Ohio State Football Schedule Prep: Youngstown State
The Ohio State football team takes on Youngstown State on September 9th in Ohio Stadium. Here is what you need to know about the Penguins.
The Ohio State football program and Youngstown State have one big tie that links the two programs. That being former YSU President Jim Tressel, who just so happens to be one of Ohio State’s greatest football coaches of all time.
In fact, the last time these two schools played was in 2008 with Tressel as the Buckeye head coach. Ohio State won 43-0, but Tressel certainly laid off the gas in the second half.
While Tressel might have conflicting interests in September, Ryan Day and the Ohio State football team will not. This is scheduled to be a tune-up game following the Week 1 contest at Indiana. And with Notre Dame in South Bend on the horizon, the Buckeyes better get their work in against the Penguins.
YSU is coached by Doug Phillips, who is in his fourth year on the job. Phillips was at Ohio State as a quality control coach in 2006, so he should know what his team is up against. Phillips’ overall record at YSU is 11-17 but the Penguins had a solid season last year going 7-4 and were in the D-1 Championship subdivision playoff hunt right up until its last game.
The Penguins will be a team in a bit of transition however as they have to replace its best player on offense, running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who ran for over 1,500 yards and had 13 touchdowns in 2022.
Mitch Davidson returns at quarterback where he started seven games throwing for 1,613 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only one interception. The Penguin offense will be highly reliant upon his growth this season as a senior. Youngstown State does have a big play receiver named Bryce Oliver, who had 59 catches for 810 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022. So, the Buckeye corners should get a little bit of a test in covering Oliver.
Next. CJ Stroud drafted into a terrible situation. dark
Overall though this game shouldn’t be within 50 points when it’s all said and done. The Penguins are in a lower division for a reason and Ohio State probably shouldn’t be scheduling them. I’m all for keeping the game money in state, but with as many MAC schools as there are in Ohio, it’s probably only fair that they play against true D-1 opponents.
Look out for next week when we prepare for Ohio State’s Week 3 opponent, Western Kentucky.