Troy Rothenbuhler is in his fifth year on the staff of Head Coach Doug Phillips. Rothenbuhler serves as the Penguins' Offensive Coordinator and coaches the quarterbacks.
A record-setting passing campaign sparked YSU to an eight-win season and first FCS playoff berth in seven seasons in 2023.
For the campaign, YSU averaged a school-record 243.1 yards passing per game in 2023 eclipsing the old mark was 235.8 which was set back in 1972. YSU set school records for completions (270) and attempts (388) as well as percentage (69.6).
YSU's offense set a school record for 40-plus point games with six. YSU also set a new school record by scoring 30-or-more points in six straight games. The Penguins scored 28-plus points in all but two games. The Guins led all of FCS by averaging 35:06 in time of possession per contest. Additionally, YSU averaged 32 points per game, its most in a season since 2013 and ranking tied for fifth in school history.
QB Mitch Davidson and WR Bryce Oliver played the primary roles in the record-setting campaign. Davidson passed for 3,088 yards completing 256-of-368 attempts (69.6 percent) and throwing for 24 touchdowns. His 234.8 yards per game were just behind the record set by Ron Jaworski in 1972 (235.8). Davidon set school season records for completions, yards, attempts and completion percentage while ranking second in TD passes. He tied the school record for 200-yard passing games in a season (eight) and set a record with four 300-yard games.
Oliver, who was named second-team All-MVFC, broke the school record for career receiving touchdowns. Oliver finished his three-year career with 26 touchdowns in 33 games at YSU. He tied the record against Murray State and broke it in the first round of the NCAA playoffs against Duquesne. The previous mark of 25 had been held by Jim Ferranti since 1979. For his YSU career, Oliver had 147 receptions for 2,065 yards and 26 scores.
During 2022, the offense showed its play-making ability behind Davidson, TB Jaleel McLaughlin and Oliver. McLaughlin was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Offensive Player of the Year while Oliver was the first YSU wide receiver since 2010 to be named first team all-conference.
McLaughlin rushed for 1,588 yards on the season and late in the year set the NCAA All-Division career rushing record. As a team, YSU averaged 202.6 yards per game marking the second consecutive year it averaged more than 200 per contest. Oliver finished the season with 59 catches for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns. The 10 receiving touchdowns were the most by a Penguin since 1983 and tied for the third-most in school history. Davidson started the final seven games of the season, and, for the year had 12 touchdown passes with just one interception in 201 attempts. Davidson also led the Penguins to three memorable late-game, fourth-quarter comebacks.
The offense committed only seven turnovers the entire season. YSU had one pass intercepted the final seven games and lost four fumbles, two of which came in the final nine games of the season.The Guins also won the time-of-possession battle holding the ball for 30:56.
In the fall of 2021, the Guins were led McLaughlin. McLaughlin rushed for 1,139 yards in just 10 games and scored 12 touchdowns. Redshirt freshman quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw showed his dynamic skill set at QB being named the MVFC's Freshman of the Year. Crenshaw ran for 599 yards and seven scores while completing 62.2 percent of his passes for 791 yards and six touchdowns. Oliver caught eight touchdown passes, the most by a Penguin wide receiver since 2010. For the season, the Guins lost just four fumbles and had an average time of possession of 31:47.
In the seven-game 2021 spring season, YSU's offense saw the emergence of McLaughlin. McLaughlin was a second-team All-MVFC selection and rushed for more than 100 yards in the final five contests of the year. He finished with 691 yards on 133 carries. The Penguins used QBs Joe Craycraft and Mark Waid to lead the unit in the spring. Waid led the Penguins with 527 yards passing and was second on the team with 283 yards on the ground. Offensive tackle Dan Becker also earned second-team all-league accolades.
YSU had one of the best ball control offenses in the country. The Penguins averaged 33:23 minutes in time of possession per game to rank 11th in the FCS. YSU had eight scoring drives of 12-or-more plays in the spring season. Also the Penguins had six drives of over seven minutes during the campaign.
Rothenbuhler has also served as the offensive coordinator at Bowling Green, Findlay, Heidelberg and Ohio Northern.
Prior to joining the YSU staff, Rothenbuhler spent the 2019 campaign at Eastern Kentucky. As the tight ends coach, he helped the Colonels to a 7-5 record. His tight ends group helped EKU lead the conference and finish 20th in the country in rushing.
Rothenbuhler spent the 2018 season with the Arizona Cardinals in the National Football League working with the quarterbacks in a quality control position.
He spent six successful seasons (2011-17) as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Findlay.
In 2017, he helped UF advance to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in program history. During that season, Findlay was the only NCAA team to average 250-plus yards rushing and passing per game. That season, UF ranked sixth in the nation in scoring (44.5 ppg), third in total offense (515.5 ypg), third in third down conversion percentage (52.4) and fifth in time of possession (34:26). The Oilers had 41 rushing touchdowns and 31 passing for the year en route to posting a 10-3 record.
As the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ohio Northern University for two seasons (2009-10), Rothenbuhler helped the team reach the second round of the 2010 NCAA Division III playoffs. In 2010, the Polar Bears averaged 32.9 points and 383.7 yards a contest. ONU had 29 rushing touchdowns and 19 passing TDs for the season posting a 10-2 overall mark and an 8-1 record in the OAC. In 2009, ONU averaged 35.7 points a contest and 366.8 yards a game. The offensive unit had 28 rushing scores and 16 passing touchdowns.
From 2003-08, Rothenbuhler served in a variety of roles at Bowling Green, including two seasons as assistant head coach and one as co-offensive coordinator. During his time with the Falcons, he also coached wide receivers, tight ends and defensive ends. He also served as the recruiting coordinator from 2003-07. BGSU played in three bowl games during that time.
In 2003, the Falcons went 11-3 overall and won the MAC West with a 7-1 record. They earned a final ranking of No. 23 in the AP and USA Today Coaches Poll following a win in the Motor City Bowl over Northwestern. In 2004, BGSU won the GMAC Bowl defeating Memphis and finished with a 9-3 overall record. The 2007 Falcons appeared in the GMAC Bowl and went 8-5 on the campaign.
He spent the 2002 season as offensive coordinator at Heidelberg College.
His first full-time coaching role came at Arkansas State. During his five-year tenure at ASU (1997-2001), he coached both the tight ends and receivers.
Rothenbuhler was a graduate assistant for the Buckeyes in 1995 and 1996 where he worked with the quarterbacks and tight ends. From 1992-94, he was a student assistant at OSU, assisting with the team’s wide receivers. The Buckeyes made an appearance in three Citrus Bowl's, a Holiday Bowl and a Rose Bowl.
He earned a bachelor’s of science in mathematical sciences from Ohio State in 1995.
He and his wife Amy have two children, Maddy and Jake. Maddy earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from YSU in December 2023.
