Youngstown native Sean Baker is in his fourth season as a member of the YSU Coaching Staff. Baker, who was a member of four NFL squads following a successful collegiate career, will serve as the Penguins' special teams coordinator and coach the outside linebackers for first-year Head Coach Doug Phillips.
Last season, two of the Penguins' top five tacklers were linebackers. Sophomore Ray Anderson had 58 total stops while Terray Bryant came on strong at the end of the year to finish with 46 tackles. Seniors Cash Mitchell and Christiaan Randall-Posey had the best years of their YSU careers in 2019. Mitchell had 38 total tackles, including 7.5 TFLs, and returned a fumble for a touchdown against Samford. Randall-Posey had 29 stops. Redshirt freshman Griffin Hoak took over as the starting middle linebacker in the final two games and had 19 stops on the year.
In 2018, the unit had a strong season led by senior Armand Dellovade. Dellovade earned second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors after leading the Penguins with 102 total tackles. Dellovade registered a team-high 56 solo stops and was second on the squad with 9.5 TFLs. Mitchell was was fifth on the team with 35 stops while Anderson came on strong during the MVFC portion of the season to earn league all-newcomer honors.
Baker was a defensive quality control coach for YSU in 2017 before being elevated to an on-field role in 2018. He worked with then Coordinator Carl Pelini and the YSU linebacking unit.
A graduate of Canfield High School, Baker signed as a free agent with Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Atlanta and Indianapolis. He was a member of the practice squad with the Buccaneers, Falcons and Colts. He originally signed with Tampa Bay in 2012 after a standout collegiate career at Ball State.
At Ball State he set the school record for career interceptions with 18. In 46 career games - 43 starts - played he had 320 total tackles, including 166 solo stops. He had 21 pass breakups, 19 TFLs, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries during his career with the Cardinals. He was a two-time All-MAC honoree, earning first-team honors as a senior in 2011.
He was a standout player at Canfield for Coach Mike Pavlansky. As a senior he was the Northeast Ohio and MAC Defensive Player of the Year and was a two-time all-state selection. As a junior the Cardinals made their first appearance in the state championship game in school history. Additionally he was a three-time all-conference and two-time all-district honoree.
