PDF Game Notes
The University of Dayton will begin the defense of its 2010 Pioneer Football League championship Saturday when the Marist Red Foxes visit Welcome Stadium. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET
Not only is this the first PFL game of the season, it is the only one being played this week.
After winning their season openers, both teams come into the game 1-1. Dayton had its 10-game winning streak snapped by Duquesne by the deceiving score of 22-13 (UD lined up for a potential game-tying 50-yard field goal, which not only was blocked but run back for a superfluous TD with no time on the clock). Marist, who has not played at home yet in 2011, fell to Bucknell 28-14.
The Flyers return 11 starters (four offense, six defense, and one specialist) from a team that won a share of the 2010 Pioneer Football League title with a record of 10-1 and was ranked 25th nationally.
Head Coach Rick Chamberlin is back for his fourth season at the helm for the Flyers. He entered the year with the best three-year start in program history (28-6).
Among the Flyers’ 11 returning starters is senior defensive end Devon Langhorst. Langhorst was a member of the 2010 Third Team AP FCS All-America team and was First Team All-Pioneer Football League. He ranked second nationally in sacks with 14 and was second on the team in tackles with 77. Langhorst has been nationally recognized as a Preseason Third Team All-American by College Sporting News and Preseason Honorable Mention All-American by JB Scouting. He had 2.5 sacks at Robert Morris.
Two other Flyer football players received preseason honors. Kick returner Gary Hunter and punt returner Tyler Hujik were named to the College Football Preseason Awards watch list. Hunter led the conference with 28.2 yards per kick return with one return touchdown.
GOOD NEWS WORTH REPEATING
The Flyers entered the 2011 season with the second- best winning percentage (.792, 97-24) in FCS football since 2000 AND the most football Academic All-Americans (21) at any level of competition in this century.
SCOUTING THE RED FOXES
Marist coach Jim Parady reached a big milestone in his team’s season-opening 20-7 win at Sacred Heart. It was his 100th career win. Parady is in his 20th season, all on the banks of the Hudson at Marist.
Senior quarterback Tommy Reilly threw for 417 yards and three touchdowns against Dayton last year, and set Marist records for completions, attempts and yardages in a single season. But sophomore Chuckie Looney has thrown all the passes so far in 2011 for the Red Foxes.
Reilly injured his knee in Marist’s 2010 finale against Georgetown and was held out of spring practice, but has been cleared to play with no restrictions. Looney took advantage of the opportunity in the spring, and threw for 278 yards (15 of 26 passing) and three TD’s in his first career start at Sacred Heart
Senior running back Ryan Dinnebell has 19 career rushing touchdowns. Dinnebell, nose tackle David Toriola and safety Brandon Kicklighter are Marist’s three captains.
SERIES STUFF
In a scheduling twist, the Flyers will start the quest for their 12th PFL title against the team they defeated to clinch a share of the 2010 crown. UD edged Marist in a 41-34 double-overtime thriller last year on Nov. 13 in Poughkeepsie.
This is third meeting between the two teams. The first came in Marist’s first year in the PFL, on Nov. 21, 2009. It was a win that also clinched a PFL championship for the Flyers, with UD winning by the score of 27-16 in Dayton.
Saturday’s game is a matchup between the two stingiest defenses in the PFL after two games. Both Dayton and Marist are allowing 17.5 points a game, which not only leads the league but is tied for 17th in FCS football.
THE EYES OF THE NATION
After finishing a season nationally ranked (25th in both the Sports Network and AFCA polls) for the first time in school history as a Division I team, UD received 21 votes (48th) in the preseason Sports Network/FCS Poll. The Flyers are receiving one and five respectively in the latest Sports Network and AFCA Coaches Polls.
STREAKING
UD has not been shut out in a school-record 388 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.
THE MAN AT THE TOP
Head coach Rick Chamberlin has guided UD to 28 wins in his first three seasons, going 9-3 in 2008, 9-2 in 2009 and 10-1 last year. That’s the best three-year start by any Flyer football coach. Dayton has won a share of PFL championships in two of his three years, and missed the third by just five points at Jacksonville in the final game of 2008.
MORE THAN HIS FAIR SHARE
Rick Chamberlin has been a part of 323 of UD’s 623 wins – 26 as a player, 268 as an assistant coach, and 29 as a head coach.
PEER PRESSURE
Rick Chamberlin’s career .806 (29-7) winning percentage is the best among PFL coaches. Drake’s Chris Creighton is next among the league’s coaches (.760, 117-37).
LEADING FROM THE FRONT
You will find the Flyers’ 2011 captains in the trenches. Defensive end Devon Langhorst and offensive tackle Dan Prindle are UD’s co-captains this season. Both are redshirt seniors and members of three PFL title teams in their careers.
LONG TIME STARTERS
Eight Dayton players own double-digit start streaks. Justin Griffis leads with 24 (although 22 were at center and he is now a guard). Right behind is Dan Prindle with 23. Brian Mack has 17, Zach Weber 14, and Tyler Hujik, Devon Langhorst, Matt Pfleger and Kyle Sebetic each have 13.
FIRST TIME STARTERS
Twelve Flyers started for the first time at Robert Morris. They were QB Will Bardo, RB Taylor Harris, WR Jordan Boykin, FL Branden Johnson, OT Tom Corcoran, C Bill Petraiuolo, DT Phil DeBoer, DE Anthony Sadler, LB Sean Belanger, and Flyer Andre Crawford. As redshirt freshmen, Bardo and Johnson also saw their first Flyer action at Robert Morris. Offensive tackle Jamie Mewhinney had his first start against Duquesne.
FIRST TIME QB
Redshirt freshman Will Bardo took over at quarterback for Dayton at Robert Morris, following two-time PFL Offensive Player of the Year Steve Valentino. This was the first game that Bardo played in (that counts, at least) since he led Ft. Thomas Highlands High School to the 2009 Kentucky 5A Championship. In his debut, Bardo was 14 of 24 for 180 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Against Duquesne, he was just 13 of 31 for 124 yards, but ran for 95 yards.
NOT HIS FIRST RODEO
Having an inexperienced quarterback step into the starting lineup is nothing new for Dayton offensive coordinator Dave Whilding. Of the 17 new starting quarterbacks in Whilding’s 31 years of coaching the position, 11 took over with less than 20 career passes to their credit (including Steve Valentino and two QB’s now in the UD Hall of Fame – Kevin Johns and Steve Keller). Three (Kevin Wilhelm, Kelly Spiker and Brandon Staley) had the same number as new QB Will Bardo -- zero.
OUT OF THE BULLPEN
Backup quarterback Zach Splain came at Robert Morris. With starter Will Bardo cramping up, Splain came in and completed all five of his pass attempts for 32 yards and gained two first downs.
GOOD HANDS PEOPLE
Four Flyer receivers have combined for 28 of UD’s 32 receptions this season. Luke Bellman leads in catches (8), yards (132) and average per catch (16.5). Branden Johnson and Tyler Hujik both have seven catches, and Jordan Boykin has six (with a per-catch average of 14.8)
SACK RACE
Dayton is tied for the #1 spot in leads FCS football for sacks with Georgia Southern (5.5). UD had eight in the Robert Morris win. Seven different Flyers got into the sack act. UD also had two QB hurries and forced four holding penalties at RMU. Dunn is tied for first in the nation with a 2.0 sack per game average.
DEFINTELY DEVON
Defensive end Devon Langhorst was a member of the 2010 Third Team Associated Press Championship Subdivision All-American team and was First Team All-PFL. He ranked second nationally in sacks with 14 and was second on the team in tackles with 77. Langhorst has been nationally recognized as a Preseason Third Team All-American by College Sporting News. Langhorst had 2.5 sacks at RMU.
WIRKUS UP
Safety Steve Wirkus was named CollegeSportsMadness.com’s PFL Player of the Week after leading UD with nine tackles (7 solo), getting the interception that set up Dayton’s go-ahead touchdown and diving to bat away a pass at the goal line. He added another INT and shared team honors with eight hits vs. Duquesne. His two interceptions are tied for second in FCS football.
SAVAGE HITS
Sophomore cornerback Howard Savage led UD with two “Hammer Hit of the Week” awards to his credit last season. Fittingly, he got the first one of 2011 at Robert Morris. He led UD in tackles (8, tied with four other Flyers) and passes broken up (3) against Duquesne.
STABLE SITUATION
UD returns its entire stable of top running backs from 2010 -- seniors Taylor Harris, Dan Jacob and Brian Mack. They combined for 946 yards and 22 TD’s between them last year with a 4.7 yards per carry average. Harris is currently listed as the starter but all three have started in the past.
TEAR UP THE TURF, TAYLOR
Taylor Harris’ 83-yard touchdown run against Duquesne was the third-longest in Dayton history, and the longest at Welcome Stadium. Leroy Ka-Ne (the Hawai’ian Hyphen) holds the record of 94 yards vs. Scranton in 1949 at Baujan Field, and J.P. Ragon scampered 85 yards at Morehead State in 1997. Harris carried the ball seven times for 110 yards against Duquesne, and leads UD in rushing with 124 net yards (7.8 yards per carry). He was second in the PFL in scoring last year with 13 touchdowns.
SPECIAL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER
Sophomore Gary Hunter led the PFL and was ranked eighth in FCS football in kickoff return average as a freshman in 2010. Hunter averaged 28.2 yards a return. He had what is believed to be the first kickoff return for a touchdown by a freshman in the 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. After playing corner last year, Hunter has moved to the offensive side of the ball and is a wide receiver.
DOING GOOD WORK
Redshirt senior offensive tackle Dan Prindle was a member of the 2010 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.
DOUBLE DUTY
Senior Nate Miller handled placekicking and punting chores for the Flyers in the RMU win. He was perfect from the turf (2-2 FG, 1-1 PAT) and averaged 38.3 yards a punt. He was averaging over 40 yards a boot until the most critical punt of the day. With UD leading by six with 2:47 to play, he hung up a 27-yarder that was fair-caught at the 18, giving UD 82 yards to work with in protecting the lead on RMU’s final possession of the game. He kicked two field goals and averaged 41.6 yards per punt (with three inside the 20) against Duquesne.
FLYER FAMILY
Seven current members of the Flyer football team have had relatives who also played for UD, including four players whose fathers played -- Austen Alber (Tim, 1986-88), Alex Johnston (Jim, 1973-75), Matt Dorenkott (Brian, 1976-78) and Kyle Pignatiello (Mike, 1980-82).
THE RED WALL (AND OTHER NATIONAL RANKINGS)
After two weeks in 2011, the Flyers are tied for the lead FCS football in sacks (5.5) with Georgia Southern. Brannon Dunn is tied for first individually (2.0) and Devon Langhorst is tied for 17th (1.25). Last year, Dayton was second in sacks per game (3.6) and rushing defense (78.4). In other national rankings, UD was sixth in scoring (35.5), seventh in team kickoff return average (24.1) and eighth in turnover margin (1.0). Individually, Devon Langhorst was second in sacks (1.3) and tied for eighth in tackles for loss (1.7). Gary Hunter was eighth in kickoff return average (28.2). Tyler Hujik was 11th in punt return average (13.1). Taylor Harris was 12th in scoring (8.7).
PFL MEANS PIONEER FOOTBALL LEADERS
In 2010, UD led the PFL in rushing defense (78.4), KO returns (24.1), sacks (3.6), sacks allowed (1.5) and 4th down conversions (78.9%, 15-19). UD was also second in scoring offense (35.5), total offense (380.5), total defense (314.3), first downs (20.6), opponent 3rd down conversions (36.0%, 58-161), red zone offense (85.2%, 46-54) and turnover margin (+1.0). So far in 2011, UD leads in sacks (5.5), scoring defense (17.5, tied with Marist) and sacks allowed (0.50)
SHUTTING OUT DISTRACTIONS
Two PFL teams’ last shutout was by the Dayton defense. One is Davidson, who UD beat 17-0 on in 2009 (16 games ago). The other is San Diego (124 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 2011 season. Yale (864), Penn (813), Harvard (812), Princeton (785), Fordham (748), Dartmouth (651), Lafayette (650), Delaware (649), Lehigh (639), Dayton (622) Cornell (620), North Dakota State (613) Northern Iowa (610), North Dakota (604) and Colgate (603). Of the 600 Club members, Dayton has played the fewest seasons (103, nine fewer than Northern Iowa’s 112). UD moved into the Top 10 in 2010.
PFL POWER
The Flyers’ 76-19 PFL record is the best in the history of the league. UD has won 11 league championships (including ties) in the 18 years the PFL has existed. The rest of the league has 13 combined.
COMPLETIONS FOR CYSTIC FIBROSIS CHARITY INITIATIVE
After picking up “Loose Change” for Catholic Social Services in 2008, scoring “Touchdowns for Tots” in 2009, and taking down “Sacks For Groceries” in 2010, the University of Dayton has a new charity of choice this season. It is “Completions For Cystic Fibrosis.” For every pass completion during the 2011 season, PNC Bank will make a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
TUESDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
For the fifth 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. 6 to Oct. 25, teams that sign up in advance get a pre-practice talk from Flyer head coach Rick Chamberlin, take the field to warm up with the UD football team, and observe practice until they go 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 199-41-2 (.826). The “Welcome” is not a greeting, but an honor to the late Percival Welcome, longtime AD for the Dayton Public Schools. Dayton has won seven of its last eight games at Welcome Stadium.
ROAD WARRIORS
Dayton has won five straight road games, and nine of its last ten. The last loss was at Duquesne, 35-31, on Sept. 11, 2010.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK SCORECARD
Once: Brannon Dunn, Owen Elger, Taylor Harris, Nate Miller, Tyler Shutz, Steve Wirkus
SCOUTS OF THE WEEK SCORECARD
Once: Joe Blume, Kevin Cripe. Anthony Davis, Ross Smith, Anthony Zervas
LAST TIME OUT--DUQUESNE 22, DAYTON 13
The University of Dayton football team put the nation’s longest FCS winning streak on the line Saturday in the Flyers’ home opener against the Duquesne Dukes at Welcome Stadium. But the Dukes prevailed 22-13 in a back-and-forth game. The Flyers had won 10 straight games, with their last loss at Duquesne last season. Duquesne’s special team play was the difference in the game. The Dukes blocked two Flyer field goal attempts, returned one for a touchdown, and made three of their own.
After a first half that saw both teams score a touchdown, Nate Miller gave the Flyers the lead in the second half with a career-long 42-yard field goal with 11:24 left in the third quarter. Duquesne kicker Charlie Leventry countered with a career-long of his own, a 40-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10 with 6:49 left in the third quarter and then added a 28-yard field goal to give Duquesne its first lead of the game at 13-10 with 59 seconds left in the third quarter.
The score stayed that way until 11:33 left in the game when Miller kicked a 30-yard field goal to tie the game up, yet again, at 13-13. That field goal drive was set up by a 35-yard scramble by Will Bardo from the Duquesne 45 yard line to the 10.
The Flyers forced the Dukes to punt with 4:43 remaining in the game, but the Flyers drive lasted only 66 seconds as they punted, as well. Duquesne received the ball on the Flyer 41-yard line with 3:37 left on the clock. The Dukes put themselves in field goal range on just three plays, and then ate the clock, forcing the Flyers to use their three timeouts. Leventry put the Dukes up for good (16-13) with a 24-yard field goal with 30 seconds left.
The Flyers drove down the field to the Duquesne 33-yard line to set up a potential game-tying field goal with just two seconds left. Duquesne’s Jared Williams blocked the field goal and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown to secure a 22-13 Duquesne victory.
Overall, the Dukes outgained the Flyers 452-344. The Flyers converted just 3-of-13 third downs, compared to 7-of-17 by the Dukes. UD sacked Robert Morris eight times in last week’s opener, and added three more in the Duquesne game, including two for the second straight game by defensive tackle Brannon Dunn.
Other defensive leaders were Steve Wirkus with an interception, Howard Savage with three basses broken up and five Flyers with eight hits apiece – Eric Robbe (with 5 solo), Colin Monnier, Devon Langhorst, Wirkus and Savage.
Offensively, Taylor Harris led the way with 110 yards rushing, including an 83-yard TD that is the third-longest run in Dayton history. Bardo added 95 yards. As a team, UD averaged 8.1 yards a carry.
Luke Bellman and Branden Johnson each caught four passes.
HALLOWED HALL
Any list of the best coaches in college football history has to include the University of Dayton’s Mike Kelly. And now it does.
Kelly was inducted into the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame July 16 at the 2011 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival in South Bend, Ind. The Enshrinement Show was co-hosted by former Flyer quarterback Jon Gruden.
Kelly’s 27-year record of 246-54-1 is the best by far at UD (nearly twice as many wins as fellow NFF Hall of Fame member Harry Baujan’s 124), and his .819 winning percentage is fourth-best among college coaches with 25 or more years experience.
Kelly was a seven-time national coach of the year, six-time PFL coach of the year, and guided his teams to three national championships (1989, 2002, 2007). Forty-eight of UD’s 50 Academic All-Americans played for Kelly, as did a total of 84 First Team All-Americans.
Seventy of his former players went into coaching, including 16 at the collegiate level.
The Mike Kelly Coaching Endowment Fund was established this summer with a $1 million commitment from the family of a UD football alumnus.
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, six 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.
UP NEXT
UD plays its final non-conference game of 2011 when the Flyers make a short trip to Wilberforce to play Central State. Game time at McPherson Stadium is 1:30 p.m. ET. Marist finally gets to play at home, taking on Georgetown at 1 p.m. ET.
