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Before the 2023 campaign even concluded, the YSU coaching staff started to see warning signs about the pending offseason. Despite making the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2016 and beating Duquesne 40-7 to advance to the second round, text messages came flooding in from the FBS ranks as several coaches began tampering with impact players on the Penguins’ roster.
With coaches making recruiting pitches in the midst of preparation for a tilt with Villanova, Doug Phillips could sense players eyeing escape routes as cash offers came flying in from different angles. YSU went on to lose 45-28 to the Wildcats, and the program was left adrift as 15 players departed for the FBS and FCS portal ranks, unraveling much of what Phillips had been building toward since he arrived in 2020.
Despite an effort to reload with 19 FBS and FCS transfer additions, certain evaluations were rushed and the Penguins failed to address major holes in the front seven defensively. In addition to defensive problems, YSU was faced with the task of ushering in a new starting quarterback in Beau Brungard. On offense, the return of four offensive line starters offered some hope, but tension would start to mount as YSU progressed through the 2024 season.
The season spiraled quickly, with the Penguins suffering an upset loss at home against Duquesne before surrendering 73 points against Pitt the following week. The struggles continued with a 63-13 dismantling at the hands of South Dakota State, but the Penguins rallied to finish the year with a 39-38 win over Northern Iowa. Although YSU ended on a high note, change could be sensed from within the building.
The first move came when Doug Phillips elected to part ways with offensive coordinator Troy Rothenbuhler. From there, a long series of decisions led to YSU being in position to compete at the top of the MVFC.
A top five high school recruiting class, a splash hire at offensive coordinator, and a far more calculated approach to roster building all resulted in an 8-5 season that many viewed as a major step forward under Phillips. On defense, the “hit” rate in particular stood out among defensive line transfers, with Collin Vaughn (Utah State), Cameron Cunningham (Fayetteville State), and Thomas Jolly (Grand Valley State) making an immediate impact up front.
Offensively, Slippery Rock transfer Flash Wilson erupted for a standout season, while Isaac Perkins (Colgate) secured a starting job on the offensive line. While the outcome of the 2026 season is still hanging in the balance, preseason excitement now surrounds a program that seems on the verge of reestablishing its championship tradition.
After a devastating loss to Yale in which YSU blew a 42-14 lead, questions about the state of the program became a focal point once again. This time, though, things were different. Learning from the critical mistakes made in the aftermath of the Villanova loss in 2023, the coaching staff immediately attacked the retention process, focusing on retaining the core talent on the roster.
Beau Brungard announcing his decision to return sparked other significant contributors to come back, seemingly correcting the fatal retention mistakes made after the 2023 season. Phillips went to work once again this offseason, adding a slew of transfer additions and making a big-time hire at defensive coordinator.
Everything has built toward this moment. From surviving a portal exodus to rebuilding the roster piece by piece, YSU has spent the last two offseasons pushing its chips to the center of the table. The talent is there. The depth is there. The expectations are there. Now comes the hardest part: proving this program is ready to rise back into the national spotlight.
