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BEAVER TOWNSHIP - For the past 33 years, Bob Hannon has been positioned high atop the Stambaugh Stadium press box calling all but one of Youngstown State University's last 385 football games.
From his familiar catbird seat, he has been the eyes of his listening audience for the Penguins' 36 postseason games, also calling seven Division I-AA or FCS championship games of which four have resulted in championship banners for the program.
After calling last Saturday's game at Northern Iowa, a 34-7 win by the Panthers, he stopped by Monday's Curbstone Coaches meeting to share his thoughts about the '21 version of Penguins football.
"Head coach Doug Phillips has a plan, is sticking to it so we have to be patient, because it is going to take time," Hannon told the audience assembled at Avion Banquet Center. "He believes in building his program through high school recruiting so we have to trust him.
"Look at the University of Cincinnati, his previous stop, and you see what Luke Fickell has done with the same formula. The Bearcats struggled and won just four games his first year at the helm then turned it around. Last weekend, UC defeated Notre Dame at South Bend so it's a formula that can work."
The Penguins are currently 1-3 overall after posting a 1-6 spring mark and after a season-opening, 44-41 win over Incarnate Word in overtime, will look to end a three-game losing streak this weekend in their annual homecoming game against Missouri State.
"Defense carried us in the spring, but we seem to have regressed," Hannon added. "We have given up 44, 42, 38 and 34 points in our first four games, and that is my biggest worry. We haven't had much of a pass rush so we need to get better in that area."
Another area of concern for Hannon is at quarterback.
"I'm not being critical but we are being outplayed under center," he stated. "It is hard to win when you are being outplayed there. Demeatric Crenshaw is a redshirt freshman and I hope that he is the answer. If not, then we must take a hard look at the transfer portal and that is strictly my opinion. It is an area that has benefitted other teams, especially Missouri State and other Missouri Valley Football Conference schools."
Hannon said the MVFC is head and shoulders above any other FCS conference, while YSU's facilities are state of the art at any level.
"We have a history of success and fans are impatient, I get that," Hannon noted. "Right now, there are 27 players in the NFL representing schools from the MVFC but none are from YSU. Ohio is an excellent football state, our facilities are among the best in all of FCS and our conference is head and shoulders above any other FCS conference. That, right there, makes us very attractive to recruits.
"Teams in the past that were doormats in the conference, like Missouri State, Western Illinois, Indiana State and Southern Illinois are now competitive and that has been a challenge, in part because they have sunk dollars into their football programs and utilized the transfer portal. No longer is it just North Dakota State, Northern Iowa or South Dakota State dominating our conference."
This year's roster is still a youthful roster, according to Hannon.
"We're still very young with over 60 percent of our roster comprised of freshmen and sophomores. When they become juniors and seniors, we should be in the thick of the conference race but we need to get back to being competitive," he said. "Prior to scoring the final touchdown last Saturday at Northern Iowa, we had been outscored 65-0 in the previous six quarters. We weren't as competitive as we had hoped and we need to get back to that."
Hannon added that Phillips continues to tirelessly sell the Penguins' football program.
"Doug is out there trying to sell the program and he can win," Hannon concluded.
"He is out in the community and very engaging, talking to everyone from donors to fans and anyone who wants to talk YSU football."
Next Monday, Brian Shrum, YSU head women's soccer coach will serve as guest speaker.
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