BEAVER TOWNSHIP — While many college football programs across the nation have opted to forgo, or better yet, modify their spring game formats, YSU head football coach Doug Phillips and his staff have fully embraced the opportunity to showcase the spring version of their ’25 squad.

The offense defeated the defense in last Saturday’s game, 34-18 with multiple big plays prevalent on both sides of the ball throughout the nearly two-hour scrimmage.

“It’s two words, discipline and consistency,” Phillips told the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s meeting at Avion Banquet Center. “If we want to do something that hasn’t been done in a while, win a Missouri Valley Football Conference championship and get back to the playoffs, it’s that consistency and discipline you need to develop over time. It isn’t easy to bring it each and every day but we had 15 opportunities to go out on the field and improve. The goal was to get better and I feel that after those 15 practices, we were a lot better than we were a month and a half ago.”

Prior to the start of spring drills, Phillips and staff had several months of homework, an assignment that pretty much set the tone of the spring.

“We looked up the 53 games that we played since we have been here and in 45% of those contests, it usually came down to the last two minutes or final possession before the outcome was decided.” Phillips said. “Even years where we won and went to the playoffs, we were winning games at the end of regulation, and you must win more than you lose, so this spring, we focused a lot on situational football. It was a lot of two-minute offense and defense because you are in those situations every game that you play, especially in the league.”

Phillips must replace key players lost from last season while developing, even changing positions for some returnees.

“We lost running back Tyshon King but Ethan Wright, who was injured in last year’s 11th game, is coming back,” Phillips said. “He is running right now on the turf and we expect him back by our season opener. We also have some guys in our running back stable, whether it’s Antuan Gardner from Niles, Da’Shaun Whatley of Cleveland Glenville or Jaden Gilbert from Elyria, or even Tahir Mills who is a transfer East Stroudsburg, we feel we have a pretty good running back room to make up for any losses.

“On the offensive line, we lost Jaison Williams and Aidan Parker so we need two guys to step up immediately and replace them. Defensively, it is our line we need to solidify so while we have some young guys, it remains our job to get them developed and ready to go for the upcoming season.”

Phillips has been busy scouring the transfer portal for additions that he feels will fulfill their needs.

“We have been busy in the portal and our kids know we need to be busy in that area,” he said. “Again, we have to develop our young talent because you don’t want to put them in a situation where they aren’t going to be successful. If you talk to any of our starting offensive lineman from last year, each will tell you that it took a good two years to get ready. We do need some experience on that defensive line so we are going to be active there, plus we will be very active in trying to find more targets for Beau Brungard at wide receiver.”

Finishing strong in the classroom is paramount with spring ball now a fading memory.

“Right now, the focus is to finish strong academically and exceed our current grade point average,” Phillips said. “We have been trending up in that area ever since we’ve been here and we want to break records with our GPA so (we want to) finish strong academically. Also, the players get some time to just take a break. They get to go home and spend time with their family, because on that first Monday in June, it is back to work. It is training, trying to get bigger, stronger and faster before we start camp the last Monday in July.”

A 12-game schedule once again season awaits the Penguins as they prepare for their August 28 season against Mercyhurst at the Ice Castle.

“It’s a 12-game schedule again, except this year we have a bye week where last year we played 12 straight games without a break,” Phillips said. “We wrap up the non-league portion of our slate at Towson State, who plays in the CAA [Coastal Athletic Association] and had a winning record last year. We also have Michigan State, Robert Morris and Mercyhurst so again, our schedule is challenging. Our league is the most challenging.

“The goal for us is to get into conference play with success in those first four non-league games, hopefully we learn more about ourselves on offense, defense and special teams and then you have to fight for a play-off spot because once you get into the play-offs, anything can happen. Of the final four teams last year, three were from our conference with North Dakota State eventually winning their 10th championship over Montana State. Our focus right now is how do we build up our depth on the offensive line, build depth at wide receiver and also build depth on the defensive line. If we do those things, then I feel good about going up against any team that we will play.”

Next Monday, Rick Muntean, Woodrow Wilson High graduate and former Minor League Baseball executive, will serve as guest speaker.