After playing well for most of Wednesday’s practice, Youngstown State junior running back Jordan Thompson found himself face down on the turf on the day’s final play, surrounded by the cheering defenders who put him there. When asked how he felt abou… more »

Last year, every team in the Top 20 of the GPI with seven Division I victories earned a playoff spot. Indiana State, currently No. 13, and Youngstown State, currently No. 15, could pick up their seventh Division I wins this weekend. North Dakota State… more »

Penguins will find out a lot about themselves Saturday The first two weeks of the season have done little in the way of establishing the identity of the Youngstown State football team. The Penguins played a spirited game against Michigan State in… more »

There was no easing into his role as Youngstown State's starting quarterback for Kurt Hess a year ago. The then-freshman's first college game was a start against Penn State at Beaver Stadium. If Hess was nervous, it didn't show. The Dayton native use… more »

The Missouri Valley Football Conference had an unprecedented logjam in 2010, with six of the nine teams finishing tied for third at 4-4 in league play. But judging by the 2011 preseason poll released Monday and comments from coaches in the media tele… more »

The Youngstown State football team will play an 11-game slate against all Division I opponents for the second straight season. Head Coach Eric Wolford will lead the Penguins to Michigan State for the season opener in East Lansing, Mich., on Sept. 3.… more »

Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa not ready to name starter. Two of the Missouri Valley Conference's traditional powers have quarterback questions after surprising home-field defeats. Neither Southern Illinois coach Dale Lennon nor Northern Iowa co… more »

No easy path for Jackrabbits in conference South Dakota State opens Missouri Valley Football Conference play - and the home portion of its schedule - on Saturday against Illinois State. But familiar may not equate to friendly. The league doesn't f… more »

You know your program is going in the right direction when your transfers start to recruit more transfers. Youngstown State picked up two more players on Monday when former Cincinnati wide receiver Lynell Payne and former Syracuse kicker/punter Jake… more »

Najee Tyler couldn’t help but like what he saw. The former Xaverian quarterback had recently gotten his release from Purdue, a Big Ten school with a rich football history. He got the feeling he would get a similar experience at Youngstown State, a Fo… more »

YOUNGSTOWN - When Purdue asked Najee Tyler to make a switch, he decided to make a change. Tyler, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound quarterback, will transfer to Youngstown State, bolstering the Penguins at the game’s most important position — and the one with th… more »

When standout running back Adaris Bellamy signed with Youngstown State in late February, he opened eyes by saying he hopes to win the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the best player at the FCS level. He hasn’t backed down since. “I never wa… more »

YOUNGSTOWN - The first phase in the coaching career of Youngstown State's Eric Wolford came to a close on Saturday afternoon, but the real quest was just beginning. The Penguins closed out spring practices with the annual Red-White Spring Game, but t… more »

Stage is set for annual Red-White spring game at Stambaugh Stadium The Youngstown State football team will start the 2010 season as a big underdog against Penn State. The Penguins will probably be favored in several other games. Coach Eric Wolford… more »

YOUNGSTOWN At the end of Friday’s practice, YSU kicker Stephen Blose told special teams coach Louie Matsakis he’d just had his best day kicking off. “I don’t know where that came from,” Blose said. “I know where it came from,” said Matsakis, b… more »