Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes YSU running back Tyshon King goes through a drill during the Penguins’ spring practice on March 15.

YOUNGSTOWN — Despite the attrition and personnel losses that have occurred on the defensive side of the ball, Youngstown State is returning the majority of its 2023 starters on offense.

From the group that started the season finale in December against Villanova, the Penguins bring back four of five starters on the offensive line, two of their three receivers, their starting tight end and one of their primary running backs.

But the key position battle that most people outside of the program have their eyes on this offseason is at quarterback.

“It’s just about figuring out which guy can put (the ball) in the end zone most consistently,” offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Troy Rothenbuhler said.

Phillips added that the quarterbacks don’t have to fit into YSU’s offense and that the coaching staff will fit the Penguins’ offense to their respective skill sets.

With Mitch Davidson’s departure, YSU is looking for a new signalcaller and the Penguins have four players vying for the starting job, including sophomores Beau Brungard, Brady Shannon and Max Blanc and redshirt-freshman Bryce Schondelmyer.

“It’s a competition each and every day,” head coach Doug Phillips said. “Right now, it’s about finding out what each of those guys can do. I love our quarterback room, and you’ve gotta go into the season — can you win games with any of those guys being able to play. That’s how you do it as a head coach. They’re evaluated on completions, decisions, how quick they make those decisions, checking protections — there’s a lot that goes into that position group. They probably have to meet the most of anybody.”

Each player is different in what they bring to the table. So far, Phillips said the 6-foot, 210-pound Brungard has a leg up in the competition given his experience as QB2 behind Davidson last year.

With Davidson staying healthy all season, Brungard often came in late in games last year in clean-up duty. He was 14-for-20 for 108 yards and an interception. But he often also had designed packages for him, especially in the red zone, so that YSU could utilize his legs and athleticism. The Springfield Local product finished 2023 with 143 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries for YSU.

Shannon is a newcomer to the program after transferring in from playing baseball at Central Florida last season. But like Brungard, he’s a local product — the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Shannon was a three-star quarterback recruit, according to 247 Sports, during his senior year at Ursuline, when he led the Irish to the Division IV state championship game.

At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, Blanc came into the program from Bethel Park in Pittsburgh. He redshirted in 2022, and came in for a handful of snaps during nonconference games against Valparaiso and Robert Morris early in the 2023 season.

Before redshirting in 2023, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Schondelmyer was a two-star recruit in high school, and put up huge passing numbers during his four seasons playing for Arcanum and Springfield.

“I think we will have a pretty good idea after (the spring game) Saturday,” Rothenbuhler said. “Everything’s leaning certain ways. It’s just a matter of a few more reps and getting some things confirmed. But it’s all of their jobs to be ready because we’ve seen it before. You saw the Super Bowl a couple years ago. No. 2 better be ready, No. 3 better be ready. They each have to make sure they’re practicing and preparing like they’re going to be the starters.”

Regardless of who ends up as QB1, they will have a plethora of experience and talent surrounding them on offense.

The offensive line might be the deepest and most experienced returning group on the team. It’s a group that the Penguins will lean on heavily to guide the offense and to challenge the newcomers on the defensive front.

Even though starting center Aidan Parker is out this spring after having upper body surgery at the end of 2023, the Penguins are also returning seniors Jaison Williams and David Metzler and sophomore Desmeal Leigh. Returning depth pieces like sophomores Van Keen, Shane Keenan, EJ Johnson and Joe Sferra each also saw snaps season.

“It’s a competition — because the guys behind them want their jobs,” Rothenbuhler said. “Every day, those starters come to work because there’s somebody behind them that’s looking to take their job. A year ago, (Leigh) was in this position. He was a redshirt-freshman taking his first spring practice, and look how much he grew and ended up as a starter. That’s the job of the rest of those guys behind them — to make sure they’re doing the same thing (Leigh) did to get that job.”

Brendan Serrano and Colt Sechrest are both back at tight end and the Penguins also added UT-Martin transfer Austin Bray.

“Austin’s doing a really good job learning the system, and he’s tough, he’s athletic and he’s big,” Rothenbuhler said. “So he fits right in with that group of tight ends and that’s what we always want.”

But, out wide, even though Bryce Oliver is gone, Max Tomczak and CJ Charleston are the veterans in the receiver room. Charleston, though, has missed a bit of time this spring after sustaining a minor lower-body injury.

Sophomore Joey Farthing is another receiver who is expected to take a step forward this year after some breakout performances last season. Miami (Oh.)-transfer Matt Reardon, who is also a local product from Ursuline, and Slippery Rock-transfer Jawon Hall are also in the mix at receiver.

“Our receivers are young,” Phillips said. “Joey Farthing continues to develop, but a guy like Max Tomczak is practicing at that next level.”

After a 1,000-yard season, Tyshon King returns in the backfield to provide some stability.

But the Penguins love to utilize at least two running backs in their offense to evenly distribute the workload, so they’re looking for that backfield partner for King, which is where senior Cincinnati-transfer Ethan Wright comes in.

“Ethan Wright’s done a great job — he’s right behind Tyshon right now,” Rothenbuhler said. “Then the rest of the guys are really scrapping for that third and fourth spot. Each has a little bit of something different. (Da’shaun Whatley)’s a little bit like (Dra Rushton), he’s got that slash about him. (Jaden Gilbert)’s got a little bit more burst, like (Jaleel McLaughlin), he’s quick and explosive. (Caleb Mitchell)’s powerful, (Antwan Brown)’s really athletic and (Stephan Byrd)’s big and strong and a little bit like Tyshon. (Cephus Harris III) is having an outstanding spring, he has some speed and power. So we’ve got a group of guys that are very cognizant of what the role is going to be.”

The Penguins will wrap up the spring practice with the annual Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.

“I want to see guys compete,” Phillips said. “We talked about how success is when preparation meets opportunity. Well, Saturday they have an opportunity. How bad do you want to be on that field come next fall? We need to see that competition. Iron sharpens iron. Complacency can be the death of anything, and this spring I haven’t seen one bit of that. The guys are coming hard and they’re competing each and every day.”

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