Dayton Flyers

Kyle Sebetic leads FCS football in passes defended (2.0 per game).

Sebetics' Game-Clinching Interception Frame-By-Frame

University of Dayton senior cornerback Kyle Sebetic has been named the Pioneer Football League’s Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Saturday’s winning-season-clinching 21-17 win at Marist.  It was the second straight weekly PFL honor for him.

Sebetic, a 2009 graduate of Tremper High School in Pleasant Prairie, Wisc. was the key to the Dayton defensive game plan to try to counter the most dangerous passing combination in the PFL. 

Marist quarterback Chuckie Looney came into the game completing 60% of his passes, averaging 247 yards a contest and throwing just four interceptions all year.   His favorite target is wideout Michael Rios.  Rios came into the game averaging 27.4 yards per catch with six TD’s of 40 yards or longer.

Wherever Rios lined up on Saturday, split out wide left or wide right, Sebetic matched up on him.  The result?  Rios was held to four catches for 59 yards, nearly half his average per game.  But the 35-yard TD he scored came when he was moved into a slot receiver position, and the Flyers switched late to zone coverage.  Rios broke free over the middle for an easy score, his eighth of the year. 

When Sebetic actually covered Rios, the Marist senior was held to three catches for 24 yards, and it was a Sebetic’s wrestle-away interception with 1:57 left on Marist’s last drive that won the game.

With his biggest target taken away from him, Looney was limited into 12 of 21 passing for 135 yards, with three interceptions, three sacks and nine QB hurries. 

On the season, Sebetic is third on the team in tackles per game (5.8) and tackles for a loss (5.5), second in solo hits (39), and first in interceptions (3) and passes broken up (15).  No one else on the team has more than four PBU’s.

Sebetic leads the Football Championship Subdivision in passes defended (2.0 per game).  In his last three games, Sebetic has three interceptions, seven passes broken up and 18 tackles. 

Dayton finished the season 6-5 overall and 5-3 in the PFL.  UD won five of its last six games, including a win over PFL co-champ Drake.  The strong finished enabled the Flyers to secure their 36th winning season in the last 37 years.