Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard follows his blockers on a run during an FCS playoff game against Yale on Nov. 29 at Stambaugh Stadium.

YOUNGSTOWN — It’s a brisk late October night in 2011 on Dave Pavlansky Field at Poland. Led by then-head coach Mark Brungard, the Bulldogs had just beaten archrival Canfield in convincing fashion 21-7.

On the field after the game, a group of young kids are playing football under the lights as the two teams are making their way back to the locker room and those in the stands are filing out of the stadium.

“I think that’s why they even came to the game,” Brungard said. “So that hour after the game, they could go out under the lights and play.”

Three of those kids were Brungard’s sons and they, along with a group of their friends, took turns tossing the ball around and chasing after one another.

“(We) grew up on the same high school field together,” YSU defensive end and former Poland star Mike Voitus said. “(Their) Dad was coaching and we were running around tackling each other after the game or on the sideline.”

However, one of the younger boys in the group had a “natural athleticism” about him. Despite being the youngest of Brungard’s three sons, the boy still held his own playing with his two older brothers, Brannon and Brady, and their friends, who were just a little bigger, faster and stronger than him at the time.

“That was his advantage, because he learned some toughness there and some grit, if you will,” Brungard said. “Not to coin the phrase that YSU uses, but he was always going against his older brothers. … It was just hard to deny that when he had the ball in his hands, there was a lot to defend.”

That boy’s name is Beau. And 14 years later, Beau Brungard went on to follow in his father Mark’s footsteps to be the quarterback at Youngstown State.

MAKING HISTORY

Just like he did in high school at Springfield and on the field at Poland after his father’s games as a kid, Beau Brungard has dazzled opposing FCS defenses throughout his junior campaign this season.

In his second year as the Penguins’ starting quarterback, Beau Brungard made history and set records while helping lead YSU to an 8-5 record and its second FCS playoff appearance in three seasons.

“We’ve known he had the ability, regardless of what some others may have thought,” YSU head coach Doug Phillips said. “We had faith and we had a vision for what Beau could do. We saw that in high school. … We never hesitated on what we thought he could do for this football program.”

In 13 games, Beau Brungard completed 68.7% of his passes for 3,234 yards and 26 touchdowns with just three interceptions. He also rushed for an astounding 1,468 yards and 27 touchdowns on 242 carries. If that wasn’t enough, he also hauled in a 50-yard receiving touchdown this season.

“It’s special. It feels good, being from here and being able to play for Youngstown and for the Valley,” Beau Brungard said. “When you know so many people around this area and you know what Youngstown State football means to this area, it just means a little bit more when you’re from the area. So it’s special for me to just play for my family and for this city. It means a lot, and I’m proud that I get to do it and I get to play for this team.”

Beau Brungard has been among the FCS’ best all year. At the end of the regular season, he was ranked first in total offense (4,702 yards), total plays (593) and total touchdowns (54), second in rushing touchdowns (27), fourth in passing yards (3,234) and rushing yards (1,468) and sixth in passing touchdowns (26).

Then in the road win at Illinois State earlier this season, he became the first player in FCS history with at least 300 passing yards and 200 rushing yards in the same game.

For YSU, Beau Brungard broke Robby Robson’s single-season rushing touchdowns record of 24 from 1979, Ron Jaworski’s passing yards per game record of 235.8 from 1972, as well as six other more recent single-season program quarterback records, including passing attempts, passing completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns, number of 200-yard passing games and rushing yards by a quarterback.

“His entire family — his Mom and I, his siblings, grandparents, we are his biggest fans, and we go to every game and really enjoy just cheering him on,” Mark Brungard said. “No matter what kind of statistics he has, first and foremost, we’re always proud of the young man that he is, how hard he works and the leader that he tries to be for his team. So we’re proud of that, but the statistics and the success that the team has had has made it extra special.”

Now that YSU’s season is over, the accolades have begun to roll in for Beau Brungard.

Earlier this week, he was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the first YSU quarterback to earn the award since the Penguins joined the conference in 1997.

And last, but certainly not least, Beau Brungard was one of three players to be invited to the Walter Payton Award ceremony on Jan. 3, which is known as the Heisman of the FCS and given annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the country.

“I’m so happy for him and proud of him,” senior receiver Max Tomczak said. “He’s one of my best friends. We’ve been living together for like two-plus years now. … Everything that he has coming to him, he deserves it. He’s the best player in the FCS, I truly believe that. So, I’m so happy for him.”

A YEAR OF GROWTH

In the spring, then-new Penguins offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich projected that Beau Brungard was positioned for a breakout season.

“He’s one of the sharpest guys I’ve been around, and from an athletic standpoint, he might be the most dynamic guy I’ve ever had,” Yurcich said at the time. “I look for him to have a huge year — he’s a special player.”

Of course, Yurcich’s prediction ended up coming to fruition, but it wasn’t by happenstance.

Last year, Beau Brungard won the starting quarterback job towards the end of fall camp, and he made his first career start on the road at Villanova in the season opener.

As a first-time starter, he had his struggles in that game and at times throughout the year. But he continued to progress as a passer and quarterback, and he had his best two performances in the Penguins’ final two games in 2024.

“We’re a developmental program. So you always gotta look at — do they have a skill set that you believe you can develop?” Phillips said. “Last year, he learned by doing, and there were mistakes made. But then going into the offseason, it was never going to be about work ethic or attitude with Beau, or the toughness, the grit. It’s about him having the game slow down, being able to see blitzes, see coverages and setting the protections. The game slows down the more you play.”

Firmly entrenched as the team’s starter heading into this season, Beau Brungard worked with Yurcich during spring practice, summer workouts and fall camp earlier this year to learn and perfect a new offensive system and playbook.

“He’s the hardest worker in the room,” Tomczak said. “He’s the first one in the facility and the last one to leave. Everyone says that, everyone says, ‘Oh, this kid’s the hardest worker,’ but he is and I can attest to that.”

All that time spent on the practice field and in the team facility studying film led to the growth that he exhibited from his sophomore to junior seasons and resulted in his performances against the strongest conference in the FCS this year.

“You just have to look back and be thankful for the growth that’s occurred and just give all the glory to God for what He’s allowed me to do,” Beau Brungard said. “He’s surrounded me with tremendous coaches and tremendous teammates. I got a great O-line in front of me. They do it all for me. You just have to look back and be thankful for how far you’ve come and just take it one step at a time, one day at a time. That’s how I got from there to here, just one day at a time.”

Yurcich also helped bring out the best in Beau Brungard this year with his improvement as a passer and by getting the most out of his speed and athletic ability as a runner.

“He’s a phenomenal coach,” Beau Brungard said of Yurcich. “He knows so much football, it’s almost scary. He just knows so much, and he’s poured all that into me and into this offense. Every single day he comes in, he gives it his all. He takes no off days. He’s fiery, and he expects and demands the most out of us. He has raised my level of play so much, and I’m so thankful for what he’s done for this offense and for me personally as a player.”

Beau Brungard’s work ethic is something that he always innately had, according to his father.

Mark Brungard said that his family always noticed a determination in him to do something until he got it right.

“It comes easy when you love what you do, and you get to play for a team you love and your hometown,” Beau Brungard said. “It just comes naturally to want to do it.”

STAYING HOME

Despite rumored overtures from Power 4 programs for him to enter the transfer portal, Beau Brungard reaffirmed his love for YSU and his hometown on Friday by confirming that he would stay with the Penguins for his senior season.

“Dear Youngstown family — I praise the Lord for bringing me to this point in my career and allowing me to play for Youngstown State,” he said Friday in a statement released by YSU. “I value loyalty and all the things that this city stands for. There is a lot of unfinished business and work yet to be done. Through much prayer, I am proud to be staying home for my final year.”