Yost was born in Fairview, West Virginia. He enrolled at Ohio Normal School (now known as Ohio Northern University) in 1889. Yost played for the Ohio Normal baseball team. He later enrolled at West Virginia University where he began playing football in 1894 at the age of 23. A 6-foot 200 pounder, Yost was a standout at tackle at West Virginia into the 1896 season. There he was also a member of the Mu Mu chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity.