Self-described ‘Yough guy’ takes over school’s boys basketball program

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, August 7, 2025 | 6:31 PM

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As Yough football’s defensive coordinator, Devin Owens knows his way around Cougar Mountain.

And while he graduated from Carrick and lives in Donora, he considers himself a “Yough guy.”

“There are great kids and really good people here,” Owens said. “(Football) coach Benny (Hoffer) welcomed me with open arms. They made me feel at home here from the start.”

Owens already wears a lot of hats, and he added another one this week when he was hired as Yough’s boys basketball coach.

He takes over for Will “Boo” Sherbondy, who guided the Cougars for one season. Yough finished 1-21 last year after moving up to WPIAL Class 4A.

“Devin is a great guy, and the kids really like him,” Yough athletic director Jim Schaffer said. “I think he is going to do very well here. He is a good fit.”

Owens, 38, was the head coach of the Ringgold girls basketball team for the last two years.

“It was a little bittersweet leaving Ringgold,” Owens said. “Being here (with football), when the position opened, I thought about it and then decided to apply. My plan was to get back to coaching boys. And now I have less travel.”

Owens also has been the head track and field coach at Monessen for four years. He is not sure if he will continue that job in the spring.

His other boys basketball coaching stop was Propel Andrew Street as an assistant. He also was a football assistant at Bishop Canevin and Monessen, the latter as part of Wade Brown’s staff.

Last season, the Ringgold girls basketball team finished 7-15 overall and 1-13 in Section 3-4A. The Rams went 3-18 the previous season.

His coaching style on the court might be animated at times.

“I like hard-nosed defense; I am a defensive guy,” Owens said. “We’re going to guard you at 94 feet. I am a big energy guy. I want us to score with a lot of transition buckets.

“I’m also a big film guy. I want them to know what’s coming out there.”

Owens played football at Saint Vincent and in an arena league. He attended Point Park.

He also played basketball and volleyball in high school, but football holds a special place for him. He said he hopes to get some football players to come out for basketball.

“(The football field) is my sanctuary,” Owens said.

Owens’ occupation allows him to mold youth in a different way. He is a supervisor at Southwood Psychiatric Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Yough