Youngstown State University
North Dakota
Guins Set to Entertain North Dakota in Prime Time Clash
10/4/2022 1:05:00 PM | Football
The Youngstown State football team returns home to take on No. 22 North Dakota on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium. The game is available live on ESPN+, WKBN 570 AM and iHeartRadio.
The Penguins (2-2 overall, 0-1 MVFC) dropped a tough 27-14 decision to top-ranked North Dakota State last Saturday at the Fargodome. The Bison jumped out to a 21-3 lead, but the Guins hung tough throughout the contest.
The Bison jumped out a to a 14-0 lead on the strength of two Hunter Luepke first-quarter scoring run. Luepke scored on a two-yard run before adding a 12-yard score late in the period.
YSU converted a short 22-yard Colt McFadden field goal with 10:35 left in the second quarter. The Bison answered with a long 6:50 drive as Kobe Johnson found the end zone on a 17-yard scoring run.
Late in the third quarter, McFadden connected on a career-long 47-yard field goal. In the fourth, NDSU added a pair of field goals while the Penguins picked up a touchdown and two-point conversion. Reserve QB Mitch Davidson threw a 35-yard scoring pass to Jaleel McLaughlin and found Dra Rushton for the two-point score.
McLaughlin finished with 150 yards on 17 carries, averaging 8.8 yards per rush. He added 43 yards receiving for 193 all-purpose yards.
North Dakota (3-2, 2-1) was stellar in a 48-31 victory over Missouri State last Saturday at the Alerus Center. UND trailed 21-10 late in the second quarter before scoring 24 straight points for a 34-21 lead. After an MSU field goal made it a 10-point game, the Fighting Hawks tacked on two more touchdowns for a 48-24 lead.
In the game against the Bears, UND amassed 515 yards of total offense with 267 through the air and 248 on the ground. Tommy Schuster passed for 267 yards while Tyler Hoosman rushed for 147 in the game.
This is the first visit to Youngstown for the Fighting Hawks since 1961. A spring 2021 contest at Stambaugh Stadium was postponed then cancelled. Last year in Grand Forks, YSU built a 21-10 fourth-quarter lead but UND rallied with a pair of touchdowns in under three minutes to rally and earn the victory.
Last Time Out: NDSU 27, YSU 14
The Penguins dropped a tough 27-14 decision to top-ranked North Dakota State last Saturday at the Fargodome. The Bison jumped out to a 21-3 lead, but the Guins hung tough throughout the contest.
The Bison jumped out a to a 14-0 lead on the strength of two Hunter Luepke first-quarter scoring run. Luepke scored on a two-yard run before adding a 12-yard score late in the period.
YSU converted a short 22-yard Colt McFadden field goal with 10:35 left in the second quarter. The Bison answered with a long 6:50 drive as Kobe Johnson found the end zone on a 17-yard scoring run.
Late in the third quarter, McFadden connected on a career-long 47-yard field goal. In the fourth, NDSU added a pair of field goals while the Penguins picked up a touchdown and two-point conversion. Reserve QB Mitch Davidson threw a 35-yard scoring pass to Jaleel McLaughlin and found Dra Rushton for the two-point score.
McLaughlin finished with 150 yards on 17 carries, averaging 8.8 yards per rush. He added 43 yards receiving for 193 all-purpose yards.
Into the Top Six
TB Jaleel McLaughlin has rushed for 7,096 yards on 1,092 carries in 49 career NCAA games and has scored 69 touchdowns. He eclipsed the 7,000-yard mark with a solid 150-yard outing at NDSU last Saturday.
He is the active career NCAA leader in attempts, touchdowns and yards. On the all-time list he is up to sixth place in NCAA history.
In 21 games at YSU, he has rushed for 2,348 yards and scored 21 TDs (111.8 per game average). He has rushed for more than 100 yards in 14 of his last 19 contests at YSU. In 28 games at Notre Dame, he had 24 100-yard outings.
NCAA Career Rushing Yards Leaders
1. Nate Kmic (Mount Union | 2005-08) 8,074
2. Danny Woodhead (Chadron State | 2004-07) 7,962
3. Levell Coppage (Wis.-Whitewater | 2008-11) 7,795
4. Franklyn Quiteh (Bloomsburg | 2010-13) 7,523
5. R.J. Bowers (Grove City | 1997-00) 7,353
6. Jaleel McLaughlin (YSU/ND Ohio | 2018-22) 7,096
Interceptions on the Uptick
The Penguins have intercepted seven passes in the first four games of the season. In 10 games last fall, YSU had nine interceptions, two of which came in the season finale at SIU.
In the opener, LB Devin Johnson had two interceptions while LB Griffin Hoak added one. Against Dayton, DB Quincy Lenton intercepted a first quarter pass while CB Troy Jakubec picked off a ball in the fourth quarter.
At Kentucky, Lenton and Jakubec intercepted passes for the second time in as many games.
Wudke Impresses So Far
DE Dylan Wudke has been a difference maker for the Penguins on the defensive line.
In four games, he has 19 total tackles, including a team-high 7.5 TFLs.
In each of the past two games - at Kentucky and at North Dakota State - he had 13 tackles, five TFLs and two sacks. At Kentucky he had a career-high seven stops and 3.5 TFLs vs. the Wildcats.
In 10 games last season he had 24 tackles and four TFLs, all of which were sacks.
Trowers, Lenton Step Up
The top two tacklers for the Penguins are DBs Jordan Trowers and Quincy Lenton.
Trowers, a first-year starter, leads the team with 28 tackles, including 19 solo stops. Entering the 2022 campaign, Trowers had played in two career games and did not register a tackle.
Lenton is second on the squad with 20 stops, including 13 solos. Last season he had 15 tackles in the final four games and has started 12 games combined in the spring and fall of 2021 and this season.
Tough Against The Run
Through four games, the YSU defense ranks tied for 21st in the FCS in fewest rushing yards allowed defense.
The Penguins are allowing just 109 yards per game after limiting Duquesne to 51 yards on 25 carries, Dayton to 55 yards on 35 attempts this past week while holding Kentucky to 103 yards on 36 totes. On 142 attempts, the Guins have allowed 550 yards (3.1 yards a carry) this year.
YSU has registered 11 sacks in the last three games - five against Dayton, four at Kentucky and two at NDSU.
Impressive Fourths for YSU
The Penguins made finishing games a key during the offseason and through four games that has shown. YSU has allowed just 15 points so far - one touchdown and three field goals - in the fourth quarter this season.
YSU has outscored three of its four opponents in the fourth period while only allowing a late field goal to Kentucky.
In the fall of 2021, YSU was outscored by 30 points and in the spring of 2021, the Guins were outscored by 20 points. So far, the Penguins are a plus-21 in fourth quarter point differential.
First-Time Starters
The Penguins have had eight first-time starters this season.
Starting for the first time in their YSU careers are WR Max Tomczak, WR Latrell Fordham, LB Greg Benton Jr., DT Anthony Johnson, DB Marcus Hooker, DB Jordan Trowers, OL Errol Walker and TE Trenton Gillison.
Oliver A Top Target
WR Bryce Oliver has been a big touchdown producer for the Guins.
In 13 games played at YSU, Oliver has 39 receptions for 451 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In the season opener, he had a team-best six catches for 58 yards against Duquesne. Against Dayton, he caught four passes for 63 yards and two touchdowns. Against his former team, Kentucky, he had two grabs for 40 yards, including a nifty one-handed grab. He caught three passes at NDSU.
In 2021, he finished the year with eight receiving touchdowns, the most by a Guin since 2011. Playing nine games last season, Oliver had 24 catches for 266 yards and eight touchdowns.
Experience On the Lines
The Guins returned a wealth of contributors on both the offensive and defensive lines and in two games they've made an impact. Of the nine starters on the lines, eight entered the year starting multiple games for the Guins.
The offensive line features Mike McAllister (21 starts), Jaison Williams (21), Aidan Parker (20), David Metzler (11) Ryan Johnson (eight). McAllister, Williams and Parker all started for the first time in the spring of 2021. Metzler made his first-ever start at left tackle at Michigan State in 2021 as a redshirt freshman.
The defensive line features veterans James Jackson (22 starts), Dylan Wudke (17) and Chris Fitzgerald (14). Anthony Johnson has started the first four games on the line for YSU this fall.
Errol Walker started in place of Ryan Johnson at NDSU last Saturday.
Fifth With Multiple 200s
TB Jaleel McLaughlin is one of just five players in school history to rush for at least 200 yards in a game more than once. He joins YSU greats P.J. Mays, Marcus Mason, Paris Wicks and Jamaine Cook in eclipsing the 200-yard mark as players to accomplish the feat.
Hoak Spearheads Defense
LB Griffin Hoak has started the last 23 games for the Penguins. Hoak has been in the starting
lineup for every game since November 2019.
In four games this season he has 14 tackles, including eight solos, and one interception.
In the spring and fall 2021 seasons, Hoak combined to make 93 tackles (62 solos) in 17 games. He had 12 tackles in the final two games of the 2019 campaign giving him 119 tackles in his 23 career starts.
Crenshaw Nearly Doubles Total
Entering the Sept. 10 contest against Dayton, QB Demeatric Crenshaw had seven career touchdown passes in 10 games played. Against the Flyers, he threw a school-record-tying five TDs in four quarters.
After throwing five touchdown passes in the first three games of the year in 2021, he had two in his final six.
He now has 12 touchdown passes in his Penguins' career in 14 games started.
McLaughlin Named MVFC POW
TB Jaleel McLaughlin was named the MVFC's Offensive Player of the Week following the season-opening win over Duquesne. Against the Dukes, he rushed for three touchdowns and 203 yards.
In 2021, he was named the first MVFC Offensive Player of the Week following a win over UIW and the last MVFC Offensive Player of the Week after a win at Southern Illinois.
McLaughlin's Top YSU Games
242 - UIW (2021)
203 - Duquesne (2022)
185 - Southern Illinois (2021)
166 - South Dakota (2021 Spring)
Touchdowns By Current Guins
The Penguins have eight players on their roster who have scored touchdowns while at YSU. TB Jaleel McLaughlin leads the team with 23 total touchdowns while Bryce Olive is the leader in receiving TDs with 10.
TD Scorers
McLaughlin - 21 rush / 2 pass
Oliver - 10 pass
Crenshaw - 8 rush
Payne – 1 pass
Hensley - 1 pass
Tomczak - 1 pass
Fordham - 1 pass
Rushton - 1 pass
Numbers of Note
• Turnover Margin: Since 1996, YSU is 148-45 when they win or tie the turnover margin. When committing more turnovers, YSU is just 27-85.
Since 1990 YSU is:
• 173-22-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 21 points in a game.
• 150-22 when rushing for 200-plus yards.
• 172-30 when scoring 28-or-more points.
• 91-13-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing in a game.
• 202-20 when leading entering the fourth.
• 92-3-2 holding opponents to 10 points-or-less.
Up Next:
YSU closes out its two-game homestand when it plays host to Indiana State on Oct. 15 at Stambaugh Stadium.
