Youngstown State University
Southern Illinois
Penguins Ready For Home Matchup Against No. 5 Southern Illinois
10/3/2023 2:00:00 PM | Football
Youngstown State vs. Southern Illinois
Oct. 7, 2023 | Stambaugh Stadium
Youngstown, Ohio | 6 p.m. Eastern/
Broadcast Information
TV – ESPN+ (Drae Smith, Chris Sammarone)
Radio Network – 570 AM WKBN (Bob Hannon, Steve Leslie, Ron Potesta, Mike Orto)
Internet Radio – 570wbkn.iheart.com
App Audio - iHeartRadio App
Penguins
Record: 2-2, 0-1 MVFC
Last Game: at UNI (L, 44-41)
Head Coach: Doug Phillips (Fourth Season)
X (Formerly Twitter): @ysufootball
Salukis
Record: 4-0, 1-0 MVFC
Last Game: vs. Missouri State (W, 33-20)
Head Coach: Nick Hill (Sixth Season)
X (Formerly Twitter): @SIU_Football
Series History
All-Time Series: YSU Leads 19-14-1
In Youngstown: YSU leads 12-6
Win Streak: YSU, 2 games
Last Meeting: YSU 28, SIU 21 (2022)
The Youngstown State football team plays host to No. 5 Southern Illinois on Saturday night. Kickoff for the contest is set for 6 p.m. The game is available live on ESPN+, WKBN 570 AM and iHeartRadio.
The Penguins (2-2 overall, 0-1 in MVFC) are coming off a 44-41 loss to UNI last Saturday in the UNI-Dome. YSU led 10-0 in the first quarter and 27-23 in the fourth, but couldn't hang on against the pesky Panthers.
YSU used an Andrew Lastovka 38-yard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead before QB Mitch Davidson scored on a six-yard keeper giving the Guins a 10-point advantage. UNI scored the next 20 points before a 38-yard field goal by Clay Medvec with 16 seconds remaining.
Trailing 23-13, Bryce Oliver blocked a punt and set the Guins up inside the UNI 10. Three plays later Dra Rushton punched it in from one-yard out to pull YSU within 23-20. On the next series, Tyshon King scored on a one-yard run as the Guins went in front 27-23 after three quarters.
However in the fourth, UNI outscored the Guins 21-14 in the final period. UNI went in front 37-27 at the 5:58 mark of the contest. In the final two minutes, Davidson had passing touchdowns to Bryce Oliver and Luke Hensley. For the game, Davidson passed for 339 yards completing 30-of-40 passes. It was the sixth time in school history a QB had completed 30 passes in a game.
Southern Illinois (4-0, 1-0) is off to a strong start to the season and continued its solid play following a 33-20 win at home against Missouri State. Earlier this year the Salukis picked up road wins against SE Missouri State, Northern Illinois and is off to their best start since 2007.
Against MSU, the Salukis jumped out to a 14-0 lead before the Bears closed within 14-10 early in the second quarter. At halftime the Salukis built a 23-13 lead. Missouri State closed within 23-20 midway through the third quarter but SIU scored the final 10 points of the game.
QB Nic Baker completed 26-of-35 passes for 285 yards and a score in the victory. This season he has thrown for 1,110 yards and seven TDs.
YSU's last MVFC game at home was also against Southern Illinois. The Penguins scored 21 points in the fourth quarter rallying for a 28-21 win over SIU last November.
King Penguin Impresses
Transfer running back Tyshon King has been a strong addition to the program since coming in from Northern Michigan.
In four games, King rushed for 327 yards on 43 carries and scored a team-high six touchdowns. He had a season-high 117 yards on 12 carries and scored three touchdowns against Robert Morris.
Against Valparaiso he rushed for 111 yards on just 11 carries and added two scores in his YSU debut. He scored on a 62-yard run in the first quarter for YSU's first TD of the season.
Twice he has been named the MVFC Newcomer of the Week for his efforts.
Scoring Multiple TDs
Running backs Tyshon King and Dra Rushton have combined for nine touchdowns so far this season. King has a team-best six scores while Rushton already has three.
Against RMU, the duo scored five touchdowns (King three and Rushton two). It marked the first time since November 2016 that two Penguins running backs had at least a pair of rushing scores in the same game.
Against UNI last Saturday they each added short rushing scores.
King had two rushing touchdowns in the season opener vs. Valparaiso. Rushton had two previous touchdown runs in his career before the RMU performance.
Scoring on the Ground
Through the first four games of the season, YSU has scored 15 rushing touchdowns. Last year in 11 games, the Guins had 20 and that was with first-team All-America running back Jaleel McLaughin.
QB Mitch Davidson has a rushing touchdown in each of the first four games of the year. TB Tyshon King leads the squad with six rushing scores. In total, five Guins have scored a rushing touchdown. In 2022, only four Penguins scored on the ground.
Offense Putting Up Points
In three of four games this season the Penguins have scored at least 40 points.
YSU opened the season with 52 points and the past two games had 48 against Robert Morris and 41 at UNI.
The 41 points that YSU scored against the Panthers was its third most in the 35-game series.
Last year YSU scored 40-or-more points on three occasions. The last time the Guins scored 40-plus at least four times in a season was 2019.
Block Party
In three of four games, YSU has blocked a punt. The Guins are just one of 10 FCS teams to block at least three kicks so far this season.
In the opener, Michael Voitus blocked a Valparaiso punt and Jaylen Castleberry returned it for a touchdown. Against RMU, Daryan Bowling was able to get his hands on a punt as well.
Last Saturday at UNI, Bryce Oliver blocked a punt that was recovered by Deamontae Diggs and set the Guins up at the UNI nine-yard line.
Tough On the Run
The Penguins are one of just 14 FCS teams who are allowing under 100 yards rushing per game. YSU is allowing just 93.2 yards per contest so far this season, which ranks 12th in the NCAA.
On 103 carries, the Guins have surrendered just 373 yards this season. However, 160 of those yards have come on four carries (60, 40, 30, 30). On the other 99 attempts, YSU has allowed 213 yards (2.15 per rush).
Charleston Back on Field
One of the great stories this season has been the return to the lineup of CJ Charleston.
Charleston missed last year after suffering an Achilles tendon injury in fall camp.
In four games, Charleston has 261 yards on 16 receptions and a touchdown. He had a career-high six catches for 119 yards against RMU. At UNI he had five grabs for 88 yards.
Against Valparaiso he caught the first touchdown catch of his career.
Against Valpo, he appeared in his first game since Nov. 20, 2021, which was at Southern Illinois. Since his debut in 2019, has caught 43 passes for 625 yards in 22 games played. In 2021, he caught 16 passes for 147 yards and started six games.
Oliver A Top Target
WR Bryce Oliver has been a big producer for the Guins upon his arrival.
He has played in 24 games and has a touchdown reception in 13 contests (one in 2023, seven in 2022 and five in 2021).
In the last eight games against MVFC foes, he has caught touchdown passes in seven contests. In the finale vs. Southern Illinois he set the school record with 12 catches.
In his YSU career, Oliver has 107 receptions for 1,408 yards and 19 touchdowns. He is one of just three players in school history with 19 touchdown receptions in a career.
In 2022 he had 59 catches for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Howard Having Breakthrough Year
LB Alex Howard leads the Penguins with 27 tackles following the first four games.
Howard opened the season with nine tackles and two sacks against Valparaiso. At Ohio State, had five solo tackles, including a sack for a five-yard loss. He also was credited with a pass breakup. Against Robert Morris he had seven stops and six at UNI.
Last year, Howard had 34 total tackles and just 3.5 TFLs playing in 10 games while making three starts.
Davidson Finding a Rhythm
QB Mitch Davidson has completed 74-of-102 passes for 899 yards and four touchdowns. He also has rushing scores in each of the first four games of the campaign. He passed for 332 yards at UNI after throwing for 303 vs. Robert Morris.
In the last two games he is 51-of-65 (78.5 percent) for 635 yards.
Davidson started the final seven games of last season, all of which came vs. MVFC foes. Davidson had an impressive performance during the year completing 119-of-201 passes for 12 touchdowns and just one interception.
In seven of his 11 career starts, he threw for more than 200 yards while leading late-game comebacks against Western Illinois, Illinois State and Southern Illinois last year. He has thrown two interceptions in his last 208 attempts.
Wudke Wreaks Havoc
DE Dylan Wudke is in his third year as a starter for the Guins. A preseason first-team All-MVFC selection, Wudke has 86 career tackles with 16.5 TFLs and eight sacks.
He has started 28 games for the Guins including 23 straight. Last year he had 43 total tackles with 12 TFLs and five sacks.
After four games this year, Wudke has seven tackles.
Tailbacks Show Depth
Through four games YSU is averaging 185.5 yards rushing thanks to an impressive group of tailbacks.
YSU's deep backfield features Dra Rushton, Tyshon King, Dante Walker, Cephus Harris III Da'Shaun Whatley and Caleb Mitchell.
This year, King leads the team with 327 yards on 43 carries and has six touchdowns. Rushton has 33 carries for 111 yards and three scores. Whatley also has 77 yards but on 12 attempts.
Last year, Rushton had a breakout rushing for 319 yards on 71 carries and scoring two touchdowns.
First-Time Scorers
Plenty of Penguins have scored their first career points this year.
On the ground QB Beau Brungard, TB Tyshon King and TB Da'Shaun Whatley have each found the end zone for the first time in their YSU careers.
Long-time wide receiver CJ Charleston scored the first touchdown of his career against Valpo while Jaylen Castleberry returned a blocked punt for a score in his Guins debut vs. Valpo.
In the kicking game, a pair of talented young specialists have stepped in for long-time kicker Colt McFadden. Andrew Lastovka has made two field goals and 16 PATs while Clay Medvec has three PATs a and a field goal.
O-Line Features Strength
YSU's offensive line returns four of five starters from a season ago. That group brings a large amount of starting experience into the RMU contest with Jaison Williams (31 starts), Aidan Parker (31 starts), David Metzler (22 starts) and Ryan Johnson (19 starts) leading the way. Redshirt freshman Desmeal Leigh has started the past four games at left tackle.
Preseason MVFC Accolades
WR Bryce Oliver, OL Jaison Williams and DE Dylan Wudke were all named preseason first-team All-MVFC selections. DT Chris Fitzgerald and LS Sam Merryman were named to the preseason second team while TB/TE Jake Benio, LB Greg Benton and DB Quincy Lenton were tabbed preseason honorable-mention.
Experience On the Lines
The Guins have a wealth of experience on both the offensive and defensive lines.
The offensive features veteran starters Jaison Williams (31 games), Aidan Parker (31), David Metzler (22) and Ryan Johnson (19). Williams and Parker started for the first time in the spring of 2021. Metzler made his first-ever start at left tackle at Michigan State in 2021 and Johnson transferred from Duquesne to start four of the final five games in 2021.
The defensive line features veterans Dylan Wudke (28 starts), Chris Fitzgerald (25), Anthony Johnson (10), Devin Lee (five) and Andres Lehrmann (four). Fitzgerald has started 25 straight games while Wudke has started 23.
Numbers of Note
• Turnover Margin: Since 1996, YSU is 153-48 when they win or tie the turnover margin. When committing more turnovers, YSU is just 29-86.
Since 1990 YSU is:
• 175-22-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 21 points in a game.
• 155-23 when rushing for 200-plus yards.
• 177-31 when scoring 28-or-more points.
• 93-14-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing in a game.
• 206-23 when leading entering the fourth.
• 93-3-2 holding opponents to 10 points-or-less.
• YSU is 21-6 when a back rushes for more than 200 yards in a game.
