Youngstown State University Men's Football

Mike Yurcich, who has led some of the nation's most explosive offenses at the Power Four level, was named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Youngstown State in January 2025. He is in his second season on Head Coach Doug Phillips' staff. Yurcich (YER-sitch) made an instant impact at YSU coaching quarterback Beau Brungard to numerous national player-of-the-year honors in 2025. Brungard became the first player in program history to win the Walter Payton Award, which recognizes the top Offensive Player at the FCS level. He was also named the Walter Camp Offensive Player of the Year and the FCS ADA Offensive Player of the Year.  In 2025, Brungard spearheaded a YSU offense that averaged 36.6 points per game and had 10 games with 30-or-more points. The unit averaged 459.3 yards a contest. Brungard had 1,468 yards on the ground with 27 touchdowns while throwing for 3,234 yards and 26 scores while setting numerous school, conference and national records. Brungard was tabbed the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year while wide receiver Max Tomczak was a first-team all-league pick, offensive tackle Desmeal Leigh was a second-team honoree and Jaden Gilbert was an honorable-mention recipient. Overall he has spent 26 years coaching at the collegiate level, including 19 as an offensive coordinator. He served as Penn State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2021-23 before joining the Youngstown State staff. From 2013-23 he was the play caller at Penn State, Texas and Oklahoma State. In 2023, the Nittany Lions averaged 36.2 points per game while scoring 56 touchdowns and converting 20-of-26 fourth-down opportunities. The unit had just eight turnovers, including throwing just two interceptions. A balanced attack, PSU had 215 yards passing a contest while rushing for 185 a game. In 2022, PSU’s offense finished third in the Big Ten in fourth down conversion percentage (.700; 6th nationally), scoring offense (35.8) and total offense (433.6; 33rd). Quarterback Sean Clifford closed out his career breaking school records in wins by a starting quarterback (32), completions (833), passing touchdowns (86), passing yards (10,661) and total yards (11,734) During Yurcich's first season in Happy Valley, Clifford finished sixth in the Big Ten in total offense (251.5) in 2021, while Dotson (91 receptions for 1,182 yards) and Parker Washington (64 receptions for 820 yards) were one of only five receiving tandems in the country to each have at least 64 catches and 820 yards. In 2020 when Yurcich was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas, the Longhorns ranked eighth in FBS in scoring offense (42.7 ppg; second in Texas history), 16th in passing efficiency (156.2) and 19th in total offense (475.4 ypg). Under Yurcich’s guidance, Longhorn quarterback Sam Ehlinger completed 60.1 percent (184-306) of his passes with a Big 12-leading 25 touchdowns, earning second-team All-Big 12 honors. In his lone season at Ohio State as passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2019), Yurcich helped the Buckeyes to a 13-1 record and a trip to the College Football Playoff, while molding QB Justin Fields into a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) Player of the Year Award, and the Davey O'Brien Award. The Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Fields was named second-team All-America by the WCFF, Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association and Football Writers Association of America. Fields ranks second in Ohio State single-season history with 40 passing touchdowns, which is third in the nation this year, while throwing just three interceptions for the nation's best touchdown to interception ratio. He was also third in school history with 3,273 passing yards, and he accounted for a total of 51 touchdowns, just three shy of Dwayne Haskins' Big Ten record of 54 set last season. Fields finished the season responsible for 306 points, which is third in the nation, while his passing efficiency rating of 181.40 is fifth. Overall, Ohio State was third in the nation in scoring offense, setting a school single-season record with 46.9 points per game, and is fifth in total offense with 529.9 yards per game, which is second in school history. The 656 total points scored this year are the second-most in program history and 16 behind the 2014 team's single-season record when the offense was guided by Herman. The Buckeyes rank fifth in the nation in team passing efficiency with a rating of 180.51, while leading the nation in third-down conversions at 55.2 percent.  Prior to his time at Ohio State, Oklahoma State experienced one of its great offensive eras under Yurcich, with the program averaging 38.0 points per game and 478.3 yards per game throughout his six-year run, compiling a record of 52-24 with four 10-win seasons and four bowl game victories. That included two appearances in New Year's Six games – the 2016 Sugar Bowl and the 2014 Cotton Bowl. The Cowboys scored 40 or more points 35 times and put up 50 or more points 15 times. In 2018, Oklahoma State's offense ranked in the top 15 nationally in scoring offense (13th, 38.4 ppg), total offense (10th, 500.2 ypg), passing offense (10th, 309.8 ypg) and total first downs (7th, 339). The Cowboys also ranked second in the Big 12 in rushing offense (190.3 ypg) and rushing touchdowns (30). Leading the way was walk-on quarterback Taylor Cornelius, who Yurcich developed into a top-10 ranked player nationally in passing yards (4th, 3,978), passing yards per game (6th, 306.0 ypg), passing touchdowns (8th, 32), total offense (6th, 337.3 ypg), points responsible for (5th, 252) and points responsible for per game (6th, 19.4 ppg). The 2017 Oklahoma State offense was arguably the best in school history, featuring a 4,000-yard passer in Mason Rudolph, two 1,000-yard receivers in James Washington and Marcell Ateman and a 1,000-yard rusher in Justice Hill. That group led the Cowboys to a 10-3 season and a No. 14 final national ranking, capped by a win over Virginia Tech in the Camping World Bowl. The Cowboy offense led the nation in passing yards (389.2 ypg), was second in total offense (568.9 ypg) and fourth in scoring (45.0 ppg). Rudolph was the winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as college football's best senior quarterback, and Washington won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's outstanding receiver. Operating in Yurcich's offense for his entire college career, Washington finished as Oklahoma State's all-time leading receiver with 4,472 career yards, a mark that ranked second in Big 12 history. The offense set single-season school records for total offense, total offense yards per game, yards per play, passing yards, pass efficiency, passing yards per attempt, passing yards per game and first downs, among numerous other records. It reached the 50-point mark in six games and eclipsed 500 yards of offense nine times, including a school-record 747 yards against Baylor. In 2016, Oklahoma State was one of only two Power Five conference teams to produce a 4,000-yard passer (Rudolph), a 1,000-yard rusher (Hill) and a 1,000-yard receiver (Washington). The offense ranked in the top 20 in the nation in total offense (14th, 494.8 ypg), scoring offense (17th, 38.6 ppg), passing offense (9th, 323.9 ypg) and passing efficiency (158.37). The Cowboys posted a 10-3 record, a No. 11 final national ranking and defeated Colorado in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Yurcich coordinated a two-quarterback system in 2015 that was a central reason for Oklahoma State finishing 10-3 with a top-20 ranking and earning a berth into the Sugar Bowl. Rudolph ranked 17th nationally in passing yards (3,770) and seventh nationally in yards per completion (14.3 ypc). J.W. Walsh was responsible for 156 points despite having only 162 total offense attempts (0.92 points responsible for per total offense attempt). Rudolph and Walsh combined to throw 34 touchdown passes. As a whole, the offense ranked 14th in the nation in scoring (39.5 ppg), 22nd in total offense (480.0 ypg) and seventh in passing (353.2 ypg). In 2014, Yurcich oversaw an offense that produced Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year Tyreek Hill and ranked in the top 13th nationally in red zone offense (.905). In his first season in Stillwater in 2013, the offense ranked 14th nationally in scoring (39.1 ppg) and 29th in passing offense (277.2 ypg). The Cowboys finished with a 10-3 record, a No. 17 final national ranking and an appearance in the Cotton Bowl. Over Yurcich's six years at Oklahoma State, the program ranked fifth nationally in passing yards per game (315.9), 11th in touchdown passes (179), seventh in total yards per game (478.6) and sixth in scoring (38.0 ppg). Yurcich was hired at Oklahoma State after two seasons (2011-12) as offensive coordinator at Shippensburg University. His first Shippensburg team set numerous school records, including points scored, touchdowns and total offense. His second led the NCAA Division II in total offense (529.2 ypg) and was second in scoring (46.9 ppg) and passing (387.7 ypg) during an 11-2 campaign.  Quarterback Zach Zulli was one of his most decorated players, winning the 2012 Harlon Hill Trophy as the top player in Division II. That year, he threw for 54 touchdowns, which tied the Division II record, and posted records for both total points scored (344) and total touchdowns (57). Yurcich coached six seasons at Edinboro from 2005-10, handling quarterbacks and wide receivers in 2005 and adding offensive coordinator duties to his title for the five seasons between 2006 and 2010. A four-year stay (1999-2002) at Saint Francis (Ind.) coaching running backs, quarterbacks and ultimately serving as offensive coordinator in 2002 was Yurcich's introduction into the coaching profession. He then moved on to an offensive graduate assistant position at Indiana University for the 2003 and 2004 seasons. A native of Euclid, Ohio, Yurcich is a 1999 graduate of California University in Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Julie, who is from Youngstown, and was an All-America cross country runner at Edinboro, have three children: sons Jack and Clay, and a daughter, Maria.

Ryan Riemedio, former Head Coach at Mercyhurst, is in his first season as Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers coach for Head Coach Doug Phillips. Riemedio spent the past four seasons as the Head Coach of the Lakers and oversaw their transition from Division II to the FCS ranks. Overall, he was part of the program for 14 seasons with 10 coming in an assistant coaching capacity. In 2025, Mercyhurst picked up five victories, including four in conference play. Youngstown State saw first-hand what Riemedio’s defense could do as the Lakers were one of just three opponents to hold the high-powered Penguins to fewer than 24 points out of 13 games. At Mercyhurst, he was named the Head Coach in waiting at the beginning of the 2021 season, taking on the head coaching duties in January 2022 after the retirement of 20-Year Head Coach Marty Schaetzle. In 2025, the Lakers closed the season, winning two of their final three games and four of the final seven. On defense, MU held seven of 12 opponents to 22 points or less, including limiting FCS National Champion Montana State to 17 points. The year prior in 2024, the program made the leap from Division II to FCS and was able to have success. Mercyhurst won its final two games and played four contests decided by just one point while two others were decided by one possession. In 2023, he became the first coach in program history to have three games in which the Lakers scored 40-or-more points in three games over their first two seasons leading the charge after a 41-29 win over Lock Haven. Riemedio's first conference win was a last-second victory over Clarion on the road, 36-35. The sixth coach in program history, he won each of his first two games in 2022 by a margin of 94-35, defeating Alderson Broaddus 45-28 and Lock Haven 49-7. From 2012 to 2021 he was an assistant in numerous positions for the Lakers for head coach Marty Schaetzle. He was the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator in fall of 2021. In 2021 spring season, his roles were Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers coach. He served as the Defensive Line coach from 2014 through 2019. He worked with the special teams in 2015 and worked on the offensive side in his first two years with the program. In the summer of 2021, Riemedio was one of 36 participants selected to participate in the NCAA | NFL Coaches Academy. The NCAA and NFL Coaches Academy provides current, full-time intercollegiate football coaches at NCAA member institutions an educational opportunity to build connections and develop leadership acumen to pursue their career aspirations, expand their knowledge and insight into the world of intercollegiate and NFL coaching. In 2018, he was selected by the PSAC to participate in the Minority Opportunities in Athletic Administration (MOAA) / D2 Governance Academy at the annual the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Conference. Ahead of the 2016 season, he had the opportunity to be an NFL Coaching Intern through the Bill Walsh Minority Fellowship Program with Super Bowl LII Champion Philadelphia Eagles. The Marina/Seaside, Calif., native spent three years coaching at Monterey Peninsula College (JUCO) in Monterey, Calif., before moving onto the Mercyhurst staff. With the Lobos, Riemedio was involved with many aspects of the football program- coaching the defensive backs, linebackers, defensive line, and coordinating the punt return & kickoff on special teams. In his final season, Riemedio was promoted as the defensive coordinator and helped lead the defense to a Coast-Conference Championship and a berth in the Sierra Central Credit Union Bowl. Riemedio graduated from Minot State University with a bachelor’s degree in corporate fitness. While at Minot State, he was a two-year starter at inside linebacker, as well as the long/short snapper on special teams. In his two years at MSU, Riemedio was part of a Dakota Athletic Conference Championship team and named a team captain his senior year. Before heading to Minot State, he earned an Associates Degree in General Education and played two years of junior college football at Monterey Peninsula College. Riemedio was part of MPC’s 19-3 record, two Coast Conference Championship (2004, 2006), two Bowl Appearances (2004 Graffiti Bowl and 2006 Holiday Bowl), a State Section Title (2004 Graffiti Bowl), and named a Team Captain (2006).

Austen Bujnoch is in his seventh season on the Youngstown State coaching staff under Head Coach Doug Phillips. Bujnoch serves as the Penguins' offensive line coach. Bujnoch's offensive line has played an important role in the Guins advancing to the postseason in two of the past three years. The 2025 season showed the group's depth with at least seven players start at least four contests. Stalwart offensive tackle Desmeal Leigh led the way by starting all 13 games and earning second-team All-MVFC honors. Joe Sferra started 12 contests, Van Keen and Isaac Perkins started 10, Shane Keenan had nine starts while Nick Nielsen had six and Matthew Keeley had four. Keely made his first career start at center in the Fargodome and during the season, Keen, Keenan and Sferra started at two different spots. The group banded together to pave the way for QB Beau Brungard, the 2025 Walter Camp FCS Offensive Player of the Year and the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year. Brungard spearheaded a YSU offense that averaged 36.6 points per game and had 10 games with 30-or-more points. The unit averaged 459.3 yards a contest. Brungard had 1,468 yards on the ground with 27 touchdowns while throwing for 3,234 yards and 26 scores while setting numerous school, conference and national records. In 13 contests, the group allowed just 17 sacks with 11 coming in the first six contests. A veteran group in 2024, the offensive line helped protect Brungard in his first season as a starter. Brungard came up just two yards rushing shy of the first 2,000-yard passing, 1,000-yard rushing season in school history. He did set a school record for most rushing touchdowns by a QB in a campaign with 16. YSU also had a pair of running backs rushed for more than 575 yards as the offense averaged 201.8 rushing yards per game. Senior Jaison Williams was a second-team All-MVFC selection after starting all 12 games. Williams finished his career with 52 career starts. Williams earned third-team All-America laurels by SI.com's FCS Central. Additionally, Aidan Parker finished his career with 50 career starts between guard and center. Leigh had another outstanding campaign and was recognized as honorable-mention all-conference after starting all 12 games at left tackle. In 2023, an impressive season by the offensive line helped pave the way for one of the best offensive seasons in school history. YSU averaged a school-record 243.1 yards passing per game eclipsing the old mark was 235.8 which was set back in 1972. YSU set school records for completions (270) and attempts (388) as well as percentage (69.6).  YSU's offense set a school record for 40-plus point games with six. YSU also set a new school record by scoring 30-or-more points in six straight games. The Penguins scored 28-plus points in all but two games. In 13 contests, the offensive line allowed just 18 sacks. The Guins led all of FCS by averaging 35:06 in time of possession per contest. Williams was named second-team All-MVFC to headline the unit's individual honors. Williams and Ryan Johnson started every game on the right side of the offensive line. David Metzler, who started for two straight years at left tackle, moved to guard while talented redshirt freshman, Leigh, started all 13 games at left tackle. Parker moved from guard to center and made 11 starts while Van Keen filled in at center for two contests. Leigh earned freshman second-team All-America honors from Stats Perform for his efforts during the year. Metzler and Parker earned Academic All-District honors as well. The unit helped newcomer Tyshon King earn second-team All-MVFC accolades while rushing for more than 1,000 yards and nine scores. Senior Dra Rushton had a the best year of his career with 664 yards and nine touchdowns.  In 2022, an experienced line helped boost the fortunes of the YSU offense. Running back Jaleel McLaughlin was named the MVFC's Offensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which honors the FCS's top offensive player. McLaughlin rushed for 1,588 yards on the season and late in the year set the NCAA All-Division career rushing record. As a team, YSU averaged 202.6 yards per game marking the second consecutive year it averaged more than 200 per contest. Senior center Mike McAllister was named second-team All-MVFC while Williams was an honorable-mention All-MFVC selection. The veteran group featured strong play by starters Parker, Metzler and Johnson as well as one-year Guins Errol Walker and Joey Groeber. YSU's offensive line helped pave the way for McLaughlin who was named first-team All-MVFC in 2021. McLaughlin rushed for 1,139 yards in 10 games and scored 12 touchdowns. First-year starting quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw rushed for 599 yards and seven touchdowns while being named the MVFC's Freshman of the Year. Williams was named Honorable Mention All-MVFC for his efforts during the season. The Penguins' line showed tremendous progress during the 2021 spring campaign. A very inexperienced group came together and was able to help pave the way for McLaughlin who earned second-team All-MVFC accolades. McAllister started all seven games at center while Parker and Derek Hite settled in to starting roles at both guard positions. Entering the spring, only McAllister had played a snap on the offensive unit for the Guins. He spent the 2019 season as the offensive line coach at Ohio Dominican. The Panthers posted a 7-3 record and played in the America’s Crossroads Bowl against Truman. ODU had a pair of offensive linemen named second-team All-G-MAC for their efforts. The Panthers averaged 30.3 points and 347.3 yards per contest during the campaign. A standout offensive lineman at Cincinnati, Bujnoch was an offensive graduate assistant for the Bearcats from 2015-18. He was a member of Luke Fickell's staff that helped UC finish with 11 wins in 2018. The Bearcats ranked 15th in the country in rushing offense, 27th in scoring offense and 11th in third-down conversions in 2018. At UC, he assisted the offensive staff in all facets of the program’s day-to-day operation, including practice planning and management, working with the defensive scout team, and assisting with the offensive line. He coached four current NFL offensive linemen and coached under Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, amongst others, during his time at UC. Bujnoch made 35 career starts at right guard for the Bearcats, including a streak of 32-consecutive starts from 2011-13. As a senior, he was a 2012 First-Team All-BIG EAST Conference honoree and was an American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honoree in 2013 and an Academic All-BIG EAST selection in 2011 and 2012. Following his senior campaign, he was recognized as the John Pease Best Lineman at UC. Additionally, he grew his hair out and donated it to Locks of Love, a charity organization that makes wigs for patients with cancer and other hair disorders. Following his graduation, he spent time in NFL camps with the New York Jets and St. Louis Rams. Bujnoch, who starred at Elder High School in Cincinnati, has a bachelor’s degree in history from UC and earned his master’s degree in health education. His father Glenn played in the NFL from 1976-84 with the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bujnoch and his wife, Erin, have two children -- their son Augustine and, daughter Bennett.

Ray Hunter is in his third season on the coaching staff at Youngstown State in 2026. Hunter serves as the Penguins' defensive line coach. In 2025, the group showed strong depth and versatility with five players recording 16-or-more tackles and seven different lineman appeared in the starting lineup. Collin Vaughn had an impressive year with 45 total tackles to lead the unit. Connor Johannesen emerged as a key asset with 22 tackles, six of which were TFLs. The line went 12 players deep and battled through three season-ending injuries. In 2024, the defensive line was credited with 20 sacks for the campaign. Leading the way was Hunter Allen with five while Michael Voitus added four. Voitus led the team with a high of eight TFLs. Allen led the squad with four QB hurries. Hunter joined Head Coach Doug Phillips’ staff in March 2024 after spending the previous three seasons at Colgate. At Colgate, he was the defensive line coach all three years while serving as the Raiders’ recruiting coordinator in 2023. Last season, standout defensive lineman Zack Pelland earned second-team All-Patriot League honors and was voted an FCS ADA Academic All-Star under Hunter’s leadership.  In 2022, Coleman Coco was honored with an All-League second-team selection as a defensive lineman, and K2 Dickens earned the same distinction the year prior in 2021.  Prior to Colgate, Hunter spent three seasons at Ohio Dominican, where he served as the defensive line coach and was named the team’s defensive coordinator for the 2020-21 campaign. Ohio Dominican posted a 4-2 spring record, which featured its first 3-0 start in six seasons. All 11 starters on defense were selected to the All-Conference team including five First Team selections.   Hunter coached 13 all-conference performers along the defensive line, including six first-team selections in his three seasons at ODU. In 2019, sophomore Jaylin Garner broke the program's all-time single season sack record and ranked 15th nationally in sacks per game. As a unit, the Panthers were among the top three in the Great Midwest in sacks and tackles for loss per game.  Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Hunter coached the defensive line while assisting with the special teams at Missouri Valley in 2017. The kickoff return team finished No. 15 in the nation with 22.4 yards per return and the punt team ranked second nationally in net punt yardage (42.8). Two of his linemen earned First Team All-Conference accolades. Previously, Hunter helped coach defensive line, linebackers and special teams as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Central Missouri, from 2015-17.   Hunter was a four-year starter on the defensive line and team captain at Central Missouri. A standout in the trenches, he was named Defensive Player of the Year, Defensive Lineman of the Year, First Team All-MIAA, and Third Team All-Region during his senior campaign. He graduated from Central Missouri in 2014 with a degree in both business management and entrepreneurship.

Trent Voss is in his third season on the coaching staff at Youngstown State in 2025. He serves as YSU's safeties coach. The unit stepped up in 2025 led by Dathan Hickey, Dayne Hodge and Makai Shahid. Hodge led the Penguins in total tackles and was an Honorable-Mention All-MVFC selection in his lone season with the program. He finished the year with 79 total tackles while adding five pass breakups and two interceptions. Hickey was named the National Defensive Player of the Week following an outstanding effort in the season-opening win over Mercyhurst. In 10 games, he collected 64 tackles and had a pair of interceptions. Shahid finished tied for fourth on the team with a career-best 69 tackles. True freshmen Jussiah Williams-West was a key youthful addition recording 29 tackles while being thrust into the starting lineup.  In 2024, the unit showed improvement throughout the campaign. DJ Harris (57) and Shahid (56) ranked one and two on the squad in tackles while Stephon Hall (51) was fifth. Harris was named to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team as he saw increased playing time later in the season. In total, three safeties tied for the team lead in interceptions. Voss joined the YSU coaching staff in February 2024 after spending three campaigns at Ohio Dominican. In 2023, ODU had an impressive seven defensive players earn All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference honors. The Panthers held opponents to fewer than 20 points per game while limiting teams under 100 yards a game on the ground. G-MAC Co-Player of the Year Eddie Miller-Garrett earned All-America honors and was a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy. Miller-Garrett made 60 tackles (4th on the team), 23.0 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 17 QB hurries. He led the G-MAC with TFL and sacks (7.5 TFL ahead of 2nd and 2.0 sacks ahead of 2nd) and finished as the ODU single-season leader for tackles for loss and sacks. In 2022, the unit surrendered only 16.9 points per game allowing just 22 touchdowns in 10 games. The defense had 15 interceptions and held opposing offenses to just a 33 percent conversion rate on third down. Jaylin Garner was named the G-MAC Defensive Player of the Year as the Panthers had five first-team all-league selections. Three other members of the defense earned second-team all-conference laurels. In 2021, Voss led one of the top scoring defense's in the Great Midwest, ranking second with an average of 20.9 points per game. The Panthers' mark also ranked among the top 35 nationally. Ohio Dominican was also top three in the conference in total defense, conceding 336.5 yards per game. ODU also enjoyed a 31-0 shutout win over Lake Erie, a game the defense set a new program sack record with 11. Eddie Miller-Garrett broke the single game individual sack record as well with 3.5.  Nine Panther defenders received all-GMAC awards in 2021, including three first team selections. Senior linebacker Dauson Dales became the first defensive player in G-MAC history to be named the Overall Player of the Year, and added two all-American honors. Under Voss' guidance, Dales broke the single season (122) and career (376) tackle records for ODU in 2021.  Previously he worked at John Carroll University (2020-21) where he was the Defensive Run Game Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach. As a Graduate Assistant at Toledo, Voss assisted in coaching Linebackers and Safeties and helped lead the University of Toledo to the 2017 MAC Championship. He also aided the Rockets as a Defensive Quality Control Analyst and advisor to their defensive coordinator. Other positions Voss has held include Linebackers and Strength and Conditioning Coach at North Point High School. Voss is a graduate of Toledo where he received both his undergraduate, B.A. degree in Business Management and Master’s in Recreation Administration. As a three-year starter on the Rockets football team, helped lead them to three bowl games and was an all-conference selection in 2015. Voss and his wife, Alexis, have two sons -- Cayden and Jett. 

Youngstown native Michael Zordich joined the YSU football staff in January of 2025. Zordich serves as the Penguins' cornerbacks coach. In 2025, DJ Harris and Justin Wimpye were the primary starters at corner. Harris, who transitioned from safety to corner in fall camp, finished second on the team with 72 total tackles but registered a team-best 53 solo stops. Wimpye had 60 total tackles, with 11 pass breakups and three interceptions. Harris grabbed two interceptions during the season on deep downfield throws.  Zordich, who was an All-American at Penn State in the early 1980s and played in the NFL for 12 seasons, returned to Youngstown State after spending the past 10 years at the FBS level. He was the defensive backs coach at Central Michigan (2021-24) after serving six years (2015-20) as the defensive backs coach at Michigan. He was originally a member of YSU's coaching staffs in the spring of 2009 and 2014. In 2024, CMU safety Donte Kent was a second-team All-MAC honoree earning league laurels for the fourth consecutive seasons. In 2023, Kent earned Second Team All-MAC honors. The 2022 season saw Kent earn first-team All-MAC honors after he concluded the year ranked ninth nationally and second in the MAC in pass defended with 15 (1.4 per game). In 2021, Zordich mentored a veteran defensive backfield group that included All-MAC second team safety Devonni Reed, along with Kent, who was selected to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America team. Zordich's secondary played a key role in a Chippewa defense that ranked third overall in the MAC as CMU finished 9-4 and capped the season with a victory in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Zordich was an integral part of a Michigan defense that twice (2016-17) ranked No. 1 nationally against the pass. The Wolverines ranked No. 2 nationally against the pass in 2018 and third in 2015. He coached three cornerbacks to All-America honors while at Michigan and a Wolverine cornerback was named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award on three different occasions.   He played safety in the NFL from 1987-98 for three different franchises: New York Jets (1987-88), Arizona Cardinals (1989-93), and the Philadelphia Eagles (1994-98). He was drafted in the ninth round by the San Diego Chargers in the 1986 NFL Draft. Over his NFL career, Zordich started 127 games out of 185 career contests, made 588 tackles, intercepted 20 passes (three touchdowns on interception returns) and totaled six sacks, six forced fumbles, and 11 fumble recoveries. He made a career-best 87 tackles in 1991 with Arizona and totaled four interceptions in both 1994 and 1996 with the Eagles.   After his NFL career, he then broke into coaching at nearby Cardinal Mooney High School. He then returned to the NFL and spent four combined years with the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff as Defensive Quality Control Coach (2009-10) and Safeties Coach (2011-12) before moving to the collegiate ranks as Safeties Coach/Co-Special Teams Coordinator at Youngstown State in 2014.  As a collegiate player, Zordich helped guide Penn State to the 1982 national title and in 1985, he captained the Nittany Lions to a No. 3 national ranking.    Zordich resides with his family, wife Cynthia, sons Michael Jr. and Alex, and daughter Aiden. His son Michael Jr. played running back at Penn State and later for the Carolina Panthers, and his other son Alex played quarterback at Buffalo.

Justin Heacock is in his second season as an assistant coach for the Youngstown State football program. He serves as running backs coach for the Penguins. In his first season, the running backs played a key part in a YSU offense that averaged 36.6 points per game and had 10 games with 30-or-more points. Overall, the unit averaged 459.3 yards a contest. Running backs Jaden Gilbert, Ethan Wright and Tahir Mills had the bulk of the production. In his first year as a starter, Gilbert was named MVFC Honorable Mention. In the regular season, he rushed for rushed for 599 yards on 92 carries and three touchdowns and caught 40 passes for 369 yards with a score. In MVFC contests, he rushed for 405 yards on 60 carries and caught 25 passes for 318 yards. Wright had 222 yards on 41 carries in nine games and caught 24 passes for 249 yards and two scores. Mills 12 rushes and eight receptions on the campaign. Prior to joining the YSU staff in February 2025, he spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at Toledo. He worked primarily with the offense during his tenure. In 2024, the Rockets posted an 8-5 record reaching the GameAbove Sports Bowl in Detroit. UT won a six-overtime 48-46 contest against Pittsburgh to cap of the season. Early in the campaign, the Rockets beat Mississippi 41-17. Heacock played quarterback at Washington & Jefferson College from 2018-21. As a senior he threw for 1,826 yards and 20 touchdowns. Heacock, who earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors as a senior, graduated from Washington & Jefferson in 2022 with a degree in business. A native of New Concord, Ohio, he played high school football at John Glenn High School. He was a multi-sport athlete playing football, basketball and baseball. All those teams won district titles. Heacock comes from an outstanding coaching family.  His father, Jeff, was the head coach at Muskingum from 1991-2006 and was a two-time OAC Coach of the Year. His uncle, Jon, was the Head Coach of the Penguins from 2001-2009 and twice was named the MVFC Coach of the Year. His uncle, Jim, was the head coach at Illinois State from 1988-95 and was a long-time assistant coach at Ohio State (1996-2011) who won the Broyles Award in 2007.

Reggie Gamble is in his fourth season with the Penguins serving as Tight Ends Coach. Gamble joined Coach Doug Phillips' staff in February 2023. Gamble's tight ends have played an important role in the Guins advancing to the postseason in two of the past three years. The tight ends unit battled through injuries, but played a key role in the offensive success of the 2025 Penguins. YSU was never healthy at the position, but Colt Sechrest, Austin Bray, Alex McDonald and Michael Manna all were key contributors. McDonald had a breakout season with 12 receptions, three of which were for touchdowns while making a position-leading nine starts. He caught TD passes at Towson, at North Dakota State and at UNI. Bray added a pair of scoring grabs in a win over Indiana State. For the season, YSU offense averaged 36.6 points per game and had 10 games with 30-or-more points. The unit averaged 459.3 yards a contest In 2024, all three tight ends caught at least eight passes with Brandan Serrano and Colt Sechrest leading the way. Serrano caught a TD pass while newcomer Austin Bray caught the game-winning pass on a two-point conversion in overtime as YSU defeated UNI to cap off the season. The unit played a key role in blocking for QB Beau Brungard who finished the season with more than 2,000 yards passing and 998 yards rushing. Additionally, two running backs went for more than 550 yards during the campaign. In 2023, the tight ends played a key role in helping the Guins return to the playoffs for the first time in seven years. YSU's offense set a school record for 40-plus point games with six. YSU also set a new school record by scoring 30-or-more points in six straight games. The Penguins scored 28-plus points in all but two games. YSU averaged a school-record 243.1 yards passing per game. The old mark was 235.8 set back in 1972. YSU set school records for completions (270) and attempts (388) as well as percentage (69.6). Three tight ends hauled in touchdown passes - Jake Benio, Serrano and Sechrest. As a unit, the tight ends caught 42 passes in the high-octane passing attack. The group also were key blockers as tailback Tyshon King rushed for more than 1,000 yards during the campaign.  Gamble came to Youngstown State after spending the previous 11 seasons at Division II Ashland. He served in various capacities for the Eagles during his tenure, including spending the last two seasons as Offensive Coordinator. While at Ashland he also coached the defensive line, offensive line, fullbacks and tight ends. In 2022, the Eagles reached the Region 1 semifinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs posting a 10-2 record. Offensively, UA averaged 29.3 points and 395 yards per contest. In 12 games, the Eagles turned the ball over just 15 times and averaged 32:08 in time of possession. Ashland won the Great Midwest Conference title with a 7-1 record in league play. It was the program’s first title in just its second year in the conference. Five members of the offense were named to the GMC All-Conference first team while five others were second-team all-league picks. In 2021, three offensive Eagles were named first-team all-conference and two were named second team in their first year of play in the Great Midwest Conference. The Eagles also made the Division II postseason in 2017 and produced an 11-2 record that season. Ashland defeated Northwest Missouri State in the first round before dropping a contest to Harding in the Region 3 semifinals. Gamble helped Adam Shaheen to become a second-round pick by the National Football League's Chicago Bears in 2017. In 2015, Ashland went undefeated in the regular season claiming the GLIAC title. In the Region 4 Quarterfinal the Eagles were upset by Grand Valley State. In 2012 and 2013, Gamble coached AU's defensive linemen. In 2012, the Eagles opened the year with 11 consecutive wins and reached the Super Region 4 Semifinals before losing to West Texas A&M. Gamble joined the AU staff from Santa Barbara City College, where he was the offensive line and tight ends coach. His background also includes time spent as the offensive line coach at West Hills College. Gamble was a starting offensive lineman with the Eagles for four years. He was a mainstay on the line in 2007 and 2008 when the Eagles advanced to the NCAA playoffs. Gamble was a second-team all-region pick in 2008, and that same season, he was named an honorable mention All-American. The offensive tackle also received All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors. A native of Mansfield, Ohio, and played high school football at Mansfield Senior High School. He earned his degree from Ashland in 2009 and his Master’s Degree from Ashland in 2014. Gamble, has a son, Phoenyx. 

Chris Parry is in his second season as an assistant coach for the Youngstown State football team. Parry, who served in a quality control role for the Penguins from 2017-22, coaches the wide receivers. In 2025, the group of wide outs had an incredible year. Senior Max Tomczak was named first-team All-MVFC after leading the way with 70 receptions for 1,021 yards and eight touchdowns. In MVFC contests, had 43 grabs for 610 yards and four touchdowns. He had three 100-yard plus contests and caught five-or-more passes in eight contests. He finished his career as the school record holder in career receptions and second in yards. Ky Wilson stepped into the lineup and made an instant impact. In the regular-season, Wilson caught 55 passes for 550 yards and six touchdowns and in MVFC games, had a team-high 44 receptions for 454 yards and five TDs. Mike Soloman added 20 catches for 329 yards while Luke Hensley had 15 grabs. All totaled, the group caught 184 passes for 2,367 yards and 18 touchdowns. YSU offense that averaged 36.6 points per game and had 10 games with 30-or-more points. The unit averaged 459.3 yards a contest. He comes to YSU after spending a successful season as the wide receivers coach at Division II Slippery Rock. In 2024, the Rock reached the Division II semifinals and finished the season ranked No. 3 in the final polls. SRU finished the campaign with a 12-2 record which included playoff wins over New Haven, Kutztown and California (Pa.). In his lone season on the coaching staff at Thiel, Parry helped to guide the program to its highest win total in the last seven years as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. He oversaw the development of All-Presidents' Athletic Conference wide receiver Chase Lawler. Prior to his time at Thiel, he was a key figure on Pittsburgh’s defensive staff in 2022. The Panthers’ defense led the nation in interceptions returned for touchdowns and sacks while also ranking second in defensive touchdowns, seventh in rush defense, 17th in total defense and 17th in third down conversion percentage. He began his coaching career as a member of the Youngstown State coaching staff where spent parts of five seasons with the Guins. He worked with the offense and handling a wide variety of responsibilities including local recruiting. He also worked as an assistant to YSU’s recruiting coordinator and special team’s coordinator. Parry was part of Coach Bo Pelini and Coach Doug Phillips’s staffs while in Youngstown. A native of nearby Niles, he was a standout three-sport athlete at Niles McKinley High School, where he was a captain on the football, basketball and baseball teams as well as the recipient of the Bo Rein Memorial Award giving to McKinley’s top multi-sport student-athlete. Following his prep career, he attended West Virginia where he was a wide receiver from 2014-17. Parry earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies while minoring Athletic Coaching at Youngstown State.

Thomas Fletcher is in his first season as Special Teams Coordinator for the Youngstown State football program. He joined Coach Doug Phillips' staff in February 2026. Fletcher spent the 2025 season as the Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends coach at West Alabama. Prior to coaching at UWA, he held positions at Alabama, Florida and UCLA. In 2025, the Tigers were outstanding in all facets of the kicking game. West Alabama averaged nearly 44 yards per punt while going 11-of-12 on field-goal attempts. On punt return, the Tigers averaged over 12 yards a return while allowing just six total yards on nine punt returns. UWA was also a perfect 37-of-37 on PAT attempts. Punter Austin McCready and placekicker Elijah Guyton were first-team All-GSC and D2CCA All-Region selections. Guyton was later named D2CCA and Associated Press Second-Team All-American. Fletcher served as a Special Teams graduate assistant for Alabama during the 2023 season. Fletcher's time with the Crimson Tide led to full-time coaching stints with Florida and UCLA before making the move to Livingston to be Cochran's Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends Coach. A native of San Ramon, Calif., he played served as Alabama's long snapper from 2017-20. While at Alabama, Fletcher won National Championships with the Crimson Tide in 2017 and 2020. He was the recipient of the Patrick Mannelly Award which is awarded to the nation's top Long Snapper for his efforts in 2020. After an impressive career at Alabama, Fletcher was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. After being a part of the Panthers for a year, Fletcher signed a contract with the Seattle Sea Dragons before the Sea Dragons shut down their operations in 2023 after the merger between the XFL and USFL that created the UFL.

Mark Preto, a native of Cleveland, is in his eighth season as the video coordinator for the Youngstown State football program. For his efforts during a busy 2021 season where YSU played seven games in the spring and 10 more in the fall he was named the College Sports Video FCS Video Coordinator of the Year. He spent 12 years as a video operations assistant with the San Francisco 49ers before joining the YSU program in August 2016. Overall he worked in the NFL for 17 years before joining the YSU staff. Preto joined the 49ers after serving in the same capacity for the Tennessee Titans from 1999-04.  Preto was part of three PAC 12 football video departments before moving on to the NFL in 1999. He was the video coordinator at Oregon State during the 1998 season after spending the 1995-98 campaigns in the same capacity at Southern Cal when the Trojans captured the 1996 Rose Bowl title. From 1991-95, Preto served on the video staff at Oregon where he made his first trip to the Rose Bowl. During that span, he spent the 2002 summer as an intern in the Cleveland Browns video department. Preto began his career in sports video at his alma mater, the University of Akron, where he was the video director in 1990 after playing on the Zips football team from 1985-90. He earned his bachelor’s degrees in accounting and finance from Akron in 1990. Preto graduated from Benedictine High School where he played football and wrestled.

Tony Chiaro is in his third season with the Youngstown State football program and second as Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations. Chiaro assists in all day-to-day activities of the program including high school recruiting and transfer portal visits, housing, meals assistance and other logistics for the organization. He previously served as the Director of Player Development for the Penguins. He graduated from Youngstown State in December 2022. He worked as a student assistant for the football staff as an undergrad.