‘Tattooed them pretty good’: YSU football coach reacts to Pitt post game comments

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Youngstown State’s two previous meetings with the University of Pittsburgh came in 2015 and 2017. Both were close, and the last game was decided in overtime. Saturday’s game was not.

With a 35-point lead at the end of the third quarter, the Panthers added three fourth-quarter touchdowns to reach 73 points on the scoreboard , the most allowed by a YSU football team in program history.

Following the game, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi, a Youngstown native and the son of former YSU head coach Bill Narduzzi, had this to say.

“I asked them on Tuesday to go get one for my dad, just try to make it personal,” said Narduzzi. “And they took the challenge and went out there and tattooed them pretty good. So my dad would be fired up.”

Coach Narduzzi’s father Bill coached at Youngstown State for 10 years. He was fired in 1985 and replaced by Jim Tressel.

Today head coach Doug Phillips was asked about his reaction to the score and those post-game comments.

“You know, I feel in the game of football if they can score 73 on you, score 73,” says Phillips. “But as a father, I hope I’m teaching Lincoln (his son), as a head football coach with my kids, I hope I’m teaching them that disappointments are going to happen in life. You’re going to face adversity in life, and I certainly wouldn’t want them to be angry for 39 years.”

Coach Phillips emphasized the focus for the team now is the start of conference play. That begins this Saturday at Missouri State. The Penguins and Bears kickoff at 3 p.m.

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