Phillips started his career as a YSU grad assistant before coaching at Springfield and Salem, then heading to the collegiate ranks

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Sports Team 27 has learned that YSU is set to hire Doug Phillips as its next head football coach. The announcement is expected to come Saturday.

A native of New Middletown, Phillips served as head football coach at Springfield (1997-2000) and Salem (2001-05), helping turn around both programs.

Phillips then moved on to the collegiate ranks, where he most recently served as the running backs coach for the University of Cincinnati. He’s been an assistant with the Bearcats since January 2017. Phillips also made college stops at Iowa State, Bowling Green and Ohio State, where he served as a Quality Control coach on defense in 2006.

He got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at YSU from 1991-92. Then, Phillips took over the program at Springfield, his high school alma mater. During his tenure, he led the Tigers to back-to-back state playoff appearances. Phillips later spent five seasons with the Quakers, culminating with a league runner-up finish in 2005.

The news comes ten days after Bo Pelini left the YSU program to become defensive coordinator under Ed Orgeron at LSU.