Bo Pelini has officially been replaced.
Late last month, Bo Pelini stepped down as the head coach at Youngstown State after five seasons to become the defensive coordinator at LSU. Two weeks later, the FCS program confirmed that Doug Phillips has been named as the replacement for Bo Pelini.
The hiring of Phillips is a homecoming of sorts as he was a graduate assistant at YSU in 1991-92. The Penguins head coach at the time? Jim Tressel, the former Ohio State head coach who is now YSU’s president.
“It is a tremendous honor to return to Youngstown State as the Head Football Coach,” Phillips said. “I have such great memories of my time at YSU. I would like to thank Athletic Director Ron Strollo and President Jim Tressel for this outstanding opportunity. I’ve been fortunate to work at great places to prepare me for this position. We’re going to play with fire and proudly represent our great university and community on and off the field. Go Penguins!”
Phillips spent the past three seasons at Cincinnati. The first season he was special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. The last two seasons, he was running backs coach.
From 2007-08, Phillips was the defensive ends coach at Bowling Green.
In between the stints at Bowling Green and Cincinnati? From YSU’s release: