By John Ostapowicz
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Two local prospects are showing off their skills in hopes of becoming the starting quarterback of the Youngstown State University football team.
With the departure of former Penguin Mitch Davidson, the quarterback position has been left vacant. Junior quarterbacks Beau Brungard from New Middletown and Brady Shannon from Youngstown are vying for the job.
Although Shannon is new to the program, he is no stranger to Youngstown. In 2021, he led Ursuline High School to its first state title game since 2010. He played football, basketball and baseball at Ursuline, with Division I offers for both football and baseball.
Shannon says he wants the opportunity to bring a championship back to Youngstown after Ursuline fell short in the Division IV state championship game on Dec. 3, 2021, to Clinton-Massie High School.
“I grew up coming to YSU games,” Shannon says. “Everything that this city has done for me over the past five years, I’m forever in debt to Youngstown. “The only thing I can do is bring back a championship to this team.”
Listed as a three-star football recruit by 247sports.com, Shannon pursued baseball at the University of Central Florida before he transferred to Youngstown State for football during the offseason. Shannon was a two-time All-Ohio Division IV selection, earning second-team honors as a senior and honorable mention accolades as a junior.
Shannon’s baseball career for the Golden Knights as a freshman was promising, as he played in 25 games, made nine starts in the outfield, recorded seven hits and four runs. But he decided to transfer back home to pursue football.
The switch from baseball to football can prove to be a challenge as Shannon played his last football game in 2021. But despite not hitting the field for a while, he has prepared himself both mentally and physically for the quarterback position.
“I started working on throwing the football and I started to learn the playbook,” he says. “I feel like I’m getting more comfortable day by day with the playbook and physically I feel really good.”
With a lot of competition in the quarterback room this season, Shannon will not have an easy route to the starting role. Brungard brings veteran experience to the team as he played in all 13 games in 2023. As a backup quarterback, he rushed for 129 yards on 18 attempts to go along with three touchdowns. Brungard also recorded a 27-yard punt return at Murray State University.
Brungard graduated from Springfield Local High School in 2022. His high school career included several accolades such as Division VI All-Ohio Offensive Player of the Year, first-team Division VI All-Ohio selection and Division All-Northeast Inland District Offensive Player of the Year.
He led Springfield to a state championship game in his junior year and fell short to Carey High School in the semifinals the following year.
Brungard also has family ties to Youngstown State. His father, Mark Brungard, was quarterback with the program from 1992 to 1995. In that span, he helped YSU win FCS National Championships in 1993 and 1994.
The experience that Brungard earned from last season can prove valuable when competing for the starting role over the offseason.
“Being behind [Davidson], I learned a lot and gained some experience. Being around the quarterback group, I grew from the experience from last year,” Brungard says. “All the reps I got will allow me to take it into this year and just lead the group.”
From rivals to brothers, both quarterbacks help drive each other with competition. Head coach Doug Phillips says he feels that the talent and leadership skills at the quarterback position this season will come down to who can execute in big moments.
“I sleep well when the quarterback room is good and I feel great about all of our young men in that room,” Phillips says. “They are all leaders and they all work hard. We have to find out who can execute. Practice execution becomes game reality. The one that can execute by the time we get to the end of camp will get the opportunity to get most of the snaps.”
Pictured at top: Junior quarterbacks Beau Brungard (left) and Brady Shannon.