Former Mercyhurst Coach Ryan Riemedio Hired as Youngstown State DC, Linebackers Coach

Youngstown State added a coach with a proven track record of defensive development when it announced that Ryan Riemedio will join head coach Doug Phillips’ staff as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Reporting first appeared late January and the university issued a formal announcement on Feb. 2; the hire signals a priority shift to shore up a Penguins defense that posted troubling numbers last season.

Riemedio leaves Mercyhurst after 14 seasons on that staff, including four seasons as head coach from 2022 to 2025 during which he went 13-31. His best season at Mercyhurst came in 2025, when the Lakers finished 5-7 overall and 4-3 in the Northeast Conference. TribToday noted Riemedio helped guide Mercyhurst through a transition from Division II to the FCS, experience that university and professional programs often value in program-building roles.

Statistically, Mercyhurst’s defense under Riemedio produced tangible results at multiple points: TribToday reported Mercyhurst ranked in the top-50 in the FCS in scoring defense, top-40 in total defense, and top-15 in pass defense in “this past season.” Redshirtsports documented earlier turnarounds under Riemedio’s direction — the 2019 defensive line ranked 13th nationally against the run, allowing 96.2 rushing yards per game, and the 2021 defense finished top-50 in several categories while sending four players to PSAC West All-Conference honors. Riemedio’s coaching résumé also includes three years at Monterey Peninsula College, where he coached defensive backs, linebackers and defensive line, coordinated punt return and kickoff special teams, worked in strength and conditioning, and in his final season was promoted to defensive coordinator, coaching two All-State and 12 All-Coast Conference defensive players.

Youngstown State’s need for a defensive overhaul is clear on paper. Redshirtsports reported the Penguins allowed 31 points and 393.2 total yards per game last season, and TribToday placed YSU 80th in total defense, 93rd in scoring defense, and 112th in pass defense in 2025. The vacancy opened when John Haneline departed at the end of December to accept a defensive coaching role on Dell McGee’s staff at Georgia State. Redshirtsports framed the hire this way: less than a month after Haneline left, YSU “landed an experienced coach to guide the defense in 2026.”

Phillips praised Riemedio’s experience and sacrifice in moving from a head-coaching role to a coordinator position: “He’s been there 14 years. That’s a long time to be at one place,” Phillips said. “I know how hard and difficult it was for him to leave. But I think he saw a great opportunity here at Youngstown State, and that makes us proud that people want to be here. He’s given up being a head coach to come be the defensive coordinator.” Phillips added, “I have a lot of respect for him as a person, leader and mentor. I think what he was able to do there (at Mercyhurst) with 32 scholarships was pretty good. Great teacher, and I think he’ll add great value in our program, especially on the defensive side.”

Riemedio, born Aug. 6, 1985, in Seaside, California, played at Monterey Peninsula College and Minot State as a linebacker and long snapper before moving into coaching. Mercyhurst has confirmed his departure and is searching for a new head coach. For Youngstown State, the immediate measures will be integrating Riemedio into spring work, retooling linebacker play and secondary schemes, and translating Mercyhurst’s run-defense and pass-defense gains into improved FCS-level results. Fans should watch spring practices and early recruiting for the first signs of how Riemedio’s methods reshape the Penguins’ defense heading into the 2026 season.