penguin sports news
Penguins’ New Football Coach Takes a Local Approach Bo Pelini had plenty of options when he made the decision to return to his hometown in December as YSU’s new head football coach. It was a bold and surprising move for a former NFL assistant coach who spent the past seven years successfully coaching a Big Ten Team at the University of Nebraska. “My wife and I were looking for something that made sense for our family,” he said. “This being the place where we grew up, and taking everything into account, we felt this was the right place for us.” Pelini took a similar approach in recruiting his first class of 30 new Penguin players in early February. Eight states are represented by the group of newcomers, but the coach said he purposely focused most of his efforts on Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. “They understand the traditions at YSU, our expectations and our standards,” he said of the 19 Ohio and Pa. recruits. “We decided from the start that there are a lot of good football players in the area and that’s the way we were going to go. I’m thrilled to say that we got most of the kids we targeted, and that doesn’t always happen.” Pelini said he and his staff looked for “high character young men” who are good students as well as good football players. “We targeted high school kids who will be in this program for a number of years. We want them to help us build the culture and represent us well, both on and off the field.” Pelini, a Youngstown native and Cardinal Mooney High School graduate, has an impressive 21 years of coaching experience with 12 as either a head coach or collegiate coordinator and nine as a defensive assistant in the NFL. Before taking over the Nebraska program, where he guided the Cornhuskers to nine or more wins every season, he was an assistant coach for the Super Bowl Champion San Francisco 49ers, then served as linebacker coach for the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers. In all, Pelini has coached in 12 bowl games, 11 NFL playoff games and six conference-title contests. Pelini earned a BSBA in marketing and a master’s degree in sports administration, both from Ohio State University. He and his wife, Mary Pat, have three children.
30
YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY
Coach Bo Pelini
Football Season Tickets On Sale Now Season ticket packages are available now for the 2015 Youngstown State football season, which will feature six home contests. Here’s the schedule:
Sept. 5 Sept. 12 Sept. 19 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Nov. 21
at Pittsburgh vs. Robert Morris* vs. Saint Francis (Pa.)* at South Dakota vs. Illinois State* vs. South Dakota State (Homecoming) * at Southern Illinois at Western Illinois vs. Missouri State* vs. North Dakota State* at Indiana State
In 2015, reserved season ticket packages are available for $99; general admission packages are $77. For more information, call the YSU Athletic Ticket Office, 330-941-1978. (*Home Games.)