The Penguins opened the season with four straight wins and capped off the year with a victory over FCS Playoff quarterfinalist Illinois State.

2019 Team Notes

• Opened the season 4-0 for the first time since 2012. YSU won four games by more than 20 points to open the year beating Samford, Howard, Duquesne and Roberts Morris.
• Five of the six victories for the campaign came by at least 20 points.
• YSU had 36 sacks and 85 TFLs on the season. It was the sixth most sacks in school history and second most since 1997. The 85 TFLs were the fifth most since 1995.
• The 21 passing touchdowns tied for the fourth most in school history.
• YSU returned a punt, a fumble and an interception for a touchdown.
• YSU passed for more than 2,000 yards for the 12th consecutive season (2,289 yards).
• The offensive line had the same starting lineup the final 11 games of the season. YSU started four seniors on the group and sophomore Dan Becker.
• Numbers of Note: 10 different players caught touchdown passes, 19 players had receptions (including two quarterbacks), YSU was dominant with a time of possession of 32:13.
• YSU had more than 400 yards of total offense on four occasions and rushed for more than 173 yards on six occasions.
• Six players had at least three rushing scores for the season.
• YSU had five 200-plus yard passing efforts for the year, including a streak of four straight, as well while throwing a touchdown pass in 11 of 12 contests. The only game not throwing a TD pass was in the finale vs. Illinois State.
• Three times YSU held an opponent to under 100 yards passing and twice under 100 yards rushing.
• YSU intercepted three passes in the season opener vs. Samford and the season finale against Illinois State.
• The Penguins forced 20 turnovers on the campaign, the most forced since 2016.
• The Penguins tied the school record with five passing touchdowns against Western Illinois.
• YSU had a tremendously balanaced offense with 2,289 yards passing and 2,249 yards rushing for the campaign.

Career Recaps

• QB Nathan Mays wrapped up a tough career playing in 10 games and starting seven. In his career, he completed 199-of-324 passes for 2,629 yards and 20 touchdowns. He rushed for 977 yards on 247 attempts and had 10 scores. Mays appeared in 34 games and made 13 starts.
• Safety Kyle Hegedus became on of the most decorated Academic players in school history. He was a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American, first-team Academic All-MVFC and a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. In his career, he had 143 total tackles, including 91 solo stops in 28 games played. He also had three interceptions.
• TB Joe Alessi capped off his career with the most productive campaign. Alessi rushed for 1,355 yards in his career on 179 attempts and scored 12 touchdowns. In 2019, he had 803 yards on 136 attempts and scored five touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes in 2019.
• WR Jermiah Braswell, Ryan Emans, and Kendric Mallory all concluded their careers with season-best performances in 2019. Braswell caught 51 career passes for 986 yards and 11 scores. Emans had 39 grabs for 450 yards and four touchdowns. Mallory had 27 grabs for 402 yards and four touchdowns.
• LB Cash Mitchell finished with 92 total tackles, Christiaan Randall-Posey had 85 stops, D.J. Smalls had 58 and Shereif Bynum had 57. Bynum had 16 TFLs and seven sacks in his career.

Individual Highlights

• Players to start every game - Dan Becker (LT), Matt Jones (C), Colt McFadden (PK), Ma'lik Richmond (DE), Devon Robinson (OG) and Jacob Zinni (OG).
• PR Jake Coates set the school record for punt return yards in a season with 353 yards on 32 returns. He also set a school record for yards in a game with 133 vs. Robert Morris.
• DE Justus Reed had a career-best year with 42 total tackles, highlighted by 19 TFLs and 13 sacks.
• WR Ryan Emans caught a pass in all 12 games and led the team with 29 receptions.
• DE Ma'lik Richmond had a career-best 47 total tackles, highlighted by nine sacks.
• QB Joe Craycraft scored on a 80-yard run at Indiana State. It was the longest touchdown run by a quarterback in school history.
• DT DeMarko Craig had an impressive first season with 39 total tackles, 11.5 TFLs and five sacks. DT Antoine Cook also had 39 tackles and added four sacks as well.
• WR Jermiah Braswell caught seven touchdown passes, the most by a Penguin since 2006.