A native of nearby Campbell, Ohio, Tony Cougras played football for the Penguins from 1953 to 1956, a regular on the Penguin grid squad from the moment that he stepped foot on the then Youngstown University campus when you were only allowed one substitution per quarter.
He earned four letters for the Penguins from 1953-56, serving as captain of the squad his senior season in 1956. His play was as hard-nosed as they come, being selected by a panel of area sportswriters, sportscasters and college officials as the Alpha Phi Delta "Outstanding Athlete" at Youngstown for the 1956-57 school year. He helped the Penguins to a 23-12-0 overall mark during his four-year collegiate career, earning Little All-America honors his senior season along with teammate Davey Kimmel (a YSU Hall of Fame honoree in 1988).
A member of Theta Chi fraternity, he was also named to the Williamson Rating System Mid-Bracket All-America squad and garnered All-Ohio Collegiate All-America honors according to the United Press International wire service in 1956.
As a part of the school's 25-year Athletic Anniversary in 1963, he was named to the Penguins' All-Time Football squad at end along with a teammate that he shared time at that end position with, Angelo Pezzuolo.
He graduated form Memorial High School in 1952, and was a three-sport letterman for the Red and Black, earning three grid letters under legendary Head Coach John Knapick. The 1950 Red Devils won the Steel Valley Conference title, sharing the crown in 1951 with archrival Struthers. At the tender age of 16, he served as co-captain of the squad as a senior and earned All-Steel Valley Conference First-Team laurels.
Upon graduation from Youngstown University, he went from the playing field to the coaching box, beginning his successful scholastic coaching career at Lowellville High School as an assistant coach in 1957. He then moved to nearby North High School in the same capacity in 1961, returning to his alma mater CMHS as an assistant beginning with the 1964 season. He stayed with the Red Devils for two seasons, returned to YU as an assistant under his collegiate mentor Dike Beede, then returned again to CHMS in 1967, only this time as the head coach of the Red Devils, a post that he held for the next seven seasons until calling it quits after the 1973 campaign.
During his coaching days with the Red Devils, he led the team to a top-10 ranking in the final 1971 OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) grid poll (they were ranked ninth in the state that season) in Class "AA " earning Mahoning Valley Class "AA" Coach of the Year laurels.
He has served as the Regional Director of the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association, and in 1971, served as the President of the Mahoning Valley Coaches Association.
He is married to the former Doris Poulos, and is the father of five children; Maria (Pappas), Cathy (Seuss), Christine, Ted and Tony, Jr.
