Correspondent file photo / Robert Hayes. YSU receiver Max Tomczak stiff arms a defender after catching a pass during the Penguins’ win against Indiana State on Oct. 5 at Stambaugh Stadium.

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State junior Max Tomczak has no shortage of confidence in himself.

As a wide receiver, it’s a common and necessary characteristic. He always believes he can beat whatever opposing defensive back stands in front of him, and he wants to be that go-to guy, the guy the quarterback can rely on to get the ball to in order to make a play.

Tomczak has been that this season for the Penguins. With 53 receptions for 649 yards and three touchdowns, he’s been one of the top receivers in the Missouri Valley Football Conference — leading the league in receptions, while being third in receiving yards.

“I’ve always believed that I was the guy,” Tomczak said. “Even when I (first) came in here, I always knew that — okay, I’m young, but I know I can be the guy in the future.”

It wasn’t easy for Tomczak to get to this point, however.

Head coach Doug Phillips has long referred to YSU as a “developmental program,” and Tomczak’s breakout this season has been a product of his own development and hard work over the past few years.

Coming out of Lincoln-Way East in Frankfort, Illinois, about 35 miles south of Chicago, Tomczak went overlooked by many schools when he was in high school.

His only college offer came from Valparaiso, a non-scholarship program, which was eventually rescinded.

It didn’t help that during Tomczak’s senior season, the COVID-19 pandemic was still at its peak. The state of Illinois implemented strict protocols that ended up postponing high school football season from fall to the spring.

“Come my senior season, I was really stressing,” Tomczak said. “By then, we were playing our first game at the end of March. By then, every Division I school kind of knows who they’re bringing in because they have to report at the beginning of May. So by then, I’m like, I only have three months to try to find the biggest school that I can go to, and no one’s talking right now. I thought I was done for.”

So Tomczak began reaching out to every school and coach he could think of.

He sent out emails, text messages and direct messages on Twitter — anything he could do to get his game film in front of college coaches.

“I was having my friends send me numbers from coaches, I was doing everything I could,” Tomczak said.

YSU offensive coordinator Troy Rothenbuhler and then-receivers coach Josh Sinagoga were one of the first to respond to Tomczak’s inquiries. They liked what they saw, and they offered him a preferred walk-on spot.

“I figured I’ll take a visit,” Tomczak said. “Visits were shut down because of COVID, so I had to take myself around campus (alone), and then I just decided to come here without really knowing anything. I just took a chance.”

So, Tomczak arrived at YSU during the summer of 2021 and he redshirted that first season.

It helped that Tomczak’s uncle, Mike, a former Ohio State standout quarterback and 14-year NFL veteran, was on YSU’s staff.

“It’s still helping to this day having him around,” Tomczak said. “He’s a huge part of my success here. When I got here, it was just a sense of security because I hadn’t met any of the coaches (yet). Because of COVID, I couldn’t meet anyone or talk to anyone, but I knew he was here. I could fall back on him for anything because if he wasn’t here, I don’t know, I would have been scared going to this new place where I didn’t know anyone.”

After that first year at YSU, Tomczak was finally put on scholarship before the start of the 2022 season.

“To be honest, my focus from when I got here wasn’t really to get on scholarship. My goal was to get on the field,” Tomczak said. “I knew if I could get on the field and make plays, the scholarship would come. … But when it happened, I was shocked. I hadn’t even touched the field yet. Coach Phillips thought I deserved it at the time and I did feel like my hard work had paid off.”

Since then, he’s been a mainstay in the Penguins’ offense.

As a redshirt freshman in 2022, he played in all 11 games, hauling in 23 passes for 400 yards and two touchdowns. Then last year in 2023, he set career highs with 56 receptions for 669 yards. He’s on pace to break each of those marks this season.

“He needs the ball in his hands,” Phillips said. “We want to get Max the ball. We think he’s that type of player that he needs touches because of what he can do when the football is in his hands. You hear about kids like that, great players, they’ll wear everybody out because they’re always ‘on.’ Where can I get better? Where can we get better? And he’s driving it, he’s driving it in the offseason. He’s a perfectionist, and you see it in his work.”

Tomczak’s growth since he arrived in Youngstown has been immeasurable.

Physically, he’s gotten bigger, faster and stronger, all while improving his skill sets as a receiver, such as his hands, his blocking and his route running. But perhaps most importantly, he’s improved his game mentally.

“From when Max came in till now has been a crazy transformation,” left guard Aidan Parker said. “Came in as a walk-on, earned that scholarship. He’s just worked so hard. Seeing him develop, you could see it physically, working on his routes — he’s always worked really hard. I think that’s one of the main reasons he’s been able to be so successful is because of his work ethic.”

Another reason for Tomczak’s success this season has been his connection with quarterback Beau Brungard.

The two are roommates and spend a lot of time together off the field, which has translated into their performances on the field.

As the team’s leading receiver this season, Tomczak has been Brungard’s favorite target, and has often served as his security blanket as an option to get the ball to when under pressure.

“I want to be that guy for him,” Tomczak said. “Third down, fourth down, if he sees man coverage, he knows who’s going to get open for him. I want him to be secure in that decision. That stuff all comes from practice, and it comes up from the offseason working with each other. I don’t know how many times we’ve done on the field over the summer and worked on our craft. I couldn’t tell you how many times we’ve done that, but that’s the stuff you have to do.”

Above all, though, Tomczak just wants to win, whether that’s by blocking downfield, like he did against North Dakota, or by turning short catches into explosive plays, like he did against Valparaiso, Indiana State or South Dakota, winning trumps all.

“I’m grateful and thankful because I know the coaches trust me and they believe in me,” Tomczak said. “As for all the numbers and stats, I just want to do what I can to help the team win. Sometimes as a receiver, and you hate to do this, but sometimes you gotta be a decoy guy — I gotta take two DBs with me so Cyrus (Traugh) can get open underneath. That’s life as a receiver, and that’s probably the hardest job sometimes. But that’s what it takes to win games, so whatever I gotta do to help the team win.”