Justin Heacock is in his second season as an assistant coach for the Youngstown State football program. He serves as running backs coach for the Penguins.
In his first season, the running backs played a key part in a YSU offense that averaged 36.6 points per game and had 10 games with 30-or-more points. Overall, the unit averaged 459.3 yards a contest.
Running backs Jaden Gilbert, Ethan Wright and Tahir Mills had the bulk of the production. In his first year as a starter, Gilbert was named MVFC Honorable Mention. In the regular season, he rushed for rushed for 599 yards on 92 carries and three touchdowns and caught 40 passes for 369 yards with a score. In MVFC contests, he rushed for 405 yards on 60 carries and caught 25 passes for 318 yards. Wright had 222 yards on 41 carries in nine games and caught 24 passes for 249 yards and two scores. Mills 12 rushes and eight receptions on the campaign.
Prior to joining the YSU staff in February 2025, he spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at Toledo. He worked primarily with the offense during his tenure. In 2024, the Rockets posted an 8-5 record reaching the GameAbove Sports Bowl in Detroit. UT won a six-overtime 48-46 contest against Pittsburgh to cap of the season. Early in the campaign, the Rockets beat Mississippi 41-17.
Heacock played quarterback at Washington & Jefferson College from 2018-21. As a senior he threw for 1,826 yards and 20 touchdowns. Heacock, who earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors as a senior, graduated from Washington & Jefferson in 2022 with a degree in business.
A native of New Concord, Ohio, he played high school football at John Glenn High School. He was a multi-sport athlete playing football, basketball and baseball. All those teams won district titles.
Heacock comes from an outstanding coaching family.
His father, Jeff, was the head coach at Muskingum from 1991-2006 and was a two-time OAC Coach of the Year. His uncle, Jon, was the Head Coach of the Penguins from 2001-2009 and twice was named the MVFC Coach of the Year. His uncle, Jim, was the head coach at Illinois State from 1988-95 and was a long-time assistant coach at Ohio State (1996-2011) who won the Broyles Award in 2007.
