Evan Harvey is in his fifth season as special teams coordinator for the Youngstown State program. Harvey also serves as Outside Linebackers coach.
The special teams played a huge impact in YSU's success during the 2023 season. The Penguins won eight games and advanced to the FCS Playoffs for the first time in seven years.
Redshirt freshman placekicker Andrew Lastovka made 17-of-20 attempts in his debut season including a game-winning 37-yard field goal against Illinois State that helped YSU's push for the postseason. In the playoffs, he booted a career-long 50-yard field goal against Duquesne. On the year he also made 44-of-46 PAT tries. His 17 FGs made tied for third most in a season in school history. His percentage also ranked third for a season in program history.
First-year punter Brendon Kilpatrick averaged 43.4 yards per punt with 10 kicks of 50 yards or more. He also placed 16 inside the opposition's 20-yard line. His average ranked second-best in school history behind just a 44.2 mark set by Nick Liste in 2013.
YSU ranked fourth in the FCS with four blocked punts and allowed just 75 yards on 12 punt returns during the year. The Guins were also one of the top units in the country on kickoff coverage.
The Penguins enjoyed a great amount of success in the kicking game in 2022. Placekicker Colt McFadden was a second-team All-MVFC selection making 16-of-22 attempts on the season, including a career-long 52-yard attempt against South Dakota. That was the longest field goal made by the Penguins since 2003. McFadden also kicked a game-winning field goal at the buzzer at Western Illinois. YSU played the final three games of the season in some windy conditions putting a huge emphasis on special teams.
Punter Paddy Lynch had the best season of his career in 2022. Lynch averaged 40.1 yards per kick, with seven kicks of more than 50 yards and placing 14 inside the 20-yard line. Latrell Fordham returned a kickoff a school-record 98 yards for a touchdown in a win over Indiana State.
In the fall of 2021, McFadden was an Honorable-Mention All-MVFC pick. McFadden made 8-of-9 field goals and was 29-of-30 on PAT attempts. Against UIW, he kicked a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation and won it with a walk-off kick in overtime. YSU averaged 41.9 yards per punt and had eight kicks of at least 50 yards. Against Missouri State, Samuel St. Surin returned a kickoff 75 yards that helped set up a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.
In the spring 2021 season, punt returner Jake Coates set the school record for career punt return yards to highlight the groups efforts.
Harvey spent the 2019 season as the linebackers coach at John Carroll. In 2019, JCU finished with a 9-1 overall record and was 8-1 in OAC play. In eight of the 10 games, JCU held the opposition to fewer than 13 points and on nine occasions allowed 10-or-fewer points. Six members of the defensive side of the football were named All-Ohio Athletic Conference, with three players earning a first-team nod. Three members of JCU's defensive line earned all-league honors.
Harvey spent two years at Moravian College as defensive backs coach before moving on to JCU. He coached a pair of second-team all-conference honorees and Nick Zambelli was a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American.
Before his coaching career, he played linebacker at Lehigh University (2013-16). He was a recipient of the Barry Fetterman Award as a senior for exemplifying loyalty, unselfishness and dedication to Lehigh University football.
As a senior, he started all 12 contests for the Mountain Hawks at linebacker. He tied for the team lead in tackles with 72 and had a team-high-tying three interceptions. For his career he played in 34 contests for Lehigh and registered 97 total tackles.
He earned all-state and all-conference honors at American Heritage High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. He is originally from Doylestown, Pa.
