Correspondent file photo / Robert Hayes. Youngstown State linebacker Keon Freeman (52) puts pressure on Kentucky quarterback Will Levis. Freeman is part of a transfer class that has had an immediate impact for YSU this season.

YOUNGSTOWN — Twice per year, Doug Phillips says, Youngstown State truly gets a chance to evaluate and assess its roster and its needs — after the regular season in December and again after spring football concludes.

During those two times, the YSU coaching staff identified needs at a handful of positions — wide receiver, defensive line, linebacker and safety. With those in mind, Phillips and Co. hit the transfer portal for players who could immediately fill those gaps, build depth and allow the younger players on the Penguins’ roster — and there are plenty — to develop.

“You want to develop football players, and the portal sometimes allows you to get that older guy that’s played a lot of football,” Phillips said. “We can continue to develop our young football players in the weight room and on the field, and you’re not throwing them into the fire. When I first got here, we threw a lot of guys in the fire, and they weren’t quite ready, and the results were evident. So for us, the portal — that’s what we use it for.”

So far, that approach has paid off for YSU (2-1), as this year’s crop of incoming transfers have not just started, but routinely contributed for the Penguins.

At wideout, Latrell Fordham was brought in from Eastern Michigan, and has started in each of YSU’s three games, and has hauled in four receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown.

“When he was in the portal, our guys that recruit the Detroit area reached out, and we were able to build a relationship,” Phillips said of attracting Fordham to Youngstown. “For us to get Latrell was a big get. He’s got a lot of years of experience and added strength to that group of receivers.”

“You have Bryce Oliver on one side, and now you have Latrell Fordham on the other side,” Phillips added, “and the more threats you have, the more you can spread the field, and that’s what he offers us.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, the Penguins were especially active.

On the defensive line, YSU picked up Jaelen Crider from Toledo and Devin Lee from Coffeyville (KS) Community College, a prominent JuCo program, to bolster depth at a thin spot. They each have three tackles, while Crider has an assisted sack and Lee has an assisted TFL.

At linebacker, the portal’s effects are even more apparent with the additions of Keon Freeman and Greg Benton Jr. Freeman joined YSU from Division II University of Charleston (WV), while Benton came to Youngstown from fellow MVFC member, Western Illinois.

Benton and Freeman are tied for fourth in tackles for YSU with 11 each.

“We knew the need at linebacker, and sometimes we wore those guys into the ground (in prior seasons),” Phillips said. “I think Griffin (Hoak is) probably the first one that’s happy. He feels the best he ever has, and when you play in this league, you have to have depth — not only depth, but competition for those reps. Those guys all get along, and they’re all supportive of one another, and they all play a lot of football.”

Phillips also noted that the additions also helped bring YSU’s size at the position along.

“We knew we needed to increase our size and linebacker, and those guys all go around 230 pounds,” he said.

And at safety, Marcus Hooker is in from Ohio State, while Caleb Burr transferred in from FCS Lafayette. Burr has eight tackles, while Hooker has seven and a pass breakup. Hooker has played in two games so far due to an injury.

“Marcus is very versatile,” Phillips said. “He can play that outside linebacker position we have, or he can play deep safety. He’s a young man that had a lot of experience at Ohio State, and for us to get someone with his athleticism, game experience and competitiveness, it just added strength to the (safety) room.”

The addition of strength to the safety room is something Phillips also said of Burr.

And look no further than the step forward this Youngstown State defense has taken — particularly in the run game and in the turnover department — for examples of just how critical the additions have been.

YSU’s seven interceptions through three games ranked second in all of the FCS through three weeks of play and the run defense was No. 11 at 69.7 yards allowed per game. In addition, the Penguins were seventh in TFLs at 28 and 23rd in sacks with nine.

The keys, Phillips said, are how cohesive the team has been and how much competition has been added.

“I think our guys have really accepted them. When you get accepted, that means you’re a good guy, and I can see that brotherhood building,” Phillips said. “Those guys would probably be the first ones to tell you how accepting our team was of them, because our team wants to win and wants to compete. They want us to bring the very best football players in, and they want to compete against those football players.”

Then, too, there are the regional and personal ties most of the additions had to the program. Benton’s former defensive coordinator at WIU, John Haneline, is YSU’s linebackers coach now, while Freeman hails from the Columbus area and knew YSU quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw in high school.

Meanwhile, Hooker grew up just across the state line in New Castle, Pa., while Burr is a native of the Cleveland area. Up front, Crider played at Toledo and is a graduate of Stow-Munroe Falls, and Lee is from Clyde.

“For us, it’s regional,” Phillips said, later adding, “All those kids have some sort of relationship or geographically have some sort of location around Youngstown.”

YSU continues its season Saturday at North Dakota State.

jwhetzel@tribtoday.com