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Confirmed: Bo Pelini hired as Youngstown State head coach

sam cooper
College football writer

A little more than two weeks after being fired by Nebraska, Bo Pelini has found a new gig.

Pelini has agreed to be the next head coach at FCS Youngstown State, the school announced on Tuesday.

"We are excited to have Bo Pelini as the head football coach at Youngstown State University," YSU athletic director Ron Strollo said. "He is a dedicated family man who wants to be part of our community and make an impact in his hometown. He has been a successful coach throughout his career and our student-athletes will have the opportunity to play for a tremendous individual. We look forward to him leading our program and welcome him and Mary Pat home."

Pelini, a Youngstown native, was fired by Nebraska on Nov. 30 despite having a 67-27 record in seven seasons leading the program. The Huskers went 9-3 under Pelini’s watch this season, but school athletic director Shawn Eichorst decided to make a change. Nebraska then hired Oregon State’s Mike Riley less than a week after Pelini's dismissal.

"It is with great passion and enthusiasm that I become the head football coach at Youngstown State University." Pelini said in a statement. "This is an exciting time for my family and me as we return to the Mahoning Valley. Mary Pat and our children are anxious to get involved in the Youngstown State and local communities."

At Youngstown, Pelini replaces Eric Wolford, who was fired in late November after going 31-26 in five seasons.

"I am looking forward to getting to know a tremendous group of football student-athletes who are currently part of the program," Pelini said. "YSU football has a rich championship tradition and a standard of excellence which our staff and players will work to uphold both on and off of the field."

Pelini played collegiately at Ohio State and will now play under former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who is now the president at YSU. Before taking over at Nebraska in 2008, Pelini was the defensive coordinator at LSU from 2005-07 and also had one-year stints at Oklahoma in 2004 and Nebraska in 2003.

Before his first job at Nebraska, Pelini was a defensive assistant with the San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers from 1994-2002.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!