Penguin offense runs deep
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YOUNGSTOWN -- Troy Rothenbuhler is perhaps in an unfamiliar situation. Still, you won't hear any complaints from Youngstown State's offensive coordinator.
For the first time since his arrival to the program in 2020, Rothenbuhler has a bit of depth to work with at nearly every position, providing a chance for the Penguins to truly compete at each spot.
It's something Rothenbuhler hopes will translate during games.
"Competition breeds success," Rothenbuhler said. "Either you got to pick it up and go, or you get out of the way and someone's going to pass you."
The improvements are palpable so far, at least according to star tailback Jaleel McLaughlin.
"I'm seen major improvement from a lot of guys," he said. "The guys up front, the receiver group, tight ends, the quarterbacks, even the running back room has been tremendous. ... I think everybody as a collective group has improved tremendously each and every day from the work ethic and mindset."
As such, he added this year's offense could feature a bit more versatility than in years past, when the run game was the dominant focus.
"I think you can see with (quarterback) Demeatric (Crenshaw), he's been getting better each and every day with his reads and with telling the line to go in their protections. He's just becoming such a smarter football player and person, and I think he's doing awesome," he said. "The receivers have been bringing the ball in. It's been tremendous."
Here's how the Penguins shake out at each position.
QUARTERBACKS
If depth is a first for Rothenbuhler and Company, so, too, is having the quarterback position mostly settled.
Crenshaw returns for his sophomore season after earning Freshman of the Year honors from the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2021. During that campaign, Crenshaw amassed 791 yards passing and six touchdowns, and added 599 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Behind him, former Salem High School All-Ohioan Mitch Davidson gives the Penguins a solid backup option, should Crenshaw get banged up.
Davidson, a redshirt junior, saw action at quarterback in two games last year and completed 16 of 29 passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns. He went 6-for-7 for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the final 17 minutes against South Dakota State. Then he went 10-for-22 for 166 yards and two scores in the final 2 1/2 quarters against North Dakota State.
Of Crenshaw's development and the relationship between Crenshaw and Davidson, Rothenbuhler said, "It's all been a long process. You have to put your eyes down and learn the finish line and work day to day to finally get there. The good thing about Demeatric is he knows there's pressure behind him, because Mitch Davidson is having a really good camp also.
"So those two are pushing each other. They communicate really well. It's a competition, but it's also a friendship, because they know their one step away from the next guy being in, and ultimately it's a team sport, so they've got to get each other ready."
Down the depth chart, Springfield Local graduate Beau Brungard and Max Blanc have competed for the third-string spot.
RUNNING BACKS
While the Penguins are eyeing a bit more versatility in 2022, it's no secret their biggest home-run threat comes out of the backfield.
McLaughlin is back for one final go-around, and enters the campaign as a StatsPerform Preseason second-team All-American, and also garnered First Team All-MVFC honors.
In 2021, McLaughlin tallied 1,139 yards and averaged 113.9 yards per contest. He added 12 touchdowns.
At RB2, the Penguins are tasked with replacing Christian Turner, who graduated. Thus far, they've turned to Liberty graduate Dra Rushton to fill those duties, and he's handled them well in camp.
"Each of them is just a little bit different," Rothenbuhler said. "You know Jaleel is the home run hitter every time he touches the football. Dra Rushton comes in and is a little change-up -- a little bit looser, a little bit more shifty in the open field. He's not going to break it down and hit the home run like Jaleel -- he's got it in him, but we haven't seen it."
Behind that 1-2 punch, Austintown Fitch grad Randy Smith has been repping.
"The rest of those guys are big, powerful dudes that come rolling in," Rothenbuhler said.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
If there is a position with questions regarding depth, this is it.
The top end of the receiver rotation is pretty well set, as Bryce Oliver and Latrell Fordham will occupy the top two spots, respectively.
Oliver, who transferred to YSU from Kentucky ahead of the 2021 season, started six games and grabbed 24 receptions for 266 yards and a team-best eight receiving touchdowns -- the most by a Penguin since Jelani Berassa in 2011.
Fordham, meanwhile, transferred to YSU from Eastern Michigan this past offseason after nabbing eight passes for 107 yards and a score for the Eagles in 2021.
Of Oliver's development, Rothenbuhler said, "It's maturity. He's always had that temperament, he's always had the 'want to' with putting it on the field and keeping his head straight. He's actually bringing some other guys along with him."
He added of Fordham, "Latrell has done a great job of being a follower. 'Let me watch the guy that's coming out to work every day and see what he's doing to make his successful.' So that allowed Bryce to really pull some of those young guys along, and that's the key."
At the slot position, the Penguins lost C.J. Charleston (a former Ohio high school state long jump champion) to an injury, and Max Tomczak has stepped up to fill the role. On Tuesday, he was put on scholarship during the team's break during practice.
"Max had a great spring football season and had a great camp here," said head coach Doug Phillips. "He has an opportunity to start as our inside slot, so when we have that money, it's going to go to those walk-ons."
Behind that trio is a bevy of inexperienced, unproven players. The Penguins feature 18 receivers on roster, counting the aforementioned trio plus Charleston, and 13 of them are either a freshman or redshirt freshman.
Rothenbuhler noted that the main core "has been here, they've been through the rigors" and added that Luke Hensley, a redshirt freshman from Medina, is "coming along."
Of the group as a whole, though, he assessed, "The good thing is they're all willing to block, they're all willing to go make the play when their numbers are called, and they're working their butts off."
At tight end, YSU picked up Michigan State transfer Trenton Gillison in the portal, and also returns a host of others from last year's squad.
OFFENSIVE LINE
At the outset of camp, Phillips tasked the offensive coaching staff with expanding the line's depth, because the Penguins ran thin in 2021.
So far, Rothenbuhler says the unit runs about eight-deep, and is "working on nine and 10."
The first five -- Ryan Johnson, Jaison Williams, Mike McAllister, Aidan Parker and David Metzler -- all return from 2021, and each of those five picked up plenty of starting experience in the campaign. McAllister is the elder statesman as the lone senior from that group, while Johnson enters his junior campaign. Metzler, Parker and Williams each are sophomores.
YSU also added senior Joey Groeber via the portal, as he joins the Penguins after appearing in six games for Cincinnati last season, including the Bearcats' College Football Playoff appearance against Alabama.
Outside of those six, the line has 12 players that are either freshman or redshirt freshman, providing plenty of youth for the future.
"Those guys are busting their tails," Rothenbuhler said. "They come to work every day to try to be the one, and as long as they're trying to be the one, the ones have to keep pushing to make sure they stay there."
Of the increased depth, he added, "We haven't been close to that (in previous years)."
For it all to come together, Rothenbuhler concluded, "Just stay healthy and get ready to roll."