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University of Dayton head football coach Rick Chamberlin says he wants his team to be in a position to play for the Pioneer Football League championship at the end of the year. For the third time in as many seasons under Chamberlin, his team will do just that when the Flyers travel to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to face Marist on Saturday, November 13. Kickoff is 12 noon ET.
UD is 9-1 overall, 7-0 in the Pioneer Football League and has won eight straight games after last week’s amazing 31-25 come-from-behind win over Drake. Dayton’s 7-0 conference mark places the Flyers in first place with Jacksonville.
The Flyers go into the final game of 2010 looking to capture their 11th PFL title (counting ties) in the 18-year history of the league, and their third in the last four years.
Looking to derail UD’s dreams are the Marist Red Foxes. Marist is 3-6 in 2010, and 2-5 in the PFL after last week’s 28-21 loss to Davidson.
Dayton’s 31-man senior class enters the final game of their senior seasons with record of 38-7. They are the first senior class in school history to be a part of four seasons of at least nine wins while playing at the Division I level, and only the fifth since football became a varsity sport in 1905.
GOOD NEWS WORTH REPEATING
The Flyers entered the season with the second best winning percentage (.791, 87-23) in FCS football since 2000 AND the most football Academic All-Americans (19) at any level of competition in the decade.
MORE GOOD NEWS
The Flyers were predicted to win their 11th Pioneer Football League championship in the annual PFL coaches’ poll that was announced on August 9. UD received 76 points in the voting. Marist was projected sixth with 45.
SCOUTING THE RED FOXES
Marist coach Jim Parady’s next win will be the 100th of his career. Marist is led by a pair of seniors who will go down in Red Fox history among the school’s very best.
Wide receiver James LaMacchia is the Marist career-record holder in receptions (164), receiving yardage (2,351) and receiving TD’s (17). He had three TD’s last week against Davidson.
Senior free safety Rory Foley has 301 career tackles, best since the school went to Division I in football in 1993.
SERIES STUFF
Dayton won the only other meeting between the two schools last year on November 21 in Dayton by the score of 27-16. Steve Valentino was 19 of 27 passing for 275 yards and two TD’s while rushing for 72 yards and another score in the game.
BOOK(ISH) ENDS
UD’s starting DE’s -- Brandon Wingeier and Devon Langhorst -- are two of the four Flyers who were named first Team ESPN Academic All-District on November 4. LB Joe Ries and S A.J. Kaltenbach were the other two. UD had the most district selections nationally in Division I for the third straight year. Davidson and Central Arkansas tied the Flyers this season for the most in D-I.
THE EYES OF THE NATION
The Flyer football program received more national attention this summer than perhaps ever, when Steve Valentino and James Vercammen were named to the Payton Award and Buchanan Award Watch Lists. UD is also receiving votes in the Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS and the FCS Coaches Polls.
STREAKING
UD has not been shut out in a school-record 385 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 Oct. 16, 1976. That is also the all-time FCS record.
ALL CAPTAINS ALL PFL
The Flyers are led by captains Tyler Friedrich, Joe Ries and Steve Valentino. All three are redshirt seniors, members of two PFL title teams in their careers and were named First Team All-PFL in 2009.
ALL-PFL PERFORMERS RETURN
Dayton returned five 2009 First Team All-PFL performers – OG Tyler Friedrich, LB Joe Ries, QB Steve Valentino, F James Vercammen and DE Brandon Wingeier. In addition, UD also returned WR Justin Watkins (second team) and C Justin Griffis (honorable mention).
LONG TIME STARTERS
Joe Ries, Brandon Wingeier and Steve Valentino each enter the Marist game with 33 starts under their belts (although 13 of Valentino’s starts were at receiver). Seven other Flyers also have double-digit starts. Justin Watkins has 28, Tyler Friedrich and Eric Studt each have 25, James Vercammen has 23, Justin Griffis 21, Dan Fornek and Dan Prindle each have 20, Brian Mack has 16, Anthony Papp and Mike Morante have 15 each, Nick Collins has 13, Zach Weber 11, and Tyler Hujik, Devon Langhorst, Matt Pfleger and Kyle Sebetic each have 10.
VALENTINO NAMED FIRST PFL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior QB Steve Valentino was named the 2010 season’s inaugural PFL Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Dayton’s 28-14 season-opening win over Robert Morris. The Walter Payton Award candidate accounted personally for 317 of UD’s 388 yards in total offense. He ran the ball 16 times for 106 yards and completed 19 of 37 passes for 211 yards and two TD’s in the win. It was his fifth career PFL Player of the Week Award.
VALENTINO NAMED LATEST PFL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Steve Valentino was named PFL Offensive Player of the Week after UD’s 31-25 win over Drake. Valentino had a hand in all four Flyer touchdowns in the win that kept UD in the chase for its 11th league championship (technically, he had a “hand” in all 31 points since he is also the holder for all Dayton field goals and PAT’s.) He ran for two scores in the first half, and threw for two more in the second, including the game-winning 37-yard strike to Luke Bellman with one second on the clock. UD’s final play, which was featured on ESPN Monday as one of SportsCenter’s Top Plays of the Weekend, summed up Valentino as a football player. He had the athleticism to escape the rush, the creativity to make something out of nothing, and the chutzpah to deliver the ball to a spot that Bellman could make a great catch against great coverage by the Drake defender. On the day, Valentino was 14 of 26 passing for 199 yards and the game’s leading rusher, gaining 69 yards on 26 attempts.
TINO TALES
Steve Valentino is the first Dayton player to be named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List. The Payton Award goes to the player of the year in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision and is presented by the Sports Network. A First Team All-PFL wide receiver in 2008, he became Dayton’s starting quarterback in the 2009 season’s second week due to injuries. He promptly led the Flyers to seven consecutive victories and finished the regular season among the league leaders in four categories (with a league-best 281.6 yards total offense) and was named the 2009 PFL Offensive Player of the Year. He is the first position player in PFL history to be named first-team all-league at two different positions.
GAME UP IN STANDINGS, GAME BEHIND IN THE STATS
Despite playing less than a half in the Central State blowout, and just about a half against Valparaiso, Steve Valentino is still second in total offense (261.9), third in passing efficiency (135.3), fourth in rushing (62.8) and fifth in passing offense (199.1) in the PFL.
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
This is the first time since he has began playing organized football that 2009 PFL Offensive Player of the Year Steve Valentino has been a starting QB two years in a row. He started at QB as a senior at Solon High School, and then redshirted and was a third-string QB in his first two years at UD before playing WR in 2008.
STILL AT QB, STILL A CAPTAIN, BUT...
There are a lot of attributes attached to Steve Valentino (captain, Payton candidate, PFL Player of the Year, etc.) but he no longer holds the title of “Fastest Player on the Team.” That honor now goes to freshman kick returner/cornerback Gary Hunter, who ran a 4.32 in the preseason. Valentino runs a 4.44.
ALL-AMERICAMMEN
Senior James Vercammen was named to the Sports Network’s Preseason All-America First Team in July. Playing the hybrid safety/linebacker position know as “Flyer,” he is the only player from the PFL on the first team and one of four from the league on any of the Sports Network preseason teams. Vercammen is also the only player from the PFL who has been named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. Vercammen is the first UD player to be named to the Buchanan Watch List. As a redshirt junior, Vercammen’s 134 tackles set a new single-season record in the PFL and was third in the FCS. His season earned him a spot on the Sports Network’s Football Championship Subdivision All-American Second Team and All-PFL First Team. This season, Vercammen leads the team in tackles (94), solo stops (53) and tackles behind the line (13.0). He also has 5.5 sacks, three fumbles forced, two pass breakups, a quarterback hurry, an interceptions and a fumble recovery.
VERCAMMEN NAMED PFL PLAYER OF THE WEEK TWICE
James Vercammen was named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week after UD’s 48-14 win over Valparaiso, and co-Player of the Week after the 41-23 win vs. Campbell. Against Valpo, he led UD with 12 tackles (five solo), including a sack, a fumble recovery and 2.5 tackles behind the line. Dayton held Valparaiso to 33 net rushing yards in the game. He had 17 stops (8 solo) and two critical fourth-quarter fumbles forced in the Campbell win.
JUMPIN’ JAMES
James Vercammen turned a “SportsCenter-quality” play in the Butler win. On a blitz, Vercammen was picked up by a Bulldog running back. The Flyer senior didn’t go around the blocker, nor did he go through the blocker. He went over him, jumping over the would-be pass protector and stopping the pass with his facemask. The play can be seen on the Dayton Flyers YouTube Channel.
MR. OCTOBER
In five games in the month of October, All-American James Vercammen had 55 tackles, 7.5 stops in the backfield, five sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception.
QUALITY VS. QUANTITY
Dayton only returned three starters from last year’s defense that led the PFL in scoring defense (13.6) and total defense (242.5), but they were the three most productive Dayton players on that side of the ball. Flyer James Vercammen led the PFL and was third in the nation in tackles (134). Linebacker Joe Ries was second on the team in tackles (70), and led in interceptions (3) and fumbles forced (2). Defensive end Brandon Wingeier led the team in sacks (6.5) and fumbles recovered (2).
SPEAKING OF WINGEIER
Brandon Wingeier is a two-time ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-American. A mechanical engineering major, he has started 32 straight games for the Flyers. Last year he led UD in sacks (6.5). He also had 39 tackles, 11.5 hits in the backfield, two fumbles recovered, two QB hurries, a fumble forced, a pass batted down and an interception he returned 57 yards for a touchdown.
WINGEIER NAMED NFF NATIONAL SEMIFINALIST
Brandon Wingeier was a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame’s William V. Campbell Trophy.
The Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, has been referred to as “the academic Heisman.” One of college football’s most sought after and competitive awards, the Campbell Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.
He was one of 121 semifinalists from all levels of college football. UD has had semifinalists in three of the last four years. Bart Bergfeld made the cut in 2008, and Brandon Cramer was a finalist in 2007.
SPEAKING FURTHER OF WINGEIER
Brandon Wingeier was named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week after the Morehead State game. Wingeier spearheaded UD’s defensive effort in the trenches, as the Flyers held Morehead to just two yards net rushing. Wingeier’s 2.5 tackles behind the line led UD, as did his 1.5 sacks. Dayton entered game with 4 sacks, but had 5 in the MSU win alone. He also had five stops in the game (three solo) and forced the fumble on the MSU 11-yard line that set up UD’s second TD of the game.
RIES NAMED PFL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Redshirt senior linebacker Joe Ries was named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week after leading all players in tackles in UD’s 21-20 win at San Diego. Ries led with 10 stops. More importantly, he came up with the two critical fourth-down plays on San Diego’s last two possessions in the fourth quarter to preserve UD’s one-point advantage, and eventually, the win. With 7:24 left, teammate Devon Langhorst made the initial hit on San Diego running back Phil Morelli but Ries finished the play, keeping the USD workhorse from getting a second-effort first down on fourth-and-less-than-one at the Dayton 30. Then, with 48 seconds left on a fourth-and-three at midfield, Ries came on a blitz and got a hand on Mason Mills’ pass, knocking it to the ground and keeping the Flyers undefeated in the PFL.
LANGHORST EARNS PFL, NATIONAL HONORS
Defensive end Devon Langhorst was named Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS National co-Defensive Player of the Week, and one of five Weekly All-Stars by College Sporting News after the Drake win. He was a part of all six Dayton sacks (three solo and three assisted). He had 11 total tackles in the game (four solo) and a PFL-record five tackles in the backfield. Langhorst was co-Defensive Player of the Week with UMass linebacker Tyler Holmes. Langhorst and Holmes were joined on the Weekly All-Star team by Murray State running back Mike Harris, Yale kick returner Chris Smith and Drake defensive end Dain Taylor. Langhorst was also PFL co-Defensive Player of the Week with Taylor.
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
James Vercammen leads the Dayton defense in five statistical categories, including total tackles (94) and solo hits (53) and is second in stops in the backfield (13). Devon Langhorst is second in tackles (73) and solo stops (31), and leads in sacks (13), tackles for loss (17) and QB hurries (5). Matt Pfleger is UD’s leader in pass breakups (10) and interceptions (3).
SWITCHING SIDES
Last year, redshirt sophomore Matt Pfleger was playing wideout for UD behind a deep and talented group of receivers. This year, he is a starting cornerback who leads in interceptions (3) and pass breakups (10).
QUALITY & QUANTITY
UD returned 10 of 11 starters on offense (and that does not include center Blake Saul who started all 12 games in 2008 and was limited with a back injury in 2009). Every player who scored was back, as were 13 of the players who caught a pass, and the team’s top four rushers.
THE GOOD HANDS PEOPLE
Ten different Flyers have caught at least one pass this season. Justin Watkins leads the team in receptions (46) and yards per catch (15.5). Tyler Hujik is second in receptions (29). Nick Collins is third (19). Luke Bellman and Anthony Papp are tied for fourth (18). Eight different players have touchdown receptions. Papp leads with four. Collins and Papp have three apiece. Watkins has two TD receptions. Jordan Boykin has one, as does Steve Valentino, Hujik and Justin Millio (who is no longer on the team).
#1 CAUGHT UP TO #1
Justin Watkins, who wears jersey number 1 as UD’s lead receiver, is now the Flyer record holder for career receiving yardage. His first catch against Campbell broke the mark previously held by the player who started that uniform number 1 tradition, Ryan Wrobleski. Wrobleski’s old record was 2,058 yards. Watkins now has 2,282. He is also four receptions away from Bill Franks’ Flyer record for career receptions (133).
PAPP QUIZ
After four-and-a-half years as a Flyer without a touchdown catch, Anthony Papp has four in the last five games. He hauled what proved to be the eventual game-winning TD pass in back-to-back wins at San Diego and Butler.
STABLE SITUATION
UD’s stable of backs -- RS sophomore Taylor Harris, RS sophomore Dan Jacob, RS sophomore Brian Mack and senior Andrew Zapinski -- have 998 yards and 23 TD’s between them. Collectively, they average 4.7 yards a carry.
HUNTER NAMED PFL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Gary Hunter was named the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week when he returned what is believed to be the first kickoff return for a touchdown by a freshman in the 105-year history of University of Dayton football. Early records are incomplete, but no Flyer freshman has returned a kickoff for a TD in the modern era of UD football. Hunter has 27 returns for a 28.2 yards-per-return average.
MORE THAN HIS FAIR SHARE
UD head coach Rick Chamberlin has been a part of 321 of UD’s 621 wins – 26 as a player, 268 as an assistant coach, and 27 as a head coach.
PEER PRESSURE
Rick Chamberlin’s career .818 (27-6) winning percentage is the best among PFL coaches. Drake’s Chris Creighton is next among the league coaches (.762, 115-36).
DOING GOOD WORK
Senior offensive tackle Dan Prindle is a member of the 22-man Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Honorees were selected based on their contributions to their community and campus. Prindle has volunteered at Children’s Medical Center, St. Vincent DePaul and the Bombeck Center on campus. In addition, he was a part of Christmas on Campus, YMCA Summer Camp and has also helped with the Special Olympics. This summer he was a camp counselor at UD’s engineering camp for gifted students. He is also an executive officer of Dayton’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has served as a representative at the NCAA’s APPLE Conference which concentrates on improving substance abuse prevention programming and policies in athletics departments.
THEY ARE WHO WE THINK THEY ARE
Dayton is one of just two schools in FCS football to have a member of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team (Dan Prindle) and a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy (Brandon Wingeier). Delaware is the other team.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Nick Glavin’s 205 career points put him ninth at UD. Just ahead are Jesse Obert (208) and Chad Muterspaw (210). Glavin is also fourth in career PAT’s for the Flyers with 128. Hulme is next with 139. Glavin is fourth for career field goals at UD (26). Greg French is third with 29.
Justin Watkins is the record holder in Flyer career receiving yardage with 2,211 yards, and is second in career receptions (129). Bill Franks (133) is the UD record holder.
In not quite two years as a starting QB, Steve Valentino is second in career pass completions (325), career passing yardage (4,403 yards) and career total offense (5,907). Kevin Hoyng is first in all three (8,862 passing yards, 530 completions, 9,528 yards in total offense). Valentino is also seventh in all-purpose yardage at UD with 3,041 yards. Gary Kosins is sixth (3,101) and Pat Hugar is fifth (3,239).
PFL CAREER
Nick Glavin is the active leader in the PFL in overall scoring and kick scoring (205 points), field goals made (26) and PAT’s made (125). The all-time PFL career record holders in those categories are San Diego’s J.T. Rogan (326), San Diego’s Hutch Parker (296), Drake’s Billy Cundiff (79) and Parker (197). Justin Watkins is the active receiving yardage leader (2,282 yards). Valparaiso’s Rob Giancola is the all-time leader (3,804).
THE RED WALL (AND OTHER NATIONAL RANKINGS)
Dayton is second in sacks per game (3.5) and sixth in FCS football in rushing defense (85.7). In other national rankings, UD is sixth in team kickoff return average (24.7), ninth in turnover margin (0.9) and 10th in scoring (34.9). Individually, Devon Langhorst is third in sacks (1.3) and in tackles for loss (1.8). Gary Hunter is 11th in kickoff return average (28.2). Tyler Hujik is 14th in punt return average (13.3). Taylor Harris is 16th in scoring (8.3).
PFL MEANS PIONEER FOOTBALL LEADERS
UD leads the PFL in scoring defense (19.8), rushing defense (85.7), KO returns (24.7), 4th down conversions (82.4%, 14-17), sacks (3.5). UD is also second in scoring offense (34.9), total offense (377.3), total defense (314.3), pass efficiency defense (120.4), sacks allowed (1.5), first downs (20.3), opponent 3rd down conversions (36.4%, 55-151), time of possession (32:18), red zone offense (84.0%, 42-50) and turnover margin (+0.9).
Individually, Gary Hunter is No.1 in KO return average (28.2). James Vercammen is tied for first in fumbles forced (0.3) and third in tackles per game (9.4). Matt Pfleger is tied for first in passes defended (1.3). Steve Valentino is second in total offense (261.9) third in passing efficiency (135.3) and fourth in rushing (62.8). Taylor Harris is second in scoring (8.2) and TD’s (11, tied). Devon Langhorst is second in sacks (1.3). Nick Glavin is second in kick scoring (6.1, tied) and PAT’s (40). Tyler Hujik is third in punt return average (13.3). Justin Watkins is third in yards per catch (15.5).
DAYTON D
Last season, UD led FCS football in pass efficiency defense (96.71) and was second in pass defense yardage (140.1), third in total defense (242.6.10), first in (128.20) and fifth in scoring defense (13.6). UD also led the PFL in first downs allowed (11.8), opponent third down conversions (25.2%), lowest penalty yardage assessed (36.9) and time of possession (33:13 per game).
SHUTTING OUT DISTRACTIONS
Two PFL teams’ last shutout was by the Dayton defense. One is Davidson, who UD beat last year 17-0 on Oct. 17 (14 games ago). The other is San Diego (122 games ago, 41-0 in 1999).
600 CLUB
The Flyers became the 11th NCAA FCS team (and the first west of the Alleghenies) to win at least 600 games in its football history when UD beat Davidson on October 18, 2008. Here are the 14 members of the club, heading into the 2010 season. Yale (857), Harvard (805), Penn (804), Princeton (784), Fordham (743), Lafayette (648), Dartmouth (645), Delaware (637), Lehigh (629), Cornell (618), Dayton (612), North Dakota State (604) Northern Iowa (603) and North Dakota (601). Of the 600 Club members, Dayton has played the fewest seasons (102, nine fewer than Fordham’s 110). This season, UD moved ahead of Cornell into 10th place in all-time FCS wins.
PFL POWER
The Flyers’ 75-19 PFL record is the best in the history of the league. UD has won 10 league championships (including ties) in the 17 years the PFL has existed. The rest of the league has 12 combined.
SACKS FOR GROCERIES UD’S 2010 CHARITY INITIATIVE
After picking up “Loose Change” for Catholic Social Services in 2008, and scoring “Touchdowns for Tots” in 2009, the University of Dayton has a new charity of choice this season. It is “Sacks For Groceries.” For every sack the Flyers come up with, PNC Bank will make a donation to a Miami Valley Food Bank. UD is already over $1,500 on the year.
TUESDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
For the fourth straight year, the Flyers sponsored “Tuesday Night Lights,” the free program where pee wee football teams take the field for a practice with the University of Dayton football team. Every Tuesday from Sept. 7 to Oct. 26, teams that sign up in advance got a pre-practice talk from Flyer head coach Rick Chamberlin, took the field to warm up with the UD football team, and then observed practice until they went home at 8:30 p.m.
WELCOME MAT
The UD Flyers moved to Welcome Stadium in 1974. The word “Welcome” implies hospitality, but UD has been anything but hospitable to its opponents at home, where it is 199-40-2 (.830). The “Welcome” is not a greeting, but an honor to the late Percival Welcome, longtime AD for the Dayton Public Schools.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK SCORECARD
Four Times: James Vercammen; Twice: Taylor Harris, Devon Langhorst, Nate Miller, Matt Riddle, Justin Watkins; 1 each: Tyler Friedrich, Nick Glavin, Gary Hunter, Dan Jacob, A.J. Kaltenbach, Mike Morante, Anthony Papp, Joe Ries, Eric Robbe, Blake Saul, Tyler Schutz, Kyle Sebetic, Eric Studt, Steve Valentino, Chase Walton, Steve Wirkus
SCOUTS OF THE WEEK SCORECARD
Twice: Miles Clack, Pat Dowd, Branden Johnson, Jacob Rigali, Justin Simpson, Sean Sward, Nick Weston; 1 each: Will Bardo, Kevin Bell, Kevin Cripe, Ryan Cronin, John Ehrensberger, Ben Estey, Grant Huckenstein, Tom Hunt, Victor Kaczkowsi, Tyler Massie, Jared Phillips, Sal Savato, Jake Voight, Robert Washington, Mitch Yinger, Bill Young
SAVAGE HITS
Freshman cornerback Howard Savage has two “Hammer Hit of the Week” awards to his credit this season, both on kick coverage. Other Hammers this season are by Bryan Bailin, A.J. Kaltenbach, Devon Langhorst, Zach McPherson, Joe Ries, James Vercammen and Brandon Wingeier.
FLYER PFL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Offensive Player of the Week--Steve Valentino: 9/4
Defensive Player of the Week--Brandon Wingeier, 9/18
Defensive Player of the Week--James Vercammen, 10/2
Special Teams Player of the Week--Gary Hunter, 10/2
Defensive Player of the Week--Joe Ries, 10/9
Defensive co-Player of the Week--James Vercammen, 10/23
Offensive Player of the Week--Steve Valentino, 11/6
Defensive co-Player of the Week--Devon Langhorst, 11/6
LAST TIME OUT--DAYTON 31, DRAKE 25
To stay undefeated in conference play, the University of Dayton Flyers needed every last second and one perfect throw and catch from Steve Valentino and Luke Bellman.
Valentino connected Bellman on a touchdown pass with one second left on the clock to give Dayton a chaotic 31-25 victory over the Drake Bulldogs on Saturday.
With 10 seconds left at the Drake 37-yard line, Valentino escaped a sack by running to his left and threw a jump ball near the left corner of the end zone. Bellman plucked the high floater from the sky, pinned it to his helmet and brought it down as Bulldog defender Dustin Davis attempted to wrestle it away.
Both players came down with hands on the ball and after what seemed like an eternity, the referees ruled that Bellman had in fact made the catch. It was Bellman’s only catch of the game.
As the referees raised their arms, pandemonium ensued for the fans inside Welcome Stadium. The wild finish was the culmination of a seesaw battle that had its fair share of drama and big plays.
Trailing 25-24, Dayton began its winning drive with 1:17 remaining and faced third-and-16 from its 33, but Valentino picked up a first down with a 20-yard completion to Anthony Papp. The Flyers then faced fourth-and-18 from their 45, but Valentino and Justin Watkins connected for a 23-yard gain.
Valentino finished the game with two rushing and two passing touchdowns to lead the Flyer offense. He completed 14-for-26 passes for 199 yards and churned out 69 yards on the ground.
The victory kept Dayton (9-1 overall, 7-0 PFL) in the Pioneer Football League title chase keeping pace with unbeaten Jacksonville. The Flyers won its seventh in a row and sixth straight at Welcome Stadium.
Defensively, Devin Langhorst had a career-high six sacks and James Vercammen was all over the place with a game-high 16 tackles.
Papp closed the game with three catches for 63 yards, while Watkins led the Flyers with five receptions and 71 yards.
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 (now there are four) to have two alumni coach Super Bowl winners. The others are San Jose State, with grads Bill Walsh (XIV, XIX, XXIII) and Dick Vermeil (XXXIV), Arkansas with grads Jimmy Johnson (XXVII, XXVIII) and Barry Switzer (XXX), and Eastern Illinois with Mike Shanahan (XXXII, XXXIII) and Sean Payton (XLIV).
At the time of their wins, Gruden was the second-youngest coach to win a Super Bowl and Noll is the fifth-youngest.
As a matter of fact, UD has ties to 19 Super Bowl rings. In addition to Noll’s four and Gruden’s one, five former members of Dayton coaching staffs own a total of 14 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), current Saints QB coach Joe Lombardi (XLIV), John McVay (49ers, XVI, XIX, XXII, & XXIV), current Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore (Steelers, XIII & XIV, Colts XLI) and George Perles (Steelers, IX, X, XII & XIV). McVay was the Flyers’ head coach from 1965-72, and Fontes, Jim Gruden, Moore and Perles were on his staff. Lombardi, an Air Force Academy grad and the grandson of Vince Lombardi, began his coaching career at Dayton. He coached for three seasons on Mike Kelly’s staff while stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
