The #1 rated Jackrabbits (9-0) head east one last time in the regular season, and hopefully final time for the entire season, to take on #22 Youngstown State Penguins (6-3). The Penguins are in a situation similar to where they found themselves last season in the fact that they need to win out to control their own destiny to get into the playoffs. Last year, they finished 7-4 and were left out of the playoff field based on lack of quality wins. They certainly don’t want that to happen again this year and will be motivated to take themselves off of the bubble. Defeating SDSU and following it up with a win next would certainly do that.
The Penguins are led by head coach Doug Phillips and he has brought a commitment to player development and has embraced the hard-nosed, blue collar nature of the rust belt region. YSU plays hard and they are a physical football team that doesn’t quit or backdown. The Jackrabbits can not take this matchup lightly.
Offense
The Penguins have an impressive offense and it has put up 35 points per game this season. They have a variety of weapons and can move the ball through the air (252 ypg) and on the ground (177 ypg). Their offensive line has great size and they have experience across the depth chart. This offense is fun to watch and has to be frustrating for opposing defenses. They convert on 43.36% of their 3rd down opportunities and have been pretty good in the redzone. They have scored on 39 of 43 visits into the redzone with 29 being touchdowns. They play great ball control offense and it has resulted in nearly 35 minutes of time of possession.
#14 Mitch Davidson (6-4, 220) has become one of the best quarterbacks in the MVFC. The former walk-on has complete command of this offense and just looks so poised in the pocket. Davidson is completing 71% of his passes for 2,169 yards and 15 TDs to just 3 INT. He is also mobile enough in the pocket and has 171 gross rushing yards along with 5 more TDs. He has a big arm to hit the deep passes and good enough accuracy to hit the short and intermediate throws. YSU does have a wrinkle in their offense with reserve quarterback #12 Beau Brungard (6-0, 210). Beau comes in and is primarily a running QB but he does have the ability to throw too. He has 126 gross rushing yards and 2 TD. Last week he broke a 37 yard TD run in the 4th quarter to secure the victory over Indiana State. He has completed 67% of his passes for 102 yards as well.
I love the weapons that Davidson has at his disposal and he uses them all. The top dog in the wide receiver room is #0 Bryce Oliver (6-1, 212) and I think he is maybe the best receiver in the MVFC. The former Kentucky transfer has 42 receptions for 664 yards and 5 TD. He has deep speed, good hands, and really good run after the catch ability. #2 CJ Charleston (6-0, 190) was injured for all of the 2022 season but has come back strong in 2023. Another deep threat, Charleston has 28 receptions for 459 yards and 3 TD. The gadget type player of the group is #4 Max Tomczak (6-0, 185). YSU loves to put him in motion right before the snap to get the defense off-balance. He has 35 receptions for 428 yards and 1 TD. He ha great short area quickness. #6 Luke Hensley (6-2, 195) and #81 Joey Farthing (6-5, 195) are two really nice depth pieces at the position as well. Hensley has 7 receptions for 48 yards and 1 TD. Farthing has 4 receptions for 118 yards and 2 TD including a 66 yard catch and run vs. USD. The Penguins also have a very good tight end in #82 Jake Benio (6-3, 255). He is a good run blocker and a capable pass catcher and has 14 grabs for 97 yards and 1 TD.
The running back room is a two headed monster for YSU. Division 2 Northern Michigan transfer, #10 Tyshon King (5-11, 210) has looked really good in his transition to the FCS. He has 722 yards (5.6 ypc) and 9 TD on the ground. In the passing game he is also a weapon with 12 receptions for 105 yards. I don’t think I fully appreciated how good King was at Northern Michigan but he has sure been a great addition for the Penguins. His partner is #1 Dra Rushton (5-11, 195) who is also a very capable runner and receiver. He has 468 yards on the ground (4.3 ypc) and 7 TDs. Through the air he has 14 receptions for 108 yards and 1 TD. YSU does not utilize a fullback or h-back in their offense right now. King and Rushton are both excellent on swing passes and in the screen game. The defensive line will have to have great awareness in this one.
The Penguin offensive line is big and physical. From left to right they go #54 Jaison Williams (6-4, 315, JR), #71 Ryan Johnson (6-4, 315, SR), #56 Aidan Parker (6-2, 300, JR), #73 David Metzler (6-5, 315, JR), and #78 Desmeal Leigh (6-7, 320, RFr). Williams is an All-MVFC pre-season selection while Parker has also had a nice career so far. However, Parker has missed the last two weeks and #67 Van Keen (6-4, 300, RFr) has filled in the past two weeks. This group has allowed just 11 sacks on the season and has paved the way for 4.6 ypc.
Defense
The YSU defense has been up and down in 2023. Highlights include allowing just 3 points to SIU and 7 last week against Indiana State but they have also allowed 38 to Illinois State, 34 to USD, and 44 to UNI. Opponents are moving the ball primarily through the air with 244 ypg and have been slowed on the ground (94.3 ypg). YSU has an excellent front four, a good set of linebackers, and the secondary does have a ton of experience. Opponents are converting just 30% of their 3rd down opportunities and the defense is very tough in the redzone where opponents have scored on 16 of 20 trips with 13 TDs. YSU has racked up 29 sacks, recovered 6 fumbles, and has 5 interceptions.
The strength of this defense is definitely the defensive line. This group is deep, physical, and plays with tremendous effort. This group started to turn the corner last season when a lot of these guys were in their second or third seasons of playing snaps. Now they are vets and have really upped their level of play. The leader of this group is #17 Dylan Wudke (6-4, 265). Again, when you play with tremendous effort you have a super high floor as a player. Wudke has a non-stop motor and the physical tools to go with it. He has 23 total tackles, 7 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 batted ball, and 2 QBH. He’s a fun player to watch and will be a pain for the #605Hogs this week. Opposite him is #18 Andrew Lehrmann (6-2, 255) who has 16 tackles, 2 sacks, and 3 QBH. Again, another player who plays with great effort. #93 Hunter Allen (6-5, 255) is a key reserve at end and he has 15 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 2 QBH. The interior defensive line Is really deep and talented as well. #9 Chris Fitzgerald (6-0, 298) is really active from his interior position and is actually fifth on the team with 29 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 sacks, 4 QBH, and 1 forced fumble. The number looks weird on a big defensive tackle but he is a player to watch and that production from a defensive tackle is certainly unique. Former Bowling Green transfer, #19 Anthony Johnson (6-3, 295) is an athletic big man and really flashes at times. He has 19 tackles, 6.5 TFL, and 4 sacks. The reserves are also good players. A player who has caught my eye is #92 Deamontae Diggs (6-6, 260). He has ridiculously long arms and is quick off the ball. He has just 7 tackles but 2.5 of those are sacks. He also has a forced fumble and has a blocked kick to his credit. The other reserves are big athletic dudes in #95 Devin Lee (6-3, 315) and #94 Jaelen Crider (6-3, 315). Lee has 14 tackles and leads the team with 5 sacks. He also has 2 more QBH and a forced fumble. Crider, a Toledo transfer, may be more of a space eater with just 3 tackles to his credit.
The linebacker group is really experienced and is led by #3 Alex Howard (6-2, 230) and #5 Greg Benton Jr. (6-1, 230). From his middle linebacker spot, Howard has 58 total tackles, 7.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, and 2 PBU. He flies already the field and makes plays from sideline to sideline. Benton Jr. was at WIU before spending the past two years at YSU and is just a really physical player that loves to scrape through the traffic and make plays in the run game. He has 53 stops, 7.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 PBU, and 2 forced fumbles. I noticed watching the Indiana State tape that he really goes for the punch out. The Sam linebacker is #6 D’Marco Augustin (6-1, 200) and he has 16 tackles and 1.5 TFL. This group doesn’t really come off the field but #45 Devin Johnson (6-0, 220) has pitched in with 14 tackles.
The cornerback group has three experienced and talented players in #2 Troy Jakubec (6-1, 186), #11 Jordan Trowers (6-0, 180) and #21 Jaylen Castleberry (5-11, 185). Jakubec has always impressed me with his athleticism and playmaking ability. It has always been about improving consistency with him. This season he has 20 total tackles, leads the team with 4 INTs and 6 PBUs. Trowers has 27 tackles and a fumble recovery. Castleberry has 13 tackles and 5 PBUs. #6 Ezekiel Blake (6-3, 200) is a depth piece and he has 13 tackles this season. This group has given up some yards this season but they have the high end ability to clamp guys down too. It’s just about consistency. The safeties have been around the block a time or two. #23 Marcus Hooker (5-11, 200) and #1 Quincy Lenton (6-1, 205) are solid players. Both will rotate down in the box and play physical. Hooker has 33 tackles, and 1 PBU this season. Hooker transferred in from Ohio State but it feels like he has been at YSU forever. Lenton has 18 tackles after missing the non-conference portion of the schedule. #4 Tyjon Jones (6-2, 205) has played in every game this season and is 3rd on the team with 39 total tackles and he has pitched in with 1.5 TFL, 1 INT, 3 PBU, and 1 forced fumble. He brings some size to the secondary.
Special Teams
YSU’s special teams is solid. Again, when your team plays with great effort it has a high floor. Redshirt freshman, #24 Andrew Lastovka has handled the field goal duties and has made 11 of 12 attempts with his only miss coming from 51 yards yards last week against Indiana State. He did have an extra point blocked early in the season against Robert Morris but has otherwise been perfect. Kickoff duties are handled by #31 Clay Medvec. He has clearly perfected the “kick it inside the 5 yard line and force them to fair catch it routine” because he has just 5 touchbacks on 57 attempts this season. As we have seen with the Jacks, this can be a boom or bust strategy at times. There will be opportunities for the return game but opponents have just an 18 yard return average and have a long of 55 yards. #40 Brendon Kilpatrick has 34 punts on the year and it has resulted in an average of 43 yards, 2 Touchbacks, 9 have landed inside the 20 and 6 have traveled 50+ yards. Opponents have attempted to return 10 of those punts for a 3.8 yard average and a long of 15.
In the return game, #1 Dra Rushton is the primary kick returner and he has a 21.5 yard average on 4 returns with a long of 25. #8 Amarian Robinson, a reserve DB, also has had a few snaps in the return game and has 5 returns but did make a mistake last week that pinned the Penguins against their goal line. #4 Max Tomczak is the primary punt returner and he has 9 returns for 47 yards with a long of 11.
Prediction
I’m concerned about the YSU passing offense. The Jacks held UNI’s passing game in check but this YSU offense feels more complete and the talent level of the wide receivers is just better than UNIs. YSU has a very good offensive line and our pass rush does disappear at times. That concerns me against these guys.
This isn’t a game where we can say “Let’s get up early and make them one dimensional” because they like to pass the ball and have the talent to do it. I do think they are able to get some yards and points on us. However, I still like the Jackrabbits to prevail against a vulnerable secondary.
Jackrabbits 42-Penguins 31
Go Jacks!
Matt
