5 Things You Need to Know About the Youngstown State Penguins

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Week Three of the college season is here. That means it is time to put the excitement of last weekend’s win in The Swamp in the rearview mirror. Now, the Kentucky Wildcats take on the Youngstown State Penguins. The noon kickoff will have Big Blue Nation up and moving early this Saturday. Hopefully, the ‘Cats on the field will be wide awake by the opening kick as well.

Head Coach Mark Stoops and Recruiting Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach Vince Marrow are both Youngstown, Ohio natives and graduates of Cardinal Mooney High School. Those two will have no problem getting up for this game against a Top 20 FCS opponent. Over 100 friends and family are expected to be in attendance from Youngstown with rumors of a potentially epic afterparty planned for downtown Lexington Saturday night. While the pageantry around the game serves up some fun talking points, both Stoops and Marrow are primarily focused on beating a solid football team and moving to 3-0.

The Penguins opened their season with a pair of convincing victories over Duquesne and Dayton. However, this will be their first road trip of the 2022 season. Their foray into an SEC opponent’s home turf comes just one week before traveling to North Dakota State which is ranked #1 in the FCS. The sledding is about to get much tougher for Youngstown State.

As always, make sure you read Adam Luckett’s Scouting Report to fully prepare for Saturday’s matchup. Also, Freddie Maggard delivered his take on How Kentucky Beats Youngstown State. Now, without further ado, let’s dive into five things you need to know about the Youngstown State Penguins.

All-American Running Back

While this may not be the same storied Youngstown State Penguins team that Jim Tressel brought to prominence in the 1990s, there is still talent to work with. Super senior running back Jaleel McLaughlin leads the charge for the Penguins. Through two games so far he is averaging a first down on every rush. Yes, you read that right, McLaughlin is averaging an insane 10.1 yards per carry. He has 332 yards and four touchdowns on the year. McLaughlin is also a threat in the Youngstown State passing game as he has recorded 23 catches already this season.

Furthermore, the star running back has a legitimate chance to put his name in the NCAA record books. He is the current active leader in attempts (1,065), yards (6,910), and touchdowns (69). McLaughlin needs 1,165 yards to become the NCAA’s career rushing leader. The Kentucky Wildcats’ defense will need to account for this star out of the backfield on Saturday.

Dual-Threat Quarterback

Redshirt sophomore Demeatric Crenshaw earned Missouri Valley Freshman of the Year honors a year ago. Crenshaw passed for 791 yards and six scores as a redshirt freshman for the Youngstown State Penguins. This season, he is coming off of a five-touchdown performance through the air in Week Two. However, he may be even more dangerous with his legs. The dual-threat quarterback rushed for 599 yards and seven touchdowns in nine starts last season and has found pay dirt already once this season. He is going to look to keep plays alive by scrambling out of the pocket and picking up extra yardage. The ‘Cats must contain his rushing threat and find opportunities to put him behind the chains.

Penguins Feature ‘Cats Transfer at Wide Out

Remember Bryce Oliver? As a redshirt freshman for the Wildcats, he went for 111 yards on six catches with a touchdown. However, injuries hampered much of his career in Lexington and that led to him transferring to the Youngstown State Penguins. After recording a team-best eight touchdowns last season, Oliver appears to be a true WR1 for quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw and the Penguins’ passing attack this year. He has pulled in 10 catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Oliver will be a test for his former team’s secondary.

Youngstown State Looks to Create Havoc Defensively

Through two games, the Youngstown State Penguins have lived in the opposing backfield. They have recorded 18 tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups, six quarterback hurries, and five interceptions. Those turnovers and havoc plays could be an equalizing in Lexington on Saturday when the Penguins take on a more talented opponent. However, the aggressiveness of their 4-2-5 defensive scheme also leaves open the possibility for big plays. Will Levis should have some opportunities to connect on the deep ball in this one.

Kentucky Connection is the Leader of the Defense

There is another connection to the Kentucky Wildcats beyond transfer Bryce Oliver. On the defensive side of the ball Griffin Hoak, younger brother of former UK quarterback Gunner Hoak, is the leader on that side of the ball. The redshirt senior has started 21 consecutive games and has recorded 118 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss in his career for the Youngstown State Penguins. His leadership will look to come back the improved Kentucky rushing attack from the second half in Gainesville.