Nov. 29, 2007
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format The 2007 University of Dayton football team takes to the field one final time Saturday, December 1 when the Flyers host Albany in the 2nd Annual Gridiron Classic. The Gridiron Classic is a bowl game that matches the champions of the Pioneer Football League and the Northeast Conference. UD was the co-champion of the PFL, and earned the right to host the Gridiron Classic by defeating San Diego 35-16 on October 27. UAlbany won the NEC outright on November 17 with a 49-14 win at Central Connecticut State. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the action between UD and UAlbany with live streamed video, audio and live stats at www.DaytonFlyers.com.
The game features two of the great gentlemen coaches in college football, and the top two winningest active FCS coaches. Dayton coach Mike Kelly has 245 wins, the most of any active coach in FCS football. Great Dane top dog Bob Ford is not far behind with 225. Both were named the 2007 Coaches of the Year in their respective conferences.
Interestingly, both teams defeated Patriot League champion and FCS playoff qualifier Fordham during the season. Albany won 23-20 on September 8 and UD won 31-24 two weeks later. Both games were played in the Bronx.
In addition to the Gridiron Classic Trophy that will be awarded on the field after the game, Dayton and Albany are also playing for bigger stakes. The Sports Network Cup hangs in the balance. The Sports Network Cup is awarded annually to the FCS Mid-Major National Championship football team, determined by the final Sports Network Mid-Major poll of the season. The Flyers come into the game ranked #1 in FCS Mid-Major football (and 24th in the overall FCS Coaches Poll) with 300 points. San Diego is second and UAlbany is third in the poll released on November 19. USD and the Great Danes are virtually deadlocked with 253 and 251 poll points respectively. The Flyers are 10-1 and have won six straight, while Albany is 8-3, and with a seven-game winning streak.
Dayton is seeking its second Mid-Major national title, having earned the championship in 2002. UAlbany is seeking its first. SERIES STUFF Dayton leads the series 1-0, with a 40-14 season-opening win on September 2, 1995 in a game played at Welcome Stadium.
STAYING POWER The 2007 campaign is UD coach Mike Kelly's 27th season as Dayton's head coach, the longest tenure of any UD head coach in any sport. This is the 18th season a Kelly-coached team has won at least nine games.
NO ONE'S DOING IT BETTER Since 2000, the Flyers have the second-best winning percentage in FCS football (.773 at the start of the year) AND have produced the most football Academic All-Americans at all levels of college football (13).
STREAKING UD has not been shut out in 352 straight games, the best such active string in all of college football. The last team to shut out the Flyers was Marshall, 9-0, on October 16, 1976.
UD TAKES THREE OF FOUR TOP PFL AWARDS Members of the University of Dayton football program were named the recipients of three of the top four awards presented annually by the Pioneer Football League. Head coach Mike Kelly was named Coach of the Year, senior quarterback Kevin Hoyng was named Offensive Player of the Year, and freshman cornerback Joe Castaneda was named Rookie of the Year. It was the seventh PFL Coach of the Year Award for Kelly. The selections were determined by a vote of the PFL's head coaches.
TEN FLYERS NAMED ALL-PFL UD placed ten players on the PFL all-league teams. Seven were named to the first team, including one unanimous selection - tight end Matt Champa. Joining Champa on the first team were center Blake Bikowski, offensive tackle Jim Croghan, defensive tackle Kalen Hemmelgarn, quarterback Kevin Hoyng, Flyer Steve McDonald and defensive end Scott Vossler. Dayton players named to the second team were cornerback Joe Castaneda, wide receiver Nick Ruhe and safety Corey Vossler.
LEADERS ON AND OFF THE FIELD Not only are team captains Brandon Cramer, Kevin Hoyng and Brian Kelly the Flyers' top performers on the field, they are also leaders in the classroom. All three were repeat members of the PFL's All-Academic Team in 2006. Kelly is a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection, and Cramer has been twice named an Academic All-American by ESPN The Magazine. Both Kelly and Cramer are Pre-Med majors. Hoyng is only the third two-time football captain in Flyer football history.
CRAMER NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN OF THE YEAR Senior safety and captain Brandon Cramer has never earned anything less than an "A" in the classroom and has played almost every down on defense since arriving on campus. A two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American (with great prospects to be a third), he is a finalist for the National Football Foundation's Draddy Trophy, sometimes known as "the Academic Heisman." As a finalist, he has qualified for an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship and will attend the NFF's black-tie dinner on December 4. He has been third on the team in tackles the last two seasons (52 last year in nine games) and led UD with three interceptions in 2006. This year, even through teams have played away from him, he is second in passes defended (7), tied for second in interceptions (2) and is fifth in tackles (57).
HOYNG REPORT Kevin Hoyng is playing in his final college football game today, and he has a stranglehold on the UD record book. He holds the career marks in passing yardage (7,546), completions (496) TD passes (56) and total offense (9,196), the season marks in the same categories (3,001; 217; 28; and 3,626 respectively) and the single-game records in TD passes (5) and total offense (474). This season, Hoyng is 217 of 339 (.640) for 3,001 yards with 28 TD's. His 408 yards passing vs. Davidson was the third-best UD single-game effort, and six yards shy of that record.
SIX IF BY AIR Kevin Hoyng's five touchdown passes at Morehead State set a new UD single game record. The record was previously held by Franks Siggins (1951), Brian Kadel (1995), Kevin Johns (twice in 1996) and Hoyng (4 vs. Urbana and Davidson). Hoyng also passed Johns during the Morehead game to become the Flyer career record holder. Johns' old record was 37. Hoyng currently has 56. His school-record 28 scoring passes this season are exactly what he had coming into this season for his first three seasons combined.
HOYNG'S A PLAYER The 2007 Pioneer Football League Player of the Year, Kevin Hoyng was named CollegeSportsReport.com's FCS Player of the Week (and PFL Offensive Player of the Week) after leading the Flyers to a 35-16 win over previously undefeated San Diego. Hoyng led the Flyers to 29 first downs and 491 yards in total offense. Hoyng personally accounted for 379 yards total offense and four touchdowns in the victory. He completed 23-of-29 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, and a career-high 127 yards in 19 carries (6.7 avg.) with two rushing touchdowns. In the Butler win, he was 15 of 18 for 227 yards passing even though he did not play after the 12:59 mark in first half. In the PFL title-clinching win at Drake, he accounted for 453 (360 passing, 93 rushing) of UD's 552 yards in total offense.
THE GOOD HANDS PEOPLE Dayton returned two of the top three receivers from last year, two players who had exceptional seasons at their respective positions. Wideout Nick Ruhe set the school record for receiving (977 yards) and his 49 receptions were the then-fourth-best total in Flyer football history. Matt Champa had the best season by a Dayton tight end since Fred Dugan's All-America season in 1957. Champa was UD's third-leading receiver in 2006, catching 29 passes for 400 yards (13.8 yards a catch). Dugan had 37 receptions for 546 yards. This season, Champa is third on the team in receptions (51 catches for 831 yards), Ruhe is second (53 for 782) and a new face, J Michael Jonard, leads UD with 55 catches for 702 yards. Another new face, Justin Watkins, leads the team in yards per catch (17.8), but a knee injury in the Drake game will keep him out of the Gridiron Classic. Six Flyers average over ten yards a catch this season (Watkins, Champa at 16.3, Ruhe at 14.8, Mark Fuerst at 14.8, Jonard at 12.8, and fullback Ben Shappie at 12.5). Four of the top six receivers in the PFL are Flyers -- Jonard (3rd, 5.50 per game), Ruhe (4th, 5.30), Champa (5th, 4.64) and Jack O'Dell (6th, 4.36).
J OKAY J Michael Jonard enters Saturday's game tied for the UD record in single-season receptions (55, first held by Bill Franks in 14 games in 1989). Jonard missed the last two games of the regular season on offense (he sat out the Butler game and only played one play -- on the "hands" on-side kick team) with a high ankle sprain. Jonard is third in the PFL in receptions per game (5.50) and sixth in receiving yards per game (78.0). He came into the season with five career catches, but has more TD catches than that (6) this season. He has also had at least five catches in seven games in 2007.
TIGHT END TOUGH UD tight end Matt Champa is fifth in the PFL in receiving yards per game (75.55). He is averaging more yards per game than any other tight end in college football. Against Urbana he had nine catches (one off the Flyer record) for 168 yards and two TD's. Champa is second in career TD catches (17) at UD, and that is also the school's tight end record. Pat Hugar's 24 is the overall Flyer record.
DOWN THE STRETCH RUHE COMES Nick Ruhe is now fourth in career catches at UD (105) and is four away from Tim Eubank and third place. Ruhe had nine catches for 160 yards in the Davidson win, and ten for 163 at Drake.
JACK OF ALL TRADES Senior Jack O'Dell set a school record for catches in a game with 14 (for 79 yards) at Drake. After sitting out the 2006 season, he hit his stride in the last five games, catching 36 of his 48 receptions this season, gaining 333 of his 434 yards and scoring four of his eight TD's. He tied a school record with three touchdown catches as part of a seven-catch day in the win over Davidson.
LET'S TALK DAYTON D UD leads FCS football in sacks (4.09), is second in rushing defense (70.73), fourth in scoring defense (15.09) and total defense (272.64) and fifth in tackles in the backfield (8.45). The Flyers lead the PFL in four of the five categories (they are second in rushing defense), and they also lead in pass defense (201.91 yards), pass efficiency defense (108.14) and fumbles gained (15).
BRINGING NEW MEANING TO THE TERM "TEAM DEFENSE" In the Jacksonville win, 29 different players had at least one tackle for the Flyers. Twenty-two did the same at Valparaiso and 30 did in the Butler win. Valparaiso came into the game on October 20 leading the PFL in rushing, averaging 239.9 yards a game. The Dayton D held VU to less than half (114 yards), including just 30 in the first half. San Diego came into the game on October 27 averaging just under 50 points and 500 yards a game, and was held to 16 points and 340 yards.
PAPER OR PLASTIC? Dayton has 45 sacks this season, after getting just 13 in all of 2006. Four of the top six sack artists in the PFL are Flyers -- Scott Vossler is second and 18th nationally (0.73), Bobby Burger and Sean Heenan are tied for third and 20th (0.75), and Kalen Hemmelgarn is sixth and tied for 27th (0.64). Dayton is the only team in FCS football with three players in the top twenty. Vossler also leads the league in fumbles forced (0.45). UD's six sacks at Fordham came from six different players. This year, 17 different Flyers have recorded a sack. Davidson came to Dayton leading the nation in fewest sacks allowed (3), and UD sacked Wildcat QB Ryan Alexander three times in that game. San Diego had allowed just six sacks before allowing QB Josh Johnson to be bagged three times.
TACKLING THE ISSUES Four Flyer defenders have at least 60 tackles so far this season. Brian Kelly leads with 78, followed by Steve McDonald (75), Scott Vossler (65) and Corey Vossler (62). McDonald leads in solo hits (38) while Scott Vossler leads in sacks (8.0), tackles in the backfield (15.5) and fumbles forced (5). Joe Castaneda and Corey Vossler lead with three interceptions each. Castaneda also holds the team lead in passes broken up (8). Kalen Hemmelgarn leads in fumbles recovered (3). Twenty-three different players - meaning at least one player who is not even on the two-deep - have recorded tackles in the backfield.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE NAME, AND BEING A LEADER Senior linebacker and captain Brian Kelly (no relation) led the PFL in tackles per game and was tied for 19th nationally (10.1) last season. The two-time All-PFL selection was also UD's leader in tackles in the backfield (6.5) and had two sacks. He was the 2006 winner of UD's Chief Toscani Hitter Award. He leads the team in tackles (78) and is seventh in the PFL this year.
TWO STEPS FORWARD, THREE-POINT STANCE Junior Sean Heenan moved from linebacker to defensive tackle this season, and the change has been a good one. He is tied for second for UD in sacks (7.5) and tackles in the backfield (10.0).
TAKEDOWNASACK Redshirt freshman Bobby Burger had two sacks in his first college game in the RMU win. He is tied for second on the team in sacks (7.5) and is second in tackles in the backfield (10.5). Over half of his tackles (10.5 of 20) have been behind the line of scrimmage.
FALLING FOR IT Junior defensive tackle Kalen Hemmelgarn and senior Flyer Steve McDonald share the lead in the PFL in fumble recoveries (0.27). Dayton's 15 fumbles recovered lead the PFL and are tied for fifth in FCS football.
SUPER SIZE ME Senior Steve McDonald plays the hybrid linebacker/safety position known as "Flyer" or "nickel" in the Dayton defensive package, and at 5-10, 184, he is not the most imposing physical specimen. But his game is large. He currently leads the team in solo hits (38), is tied for second in interceptions (2), is second on the team in tackles (75) and fifth in tackles for loss (8.5). He also has three passes batted down, three fumble recoveries (one for a TD), a fumble forced and a sack.
IT'S SO Freshman corner Joe Castaneda is the 2007 PFL Rookie of the Year. Castaneda is only the third freshman in Kelly's 27 years as a head coach to earn a starting job. He leads Dayton with eight pass break ups, and is tied for team honors in interceptions (3, all in conference play). He has been in on 45 tackles (25 solo). He was also UD's top kick returner, averaging 13.3 yards a punt return and 24.4 yards a kick return.
YEAR-TO-YEAR The Dayton defense has 45 sacks and 15 fumble recoveries this season. Last year, for the entire year, the Flyers had 13 sacks and six recoveries. This year, UD had more than 13 sacks after three games, and more than six fumble recoveries after four.
TOPS IN I-AA NON-SCHOLARSHIP In the 15 years I-AA Non-Scholarship has been an option, UD has the best winning percentage (.794, 135-35) of the 20 schools playing at this level. Duquesne's .730 (116-43) is second, followed by Drake (.668, 107-53-1), San Diego (92-56, .622) and Robert Morris (.607, 85-55-1).
PFL POWER The Flyers' 55-14 PFL record is the best in the history of the league. UD has won nine league championships in the 15 years the PFL has existed. Including ties, UD has nine titles, the rest of the league has ten.
WELCOME MAT The UD Flyers moved to Welcome Stadium in 1974. The word "Welcome" implies hospitality, but Dayton has been anything but hospitable to its opponents at home, where its record is 187-37-2 (.832). The "Welcome" in Welcome Stadium is not a greeting, but an honor to the late Percival Welcome, longtime Director of Athletics for the Dayton Public Schools. UD has won 44 of its last 53 home games (including 6-0 this season), and 24 of its last 30 road games.
GREAT GRAD RATES UD's 96 score in the 2006 GSR (Graduation Success Rate) is the fifth-best in NCAA Division I football. Fellow PFL member Davidson was atop the rankings with 100, followed by Navy and William & Mary (98), and Furman (97). Boston College and UD were next at 96. Other schools with APR's above 90 were Bucknell (95), Stanford (94), Air Force, Duke and Villanova (93). As an institution, UD's overall GSR of 95 tied for the fourth-best score.
GOTTA PLAY SMART The University of Dayton placed a league-best 14 players on the 2006 Academic All-Pioneer Football League team. It was the fourth straight year UD had the most players on the PFL Academic team. Since the league's origin in 1993, over a quarter (138 of 509) of the PFL All-Academic selections have been Flyers. UD also had 64 players on the PFL Academic Honor Roll (3.0 GPA or better). That was 24 better than the next-best school. HITTING THE BOOKS The Dayton football program has produced 14 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans since the 2000 season. That's most at any level of college football. Safety Brandon Cramer was named a repeat First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America in 2007, after also being named to the second team in 2005. In the history of the Academic All-America program, UD has had 45 football Academic All-Americans. Among schools currently playing Division I football, only Nebraska (81) and Notre Dame (46) have had more. UD has had at least one football player named Academic All-American in 15 of the last 16 years. UD had eight players named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team, twice as many as any other school in the district. At least twelve Flyers were nominated for Academic All-America in each of the last four years (16 this season).
EIGHT FLYERS NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT UD placed eight Flyer football players on the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV Team. UD's eight selections were twice as many as any other team in the district. Ohio State, Central Michigan and Western Kentucky each had four. Brandon Cramer was a selection on the first team for the third straight year. Brian Kelly joined Cramer on the first team. Tyler Blue and Chad Burton, Jim Croghan, Sean Heenan, Kalen Hemmelgarn and Ben Shappie were named second team all-district.
SUPER STAT When Jon Gruden coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Bowl championship in 2003, he became the second UD grad to coach a Super Bowl winner. Former UD co-captain and 1993 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Chuck Noll won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XII & XIV) as coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Noll started at center and linebacker for the Flyers and graduated from the University in 1953. Gruden played quarterback at Dayton and earned his degree in 1986. UD became only the third school to have two alumni coach Super Bowl winners. The others San Jose State, with grads Bill Walsh (XIV, XIX, XXIII) and Dick Vermeil (XXXIV), and Arkansas with grads Jimmy Johnson (XXVII, XXVIII) and Barry Switzer (XXX). Gruden is the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl, and Noll is the fourth youngest. As a matter of fact, UD has ties to 18 Super Bowl rings. In addition to Noll's four and Gruden's one, five former members of Dayton coaching staff own a total of 13 Super Bowl rings between them. They are the late Len Fontes (New York Giants, Super Bowl XXI), Jon's father Jim Gruden (San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowls XXII & XXIV), John McVay (49ers, XVI, XIX, XXII, & XXIV), Tom Moore (Pittsburgh Steelers, XIII & XIV) and George Perles (Steelers, IX, X, XII & XIV). McVay was the Flyers' head coach from 1965-72.
IT'S A GREAT FALL TO BE A FLYER Dayton athletic teams have had a great fall. In addition to the football team being 10-1, PFL champions and ranked #1 in the Mid-Major polls, UD's volleyball team is ranked 15th nationally, won the Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles, has the best record in the country (32-1) and is hosting Lipscomb, Kentucky and Michigan State this weekend in the NCAA tournament. Football, men's and women's soccer and volleyball are a combined 65-10-8, the best fall in school history.
