A Dynamic End to Fall Camp
On a crisp Saturday morning at Stambaugh Stadium, the Youngstown State football squad ran its final fall camp scrimmage, giving fans a preview of the talent that will shape the 2026 campaign. The session featured a balanced offensive attack that mixed crisp passing with hard‑nosed rushing, while the defense imposed its will early and often.
The first unit opened with a 13‑play, 81‑yard drive that set the tone. Quarterback Beau Brungard completed four of five passes for 33 yards, orchestrating the march that culminated in Antuan Gardner’s three‑yard touchdown plunge. The second‑team offense answered quickly, striking for a 57‑yard pass from Malachi Lewis to Payton Bjork and a 17‑yard touchdown connection to Conor Smith, highlighting the depth at the skill positions.
Defensively, the unit dominated the next four possessions, highlighted by an Ethan Coe fumble recovery on a fourth‑down snap that underscored the group’s physicality. The defense continued to pressure the offense, forcing three‑and‑out series and creating turnovers that kept the momentum squarely in Youngstown State’s favor.
The offense added another score with a 42‑yard drive, featuring Dev Holman’s pass breakup and a five‑yard touchdown reception by Williams after Beau Brungard found him on a 10‑yard strike that capped a 75‑yard, nine‑play march. Brungard finished the scrimmage 18‑of‑24 for 199 yards, two touchdowns and 18 rushing yards on seven carries, while Lewis contributed 87 yards on four catches.
With the camp wrapped up, the Penguins will reconvene on Monday morning to fine‑tune preparations for their season opener against Mercyhurst on August 27 at Stambaugh Stadium. The performance offered a promising glimpse of the team’s potential, leaving coaches and fans eager to see how the pieces fit together when the lights go on.