University of Dayton senior quarterback Steve Valentino was named Pioneer Football League co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Dayton’s championship-clinching 41-34 double-overtime win at Marist on Saturday. The UD co-captain and Walter Payton Award candidate improved his career record to 19-2 as a starting quarterback.

Valentino shares this week’s honor with Rudell Small, senior running back of Jacksonville and Godfrey Smith, senior wide receiver of San Diego.

In Saturday’s win, Valentino had 311 yards in total offense, completing 16 of 31 passes for 227 yards and running for another 84. In the first half, Valentino ran for just 22 yards, and completed just five of his first 15 passes, but he led Dayton from 10 points down by completing 11 of his last 16 passes for 123 yards and rushing for 62 critical yards. His 25-yard TD strike to Luke Bellman in the second overtime proved to be the game-winner.

Valentino led the Flyers this season in both rushing (712) and passing (2218) yardage. He completed 163 of 289 passes (.564). He also recorded 25 total touchdowns (16 passing, 8 rushing, 1 receiving).

In not quite two years as a starting QB, Steve Valentino is second in career pass completions (341), career passing yardage (4,630 yards) and career total offense (6,218). He also finished his career Valentino sixth in all-purpose yardage at UD with 3,125 yards.

Steve Valentino is now second in total offense (266.4), fourth in passing efficiency (135.0), fourth in rushing (64.7), fourth in passing offense (201.6), and sixth in scoring (TDs) (5.1) in the PFL.

The two-time captain was part of Dayton’s 31-man senior class that was 39-7 overall. 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. They have now been a part of three PFL championships (2007, 2009, 2010).