Nov. 7, 2007

The University of Dayton will take to the road seeking the win that will give them a share of the Pioneer Football League championship Saturday when the Flyers travel to Des Moines, Iowa to take on the Drake Bulldogs. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET. Dayton comes into the game ranked #1 in FCS Mid-Major football, 25th in the FCS Coaches Poll and tied for first place in the Pioneer Football League. The Flyers are 9-1 overall, and 5-1 in the PFL. Drake is 6-4, and 3-3 in the PFL. Fans can follow the action between UD and the Bulldogs with live audio and live stats at www.DaytonFlyers.com.

While UD will be in Iowa looking for the win that will earn them part of the league title, the Flyers will also be looking to a result in Kentucky to determine if their season will continue as the PFL's representative in the Gridiron Classic. Dayton, Morehead State and San Diego enter Saturday's games tied for first in the PFL with 5-1 records. USD plays at MSU this week, and all three have a chance to host the Northeast Conference champ in the Gridiron Classic. For the game to be played at Welcome Stadium on December 1, Dayton and San Diego will both have to win on Saturday.

All the "what-ifs" might be fun for fans to think about, but what is certain for the UD football team is that they will face a good football team on it home field on its senior day when the Flyers play at Drake. The Bulldogs shocked FCS football with a 27-24 upset at Illinois State to open the season. DU started the year by winning five of its first six games, (including its first two PFL contests) but injuries have slowed down the `Dogs. Drake has lost three of its last four. Drake is 5-1 at home. Senior running back Scott Phaydavong is the top active career rusher in FCS football, with a PFL record 5,766 yards. He has 31 career 100-yard games, including six this season. He leads the league in rushing with 106.4 yards a game. He is one of 19 seniors in the Drake program.

SERIES STUFF Dayton leads the series 19-4. Drake has won two of the last three meetings, including last year's 21-6 contest on October 27 in Dayton. UD is 9-2 in games played at Drake, and has won the last five meetings in Des Moines.

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 351 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.

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.

HOYNG REPORT Kevin Hoyng has is playing in his final regular-season game at Dayton, and he has a stranglehold on the UD record book. He holds the career marks in passing yardage (7,186), completions (463) TD passes (53) and total offense (8,743), the season marks in the same categories (2,641; 184; 25; and 3,173 respectively) and the single-game records in TD passes (5) and total offense (474). This season, Hoyng is 184 of 296 (.622) for 2,641 yards with 25 TD's. His 408 yards passing in the Davidson win was the third-best single-game effort by a Flyer QB, and just 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 53. His school-record 25 scoring passes this season is just three shy of the 28 he had coming into this season.

HOYNG'S A PLAYER 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.

NOW THAT'S A BULLPEN Backup quarterback Rob Florian completed 11 of 13 passes in the second half against Urbana for 110 yards and a TD. Subbing in for two plays for a banged-up Kevin Hoyng at Fordham, he threw one pass for an 18-yard TD in the back of the end zone. For the year he is 20 of 34 (.588) for 217 yards. He made his first career start last season at Jacksonville in place of Hoyng, who was out with an injured knee. Not only was this his first start, but the first pass he threw in the game (16-yard completion to Carlton McFadgen) was the first of his college career. All Florian did was throw for the second-highest single-game passing total in UD history. His 411 yards (308 in the second half) were second only to Kevin Johns' 414 at San Diego in 1996.

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, Ruhe is third on the team in receptions (43 catches for 619 yards), Champa is second (47 for 792) 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 (18.0). Five Flyers average over ten yards a catch this season (Watkins, Champa at 16.9, Ruhe at 14.4, Jonard at 12.8 and Jack O'Dell at 10.4). Three of the top six receivers in the PFL are Flyers -- Jonard (3rd, 6.1 per game), Ruhe (5th, 4.8), and Champa (6th, 4.7).

J OKAY J Michael Jonard enters the Drake game tied for the UD record in single-season receptions (55, first held by Bill Franks in 14 games in 1989). Jonard sat out the Butler game to rest an injured ankle. Jonard is third in the PFL in receptions per game (6.11) and seventh in receiving yards per game (78.0). He came into the season with five career catches, but now has more TD catches this season than that (6). He has also had at least five catches in seven games in 2007 (8 at RMU, 7 vs. Urbana, 6 vs. CSU, 5 at Fordham, 9 at MSU, 5 vs. JU, 9 vs. San Diego). His nine catches at Morehead and again versus San Diego were one off the UD single-game record.

TIGHT END TOUGH UD tight end Matt Champa is sixth in the PFL in receiving yards per game (77.6). 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 (16) 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 fifth in career catches at UD (95). He had nine catches (one off the school record) for 160 yards in the Davidson win.

JACK OF ALL TRADES Senior Jack O'Dell has hit his stride in the last four games, catching 22 of his 34 receptions this season, gaining 254 of his 354 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.

TO SERVE AND PROTECT Up front, the UD offensive line returned four of five starters from last season, led by center and 2006 Stan Kurdziel Outstanding Lineman Award winner Blake Bikowski.

LET'S TALK DAYTON D UD leads FCS football in sacks (4.40), second in rushing defense (66.70), third in total defense (261.20), is fifth in tackles in the backfield (8.90) and sixth in scoring defense (13.90). The Flyers lead the PFL in four of the five categories (they are second in rushing defense), and they also lead in plus pass (194.50 yards), fumbles gained (15) and third-down defense (.280). Dayton is also second in turnover margin (+1.10), pass efficiency defense (106.8), opponent first downs (165) and fourth-down defense (.304).

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 44 sacks already 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 11th nationally (0.80), Bobby Burger is tied for third and 15th (0.75), Kalen Hemmelgarn is fifth and tied for 20th (0.70) and Sean Heenan is sixth (0.65). Dayton is the only team in FCS football with three players in the top twenty. Vossler also leads the league in fumbles forced (0.44). 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 50 tackles so far this season. Brian Kelly leads with 76, followed by Steve McDonald (64), Scott Vossler (58) and Corey Vossler (51). McDonald leads in solo hits (33) while Scott Vossler leads in sacks (8.0), tackles in the backfield (14.5) and fumbles forced (5). Six players lead with two interceptions each. Brandon Cramer and Joe Castaneda hold the team lead in passes broken up (6). 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.

THE BROTHERS VOSSLER Brothers Scott and Corey Vossler had a day to remember against Central State. Senior defensive end Scott led the Flyers with 13 tackles (team-high 7 solo), four sacks and a fumble forced. Junior safety Corey only had five hits, but two were in the backfield and he returned an interception 51 yards for a touchdown.

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 (71) and is ninth in the PFL this year.

TWO STEPS FORWARD, THREE-POINT STANCE Junior Sean Heenan has moved from linebacker to defensive tackle this season, and the change has been a good one. He is fourth for UD in sacks (6.5) and tackles in the backfield (9.0).

TAKEDOWNASACK Redshirt freshman Bobby Burger had two sacks in his first college game in the RMU win. He is 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.

HEMMELGARN'S HOGGIN' THE BALL Junior defensive tackle Kalen Hemmelgarn leads the PFL in fumble recoveries (0.33). He had both fumble recoveries the Flyers had at Robert Morris and another at Morehead State. Teammate Corey Vossler is tied for second in the league (0.25).

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 (33), is tied for team honors in interceptions (2), is second on the team in tackles (64) 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.

4.0 BC 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. 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, he is tied for team honors in interceptions (2) and pass break ups (6) and is fifth in tackles (49).

GREAT SCOTT Sophomore Scott Horcher's interception that was returned 27 yards for the final score of the Robert Morris win was the biggest play of the game, but hardly his only one. He also co-led Dayton in tackles (9, shared with linebacker Drew Fumagalli), led in solo hits (6) and led in pass deflections (2). Horcher is sixth on the team in hits (44). He also leads UD in interceptions (2, tied with five other players) and is second in passes broken up (5).

YEAR-TO-YEAR The Dayton defense already has 44 sacks and 15 fumble recoveries this season. Last year, for the entire year, the Flyers had 13 sacks and six recoveries.

TOPS IN I-AA NON-SCHOLARSHIP In the 14+ years I-AA Non-Scholarship has been an option, UD has the best winning percentage (.793, 134-35) of the 20 schools playing at this level. Duquesne's .732 (115-42) is second, followed by Drake (.672, 107-52-1), San Diego (91-55, .623) and Robert Morris (.604, 84-55-1).

PFL POWER The Flyers' 54-14 PFL record is the best in the history of the league. UD has won eight league championships in the 14 years the PFL has existed. Including ties, UD has eight titles, the rest of the league has nine.

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, and 23 of its last 29 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 13 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 First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America in 2006, after 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 five players named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team, the most of any school in the district for the fifth straight year. At least twelve Flyers were nominated for Academic All-America in each of the last four years (16 this season).

THE CREAM DOES RISE TO THE TOP UD's 2007 football roster includes a number of what some might call "over-achievers." Forty-nine current Flyers were in the National Honor Society, and 99 were team captains in some sport. Twenty-six captained two different teams, and 13 were three-sport captains in high school.

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. The other four were assistants.

IT'S A GREAT FALL TO BE A FLYER Dayton athletic teams have had a great fall. In addition to the football team being 9-1 and ranked #1 in the Mid-Major polls, UD's volleyball team is ranked 16th in the country and is 26-1. Football, men's and women's soccer and volleyball are a combined 56-10-6. This is the best start to a year in school history.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK DEFENSE--Kevin Burns, 6-0, 180, Junior Defensive Back SPECIAL TEAMS--Joe Gulick, 5-10, 190, Junior Tailback OFFENSE--Ben Shappie, 6-1, 202, Senior Fullback D SCOUT--Shane Liston, 6-2, 240, Freshman Defensive Lineman ST SCOUT--Dan Norton, 5-10, 215, Freshman Linebacker D SCOUT--Blake Saul, 6-0, 270, Freshman Offensive Line

ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL UD senior kicker Derek Hall was the Offensive Scout Team Player of the Week heading into the San Diego game. Hall stepped up to play scout WR when several injuries depleted that group.