Coach to Coach: "Built on Grit" - Youngstown State University head coach Doug Phillips, his grind towards greatness, & the Next Era of Penguin Pride

Photo Courtesy of Youngstown State University Athletics

 By Nate McCray

College football is more than just a game of X's and O’s; it's a game of relationships. Behind every signing day triumph, coaching hire, or program turnaround is a web of connections, trust, and long-standing bonds.   Tapping into your network is a necessity in today’s hyper-competitive college football landscape. In a sport where word-of-mouth can open doors faster than a 40-yard dash, the most successful programs are often those built on authentic relationships and well-cultivated pipelines.

Yesterday, I reconnected with Youngstown State University head football coach Doug Phillips, and our conversation began by reflecting on a post-camp dinner he graciously hosted last summer at MVR, a local Italian favorite, for his staff, myself, and other camp volunteer coaches, a thoughtful gesture that underscored the value of relationships and camaraderie in this profession.  During our meeting, Coach Phillips also recapped spring ball with a sense of pride, not just in the team’s on-field progress, but in what he called the "real win" of the offseason: retaining his players.  “I still think it comes down to the kids coming together,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of guys going into their fourth year, and the tightness of that group is special. The leadership they’ve shown, the way they’ve committed to each other, is powerful. A few of them could probably make a lot more money by jumping into the portal, but they turned down those opportunities to stay. That speaks volumes about their character and their belief in what we’re building here.”

Coach Phillips' coaching journey is marked by a consistent presence in the postseason, reflecting a career built on sustained success across multiple levels of college football. His postseason roots trace back to 1991 when he was part of Youngstown State’s FCS National Championship team, followed by a runner-up finish in 1992. At the FBS level, Phillips helped guide Ohio State to the 2006 BCS National Championship Game, adding to his résumé of elite-level experience. He later led Bowling Green State to the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl and contributed to Cincinnati University’s bowl runs in the 2018 Military Bowl and 2019 Birmingham Bowl. Most recently, in 2023, Phillips returned Youngstown State to national relevance, leading the Penguins to the FCS Playoffs and a second-round appearance, cementing his reputation as a coach who knows how to build and sustain winning programs.

When touching on the topic of Youngstown having a deeply rooted football legacy, coach Phillips explained how he balances honoring that tradition while innovating his own culture and system within his football program. “Well, you always have to start by respecting what’s already here,” Coach Phillips explained. “We’ve got a beautiful indoor facility that exists because of the alumni who built this program long before us. Every day we step onto the field, we’re reminded of that legacy, we’re staring at national championship banners.  The challenge now is, can we get it back to where it was in the 1990s, because make no mistake, teams that are winning today, like North Dakota State, they studied what Youngstown State did back then.”

From the outside looking in, maintaining continuity in today’s college football landscape, fueled by the transfer portal and Name Image & Likeness (NIL), can feel like trying to hold sand in your hands. But for the Penguins head coach, it’s a challenge he embraces with adaptability. “When I look at it, we’re all still learning,” he told me, reflecting on how far the game has evolved since he first took the reins five years ago. His approach isn’t rooted in resisting change, but in doubling down on development, culture, and high school recruiting strategies that have helped preserve the identity of the Penguins program while preparing for whatever comes next.  “Two years ago, we made the playoffs, but I wasn’t ready for what came next, as we lost 10 defensive players to the portal almost overnight. I learned a huge lesson from that.  What I’ve learned since is that continuity and chemistry come from never losing sight of high school recruiting. We commit to bringing in 20 high school players every year and we won’t get away from that.”

When asked about the moment that best defines the resilience of his Youngstown State team, Coach Phillips didn’t hesitate. “You know, the one word I live by is Stick-To-Itiveness,” he said. “When we went to the playoffs, we won six games in the last minute. That doesn’t happen without grit, toughness, and belief.” He then pointed to last season as another testament to that resilience, though the Penguins finished with eight losses, six of those were decided in the final minute. “It wasn’t a matter of effort; our kids fought to the end every time. We just didn’t close,” he explained. “That’s where situational football comes in, the last two minutes, that’s the difference. And that’s what we zeroed in on this spring.” Phillips, ever the student of the game, referenced his analysis of 53 matchups: 45% came down to the final possession. “In our league, there are no easy games. Execution and passion in those final moments, that’s what separates playoff teams from the rest. We’ve got talent. Now it’s about bringing that cohesion, and the team together.”

When asked how he incorporates Northeast Ohio’s blue-collar identity into his program’s foundation, Coach Phillips said “You know, I grew up outside of Youngstown, so I know the days when the steel mills shut down in the late 1970s and how there was a time when you thought Youngstown would fade away.  During that time, you would go to downtown Youngstown, and there were no hotels or restaurants. But Youngstown fought through that adversity and came out of it on top. Now, you go downtown and see beautiful restaurants, coaches and players live downtown, there are two concert venues. So, we’ve got to learn from the history of this town. The blue collar, the grit, the toughness, teaching us that sometimes you’ve got to go through hard times to know how to be successful.”

Coach and I also touched on the topic of NIL, something that is brought up every day in college sports.  “We have a saying that is on everything around here, and that is you’ve got to earn it,” Coach Phillips said when discussing his philosophy on navigating NIL opportunities while maintaining a team-first culture. “No freshman is walking in the door with an NIL opportunity at Youngstown State. We believe we can develop them into good football players, and I’m proud to say we’ve got four guys in the NFL in the last four years, meaning they came here, they were not highly recruited kids, but we developed them. And then they got to earn it. We’re fortunate that in our town we’ve got a lot of great community members, a lot of successful businesses that support Youngstown State well. And again, I tell young men, you’re not getting rich in Youngstown. We’re going to make sure, though, that we can put a little extra money in your pocket. And we’ve had kids turn down NIL deals that could have made six figures to come to Youngstown State”, the head coach stated.

College football budgets remain a constant topic of discussion, as programs across the country grapple with balancing competitive success, rising operational costs, and the evolving financial demands of recruiting, facilities, and NIL. “I fundraise probably way too much. But if you want to be successful, you’ve got to have money,” Coach Phillips said when asked about his philosophy on team fundraising campaigns. “There’s a reason why Ohio State and Notre Dame played in the FBS National Championship game.  They had the most money to spend on players. Why did the Dodgers and Yankees play in the 2024 Major League Baseball World Series? They had the most money to spend on player salaries. They’re spending more money than the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Indians. And I think in football, what I like about FCS is, I think we can be #1 in everything: in facilities, academics, money, you know? But that’s going to take us going out and doing it. So, as a coach, your role has changed. Not only are you a coach, but you’re also a general manager, you’re a fundraiser. I do more fundraising in the months of May, June, and July than I ever have before.”

In college football, recruiting never stops, but the approach varies, depending on the program. “We are fortunate that we’re not doing official visits in the summer. I won’t do it because I still want to see senior film,” Coach Phillips explained when asked how he identifies program guys who may not have stars behind their names but fit the Penguin DNA. “And sometimes kids are being taken right now, and we got some of those commits. I also want to keep a big opening of about 10 scholarships because I want to see how kids look their senior year. We got a lot of great players this past year in December waiting for their senior year. So, for us, sometimes you’ve got to be patient. You’ve got to wait. You’ve got to be able to evaluate.”

With today’s ever-spinning college football coaching carousel, retaining good coaches has become one of the biggest challenges, as rising talents are constantly pursued by bigger programs offering greater pay and exposure.  “Yeah, I mean, you know, that is something I have lost. They say there is a player portal—I got a coach’s portal,” Coach Phillips said when asked what characteristics he looks for beyond football when building his staff. “I have lost some coaches over the last five years, and I understand that.  I have had coaches that leave us and go on to opportunities in the Big Ten, and they’re getting 10 times the pay they would here. So, like I said, we are a developmental program for players sometimes, and sometimes a developmental program for coaches too, where they come in and get the experience and move on to other opportunities. So usually, you hire from the circle of people you have worked with.  Whether it’s a referral from a Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame or Luke Fickell at Wisconsin, or Jim Tressel (retired former Ohio State head coach) or Matt Campbell at Iowa State, guys that you know, guys I have worked with and trust, and you find guys from those circles. Every year I’m hiring probably three new coaches on each side of the ball. So, I got to have a list of guys constantly.”  Coach Phillips also added, “This year, I made a conscious decision to bring in more veteran leadership. One key addition is Michael Yurcich—a well-known name in Youngstown. He played at Penn State and spent time in the National Football League (NFL) with the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s now serving as our Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach. Mike has deep roots in this area, and having the opportunity to hire someone with his playing and coaching experience is a tremendous asset for our program.”

For Coach Doug Phillips, the legacy he hopes to leave at Youngstown State is rooted in success, both on and off the field. “I want to leave a legacy of success. I want our kids to be successful, and it is going to be measured by championships.”

Coach Phillips is aware of the high bar set by the program’s storied past. “That is the job at Youngstown State. You know, Jim Tressel won those four national championships, and everyone has been fighting to get Youngstown State back to it,” he said.  While he’s proud of his team’s academic achievements, boasting the team’s overall GPA of 3.2, he knows the true measure of the program will be what happens between the lines. “We’ve got great student-athletes doing the right things off the field. But what we do on the field, you know, we’ve got to beat North Dakota State, South Dakota State, and we must win the Missouri Valley Conference. If we do that, I think that speaks volumes, that speaks legacy.”

He also knows what is at stake. “You can do something that has never been done. Youngstown State has not won the Missouri Valley Football Conference. And if we can do that, then you will win the national championship,” he added. “I think the final four teams in the playoffs last season, three of them came from our league. So, you get challenged each week to do that.”

Youngstown State will kick off the 2025 season with a home opener against Mercyhurst on August 28th, setting the stage for an early-season test on September 13th when the Penguins travel to East Lansing to face Big Ten opponent Michigan State. The non-conference slate serves as a critical tune-up before Youngstown State enters the always-demanding Missouri Valley Football Conference schedule, beginning with a marquee matchup against national powerhouse South Dakota State on October 4th.