live on ESPN+, WKBN 570 AM and iHeartRadio.
The Penguins closed out the 2022 campaign by winning five of their final six contests to finish the campaign 7-4. At home last season, the Guins played well winning five of six contests. The lone defeat was a four-point setback to North Dakota.
The Guins return plenty of key offensive and defensive personnel from last year’s campaign. QB Mitch Davidson, WR Bryce Oliver, WR Max Tomczak, OL Aidan Parker, OL Jaison Williams, OL Ryan Johnson, OL David Metzler and TE Jake Benio return on the offensive side. On defense, 12 of the top 14 tacklers from last year’s unit returns including DE Dylan Wudke, DT Chris Fitzgerald, DT Anthony Johnson, LB Greg Benton, LB Alex Howard, SAM D’Marco Augustin, CB Jordan Trowers, S Quincy Lenton, S Marcus Hooker, S Tyjon Jones and CB Amarian Robinson.
On offense the Guins will need to replace the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher in Jaleel McLaughlin, who played a key role in the resurgence of the program the past two years after one win in the 2021 spring season. McLaughlin signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent joining center Mike McAllister, an undrafted free agent signee by the Los Angeles Rams, in the NFL.
Valparaiso was 5-7 in 2022 with three of those wins coming on the road. Early in the season, the Beacons nearly upset MVFC member Illinois State in Normal losing just 28-21. YSU rallied to beat the Redbirds later in the season in the same venue. Valpo lost four of its last five games, including a late-addition defeat at New Mexico State in early December.
This is the fourth all-time meeting between the Penguins and Beacons. YSU owns wins of 42-7 (2018), 59-0 (2012) and 77-13 (2011). In 2018, Valpo took a 7-0 lead before the Guins scored the final 42 points in the victory.
In the non-league portion of the season, the Guins visit Ohio State on Sept. 9 before returning home to take on Robert Morris on Sept. 16. YSU is travelling down to Columbus for the first time since 2008. The Penguins open MVFC play on Sept. 30 at UNI.
2022 Team Highlights
• YSU had a four-win improvement from 2021 to 2022. It was the biggest regular-season turn around since the 1995-1996 season.
• The Penguins won three games after trailing in the fourth quarter. On Oct. 22, YSU trailed Western Illinois 27-17 before rallying for a 28-17 victory. On Nov. 5, the Guins trailed 17-13 at Illinois State before winning 19-17. On Nov. 19, YSU was down 21-7 to Southern Illinois before winning 28-21.
• The Guins threw just three interceptions, the fewest in a season in school history.
• YSU committed just nine turnovers in 2022. The Guins ran 705 plays from scrimmage on the year.
• YSU finished the year with 29 sacks.
• YSU had more than 400 yards of total offense on six occasions and rushed for more than 178 yards in seven games.
• YSU had six 200-plus yard passing efforts for the year as well while throwing a touchdown pass in eight contests.
• YSU held six opponents to 103-or-fewer yards rushing in a game throughout the year. Four times YSU held an opponent to under 150 yards passing in a game.
• The defense allowed just 120.2 yards rushing per game. The lowest per game total since 2012 and the second lowest since 1998.
• In the fourth quarter, the Penguins outscored the opposition 96-68.
Last Time vs. Valpo
YSU picked up its first win of the season on Sept. 15, 2018, when it defeated Valparaiso 42-7 at Stambaugh Stadium. The Penguins fell behind by a touchdown before scoring the final 42 points of the contest.
Against the Crusaders, TB Tevin McCaster rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns while QB Montgomery VanGorder completed 13-of-21 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns. It was the second time this year that VanGorder threw for three scores in a game.
VanGorder connected with Darius Shackelford, Natavious Payne and Kendric Mallory for touchdowns against Valpo. It was the first YSU receiving touchdowns for Shackelford and Payne. Also in the contest, McCaster eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark in his Penguins career.
Non-Conference Home Success
YSU has won 40 of its last 42 non-conference home games since September 2004. The two setbacks came against Liberty in 2008 (31-28) and Butler in 2018 (23-21). Both defeats came on final-play field goals.
Since falling to the Flames on Sept. 27, 2008, the Penguins had won 20 straight at home against non-conference foes until the loss to the Bulldogs in 2018. Since 2018, YSU has won eight straight at home against non-conference foes.
Success In August
The Penguins are playing their first August contest since an Aug. 24, 2019 tilt against Samford in the Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff Classic at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. The Guins were impressive that afternoon on ESPN beating the Bulldogs 45-22.
All-time in August, YSU owns a 8-2 record with seven victories coming at Stambaugh Stadium. The last home game in August was in 2013 when the Penguins beat Dayton, 28-10.
Davidson Back at QB
Quarterback Mitch Davidson returns after starting the final seven games of last season. Davidson had an impressive performance during the year completing 119-of-201 passes for 12 touchdowns and just one interception.
In five of his seven starts, he threw for more than 200 yards while leading late-game comebacks against Western Illinois, Illinois State and Southern Illinois.
He had a career-high 280 yards in his first career start vs. North Dakota. In the final game of the season vs. Southern Illinois he had career highs in completions (24) and attempts (38). He had a high of three touchdowns vs. South Dakota.
Wide Receivers A Deep Group
The YSU wide receivers combined to make 118 receptions a year ago. Impressively the six Guins who combined to make those 118 catches all return this year.
Bryce Oliver (59), Max Tomczak (26), Latrell Fordham (18), Brandon Alexander (8), Luke Hensley (6) and Daryan Bowling (1) all return this fall. Also back are tight ends Jake Benio (eight catches) and Brandon Serrano (six).
Overall players who combined for 135 catches are back in 2023. They also caught 15 of 17 TD tosses.
Wudke Wreaks Havoc
DE Dylan Wudke is in his third year as a starter for the Guins. A preseason first-team All-MVFC selection, Wudke has 79 career tackles with 16.5 TFLs and eight sacks.
He has started 24 games for the Guins including 19 straight. Last year he had 43 total tackles with 12 TFLs and five sacks.
Oliver A Top Target
WR Bryce Oliver has been a big touchdown producer for the Guins throughout his Youngstown State career.
He has played in 20 games and has a touchdown reception in 12 contests (seven in 2022 and five in 2021). Last year he had a touchdown catch in six of the last seven games which propelled him to earning first-team All-MVFC honors. In the finale vs. Southern Illinois he set the school record with 12 catches.
In 20 games played at YSU, Oliver has 83 receptions for 1,087 yards and 18 touchdowns. He is one of just four players in school history with 16 touchdown receptions in a career.
Last season he had 59 catches for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Rushton, New TBs Have Talent
TB Dra Rushton had a breakout year in 2022 rushing for 319 yards on 71 carries and scoring two touchdowns. He is the top leading returner rusher for YSU from last season.
With the departure of All-American Jaleel McLaughin the Guins have a talented group ready to show out in 2022. Since the spring of 2021, McLaughlin accounted for 3,418 yards at YSU.
Northern Michigan transfer Tyshon King was a first-team All-GLIAC selection in 2022 rushing for 984 yards on 182 carries and scored eight touchdowns. He also caught 35 passes for 444 yards and five scores.
The Guins will also count on Dante Walker, Chephus Harris III, Da’Shaun Whatley and Caleb Mitchell this year.
Top Tacklers Return
The Penguins defensive unit returns eight of its top nine tacklers from 2022 and 12 of its top 14 overall.
Leading the way last year were DBs Jordan Trowers and Quincy Lenton who had 51 tackles each. DE Dylan Wudke was third on the team with 43 stops, including a team-leading five sacks. D’Marco Augustin was the only other player over 40 tackles finishing with 41.
The only two tacklers not returning from the top 14 are LB Griffin Hoak and DB Caleb Burr.
Four O-Line Starters Return
YSU’s offensive line returns four of five starters from a season ago. That group brings a large amount of starting experience into the 2023 campaign with Jaison Williams (27 starts), Aidan Parker (27 starts), David Metzler (18 starts) and Ryan Johnson (15 starts) all returning.
YSU’s lone loss was Mike McAllister who started 28 games and signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent.
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.
17 Graduates on Roster
The Penguins have 17 graduate student-athletes on their roster to open the 2023 campaign.
Those Guins who have their undergraduate degrees are: Greg Benton, Quincy Lenton, Marcus Hooker, Tyshon King, Jake Benio, Ryan Johnson, Dra Rushton, Bryce Oliver, D’Marco Augustin, Adrian Compton, Alijah Curtis, Alex Howard, Caleb Mitchell, Mike Morris, Mitch Davidson, Andres Lehrmann and Dylan Wudke.
Impressive Fourths for YSU
The Penguins made finishing games a key last season. YSU allowed just eight touchdowns in the period in 2022. In total, the Guins outscored their opponents by a 96-68 margin in the fourth last year.
The best fourth period of the season came in the final game against Southern Illinois as YSU scored 21 points in a come-from-behind win.
In the fall of 2021, YSU was outscored by 30 points and in the spring of 2021, the Guins were outscored by 20 points.
The Penguins finished with plus-28 in fourth quarter point differential. That’s a 58-point difference since 2021.
Experience On the Lines
The Guins have a wealth of experience on both the offensive and defensive lines.
The offensive line features veteran starters Jaison Williams (27 games), Aidan Parker (27), David Metzler (18) and Ryan Johnson (15). Williams and Parker started for the first time in the spring of 2021. Metzler made his first-ever start at left tackle at Michigan State in 2021 as a redshirt freshman and Johnson transferred from Duquesne to start four of the final five games in 2021.
The defensive line features veterans Dylan Wudke (24 starts), Chris Fitzgerald (21), Anthony Johnson (six) and Devin Lee (five). Wudke and Fitzgerald started every game last year.
Touchdowns By Current Guins
The Penguins have seven players on their roster who have scored touchdowns while at YSU. WR Bryce Oliver is the leader in receiving and total TDs with 18. QB Mitch Davidson has scored the most rushing touchdowns with four.
Up Next
YSU returns to Columbus, Ohio, for the first time since 2008 to take on Ohio State. The Buckeyes open the 2023 season at Indiana on Saturday. Kickoff for the contest at the Horseshoe is set for Noon.