49ers could return to Youngstown

YSU hosted team in 2011 and 2012

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The San Francisco 49ers could be coming back to Youngstown.

Earlier this year, 49ers CEO — and Cardinal Mooney High graduate — Jed York requested that the NFL schedule two of the team’s eastern games on back-to-back weekends so the team could stay in Youngstown. The NFL obliged, scheduling games at Chicago (Dec. 6) and Cleveland (Dec. 13) in Weeks 13-14.

That week would be the third round of the FCS playoffs.

The 49ers stayed over in Youngstown in September of 2011 and September of 2012, working out at Youngstown State both times. YSU’s head football coach at the time, Eric Wolford, is now an assistant offensive line coach with San Francisco.

Penguins athletic director Ron Strollo said “it’s kind of premature at this point” to talk about hosting the 49ers.

“We have had a discussion every year [with the 49ers],” he said. “I wouldn’t expect this year to be any different. You never know if it will work out.”

Brown departure ‘premature’

Penguins coach Bo Pelini called reports that running backs coach Ron Brown is leaving YSU to take the wide receivers job at Liberty “way premature.”

“Not that it’s out of the question, but he hasn’t taken a job at Liberty,” Pelini said.

Brown joined Pelini’s staff this winter after spending 24 of the last 28 years as an assistant coach at Nebraska, including the last seven under Pelini.

Liberty, which competes in the FCS’ Big South Conference, is coached by former Nebraska quarterback/assistant coach Turner Gill.