Statistical Rundown
With two of the best quarterbacks in the FCS squaring off, a high-scoring affair was expected. In the last seven matchups between YSU and SIU, the winning team had averaged over 30 points per game.
However, this time around, the Penguin defense came to play.
YSU held the Salukis to just 16 points while recording five sacks and eight tackles for loss. The Penguin front seven consistently lived in the backfield, with Ebony Curry Jr. and Jordan Pritchard-Sewell putting together standout performances.
Curry Jr. tallied two sacks and two tackles for loss, while Pritchard-Sewell recorded one sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. The linebacking corps also did a nice job fitting the run, with Graydon Rollins, Lemondte Chambers, and Carston Marshall combining for 22 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and three tackles for loss.
SIU finished with just 99 rushing yards and averaged 2.8 yards per carry. After a sluggish first half offensively, YSU found its rhythm and ultimately outgained the Salukis 403-387.
The Penguins also evened the turnover margin in the second half, with the defense forcing two turnovers. Offensively, YSU improved dramatically on third down, converting 54.5% of its attempts after going just 16.7% in the first half.
Tight end Austin Bray led the Penguins with five receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown.
Film Notes
YSU’s defense is starting to find its footing under new defensive coordinator Ryan Riemedio, with the second level improving dramatically over the last two weeks.
After a tough loss to South Dakota State in which the Penguins struggled to fill cutback lanes in the running game, YSU’s linebackers have done a much better job fitting the run over the last two weeks.
In a 3-4 scheme, the linebackers are the heart of the defense, and the trio of Chambers, Rollins, and Marshall has shown significant improvement.
Against SIU, I thought Riemedio did a good job mixing between five-man, four-man, and three-man fronts while also dialing up timely blitzes. The different looks helped keep the Salukis from consistently finding a rhythm offensively.
YSU also utilized a lot of three-safety packages, bringing Cincinnati transfer Stanley Clyne into the game to match up with receivers in the slot. That versatility allowed the Penguins to have more flexibility in how they defended SIU’s passing game.
On offense, the Penguins used plenty of pre-snap eye candy and motion to try to create space and manipulate the Salukis’ defense. However, it wasn’t until the second half that the offense really started to find its footing.
I also thought the special teams unit executed at a high level. The fake punt was run to perfection, and the hands team did a nice job recovering SIU’s onside kick attempt in the second half.
Overall, this was a complete team win for the Penguins. The offense took some time to get going, but the defense and special teams consistently made winning plays, allowing YSU to pull away and secure another important MVFC victory.
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