Monday, October 3, 2005

THE WEEK's OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES
OFFENSE
APSU RB Chris Fletcher: 21 carries for 184 yards, incl. 74-yd TD run (6th longest rush in I-AA this season)
BUT WR Phil Vorndran: 8 receipts for career-high 138 yards
DAV WR Jake Rice: 5 receipts 119 yards, 1 TD; 2nd career 100-yd game
DAY WR Ryan Wrobleski: 3 carries for for 52 yards, 2 TDs; 4 receipts for 110 yards, TD
MSU FB Jabari McGee: 13 carries for 87 yards, 3 TDs; 172 all-purpose yards
USD QB Josh Johnson: 11-of-15 for 204 yards, 3 TDs, in less than two quarters action
VAL RB Jeff Horton: 21 carries for 107 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE
APSU LB Charlie Forte: game-high 11 tackles (7 solo)
BUT LB Mike Marzotto: Game-high 11 tackles (3 solo)
DAV DB Patrick FitzGerald: team-high 12 tackles, INT returned 26 yards
DRA LB Brian Conway: fumble recovery returned 29 yards for TD, 4 tackles, incl. 0.5 TFL
JAX LB Brandon Torre: career-high 16 tackles (7 solo), incl. 1.5 sacks
VAL LB Matt Mancl: 8 tackles (5 solo), PBU

SPECIAL TEAMS
APSU P Bradley Wilson: 6 punts for 283 yards (47.2 ypp), 2 inside-20
BUT P Phil Buchanan: 9 punts for 388 yards (43.1 ypp), 60-yard long
DAY P/KR/WR Jack O'Dell: 2 KOR for 53 yds (26.5 ypr); 2 punts for 88 yds (44.0 ypp); 2 receipts for 68 yds
DRA K Ryan Horvath: 7-7 PATs, 1-1 FGs (34 yds)
JAX P Ryan Feely: 9 punts for 361 yards (40.1 ypp), 1 inside-20, 58-yard long
MSU K Adam Jones: 7-7 PATs, 3-3 FGs (30, 24, 28 yds); 2nd most pts (16) by a I-AA kicker this season
USD K Hutch Parker: 8-8 PATs
VAL WR/P Joe Blahowicz: 4 punts for 182 yards (45.5 ypp), 2 inside 2-yd line, 54-yard long

PFL WEEKLY STATISTICAL LEADERS
Points Scored: 18, Jabari McGee (MSU) and Ryan Wrobleski (DAY)
Total Offense: 266 yds, Connor Jostes (DRA)
Rushing Yardage: 184 yds, Chris Fletcher (APSU)
Passing Yardage: 254 yds, Connor Jostes (DRA)
Receiving Yardage: 138 yds, Phil Vorndran (BUT)
All-Purpose Yardage: 203 yds, Scott Phaydavong (DRA)
Punting Average (min. 5 punts): 47.2 ypp, Bradley Wilson (APSU)
Interceptions: 2, John Hoppe (DAY)
Tackles: 16.0, Brandon Torre (JAX)
Sacks: 2.0, Brandon Stern (USD)
Tackles for Loss: 3.0, Andrew Sturzenbecker (MSU)

NATIONAL STATISTICAL TOP 10s
DAV K Brad Smith: 7th in field goals (1.75 fgm/pg)
DAV DB Pat FitzGerald: 8th in interceptions (0.80 int/pg)
DAY QB Kevin Hoyng: 3rd in passing efficiency (187.08)
DAY WR Jack O'Dell: 5th in kickoff returns (32.8 ypr)
DAY WR Ryan Wrobleski: 10th in receiving yards per game (104.60 ypg)
DRA QB Connor Jostes: 7th in passing efficiency (167.74)
DRA RB Scott Phaydavong: 8th in rushing (129.00 ypg)
JAX RB Jerry Brant: 9th in rushing (127.00 ypg)
MSU RS Nick Feldman: 2nd in punt returns (18.27 ypr)
DAYTON TEAM [9]: 2nd in kickoff returns (30.63 ypr); 2nd pass defense (100.0 yapg); 3rd in total offense (504.40 ypg)3rd in pass efficiency (187.00); 3rd in scoring defense (9.40 papg); 5th in scoring offense (43.20 ppg); 5th in total defense (232.60 yapg); 6th in pass efficiency defense (88.37); 8th in rushing offense (268.20 ypg).
DRAKE TEAM [1]: 10th in pass efficiency (159.30)
SAN DIEGO TEAM [4]: 2nd in scoring defense (8.00 papg); 3rd in total defense (227.40 yapg); 5th in rushing defense (56.00 yapg); 8th in pass efficiency defense (89.61).

DIVISIONAL PLAY BEGINS THIS WEEKEND: The much-anticipated "second season" begins this weekend with eight PFL squads opening divisional play. Saturday's feature game pits Dayton versus Drake in Des Moines, Iowa in the first of two critical weeks for the Flyer football squad _ they return home to face San Diego, Oct. 8. The other PFL North affair has Butler
at San Diego. On the other side of the coin, all four PFL South squads are in action. Austin Peay travels to Davidson while Morehead State heads south for a pivotal contest at Jacksonville.

PFL TO RETURN TO SINGLE-DIVISION FORMAT IN 2006: The Pioneer Football League will return to a single-division, round-robin format in 2006, the conference office announced, Sept. 7. The league voted this summer on the move back to a single-division format, which the league used in its first eight seasons. The change resulted from the league's reduction to eight members for the 2006 campaign _ Austin Peay leaves the conference at the conclusion of the 2005 season. The final round-robin schedule will provide seven league games annually for all teams with alternating seasons of four home/three road and three home/four road.

2005 PFL CHAMPIONSHIP: The 2005 PFL Championship will be hosted by the PFL North champion, Nov. 19. It is the 5th PFL Championship since the beginning of the divisional era in 2000. The PFL North is undefeated in the four previous championships.

PFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ENDS AFTER 2005: With the 2006 change in regular-season scheduling, the PFL Championship will be discontinued after this season's championship game hosted by the PFL North champion, Nov. 19.

PFL DEFENSES MAKE STAND: PFL teams combined to force 20 turnovers, Oct. 1, with eight fumbles lost and 12 interceptions in the five games on the league slate. More impressive were the four turnovers returned for touchdowns:
� John Hoppe (DAY) 47-yard interception return vs. Jacksonville
� Randell Odell (APSU) 57-yard interception return vs. Valparaiso
� Philip Bretsch (USD) 28-yard interception return vs. Menlo
� Brian Conway (DRA) 29-yard fumble recovery vs. Davidson

FG TRIFECTA: Kickers are getting a toehold in the PFL this season, with 35-of-53 (.660) field goal attempts being made this season. In fact, four PFL kickers have recorded three field goals in a contest this season and one _ San Diego's Hutch Parker _ has hit three in a game twice this season. The list of three-goal kickers:
� Hutch Parker (USD) vs Azusa Pacific, Sept. 3 (4 attempts)
� Bradley Wilson (APSU) vs Cumberland, Sept. 10 (4 attempts)
� Brad Smith (DAV) vs Lenoir-Rhyne, Sept. 17 (4 attempts)
� Hutch Parker (USD) vs Yale, Sept. 17 (4 attempts)
� Adam Jones (MSU) vs. Butler, Oct. 1 (3 attempts)

DAYTON AND THE SPORTS NETWORK POLL: Once again, Dayton is ranked #1 this week in the Sports Network MId-Major poll. The Flyers have been ranked first in the Sports Network poll at least once every year since the poll began in 2001. The Flyers have been ranked either first or second in the Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major poll for 50 of a possible 59 weeks the Sports Network poll has been in existence.

DAYTON EXTENDS STREAK: Dayton handily defeated Jacksonville, 49-17, Saturday, to extend its streak of games without being shutout to 325. The Flyers were last shut out, Oct. 16, 1976, a 9-0 loss to Marshall.

NFL CONNECTIONS: San Diego head coach Jim Harbaugh isn't the only person with an NFL connection in the PFL. Davidson sophomore Beaux Jones is the son of former NFL quarterback Bert Jones, who played for the Baltimore Colts from 1973-1981.
Also, former Dallas Cowboy's kicker Billy Cundiff is a Drake alumnus. He was cut prior to the start of the 2005 season, but has three years of experience. Cundiff is in the NFL record books, with seven field goals made in a Monday Night overtime victory at the New York Giants last season.
Dayton's contribution to the NFL resides in Tampa Bay where head coach Jon Gruden, a 1986 grauate, became the second Dayton alumnus to coach a Super Bowl winner (XXXVII). He joined 1953 UD graduate and 1993 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Chuck Noll who won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XII. & XIV) as coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

CONSTRUCTION MADNESS: Two PFL members are playing away from their friendly confines due to renovations at their on-campus facilities and a third just completed renovations to its facility.
Butler will play its first game this season at the Butler Bowl when it hosts Morehead State this weekend. The Bulldogs opened their season at the University of Indianapolis' Key Stadium due to renovations at the Butler Bowl _ the first time since 1928 that the Bulldogs have played a home-opener away from the Butler Bowl.
Drake will play its entire 2005 home schedule away from 79-year old Drake Stadium which is getting a complete facelift which should be completed in time for the school's internationally-known Drake Relays. Drake will host its four home games at high school campuses in the Des Moines area.
Davidson dedicated the newest additions to its football venue, Richardson Stadium, during a halftime ceremony, Sept. 10. Among the upgraded amenities are expanded stadium seating, and a new press box, weight room and visitors' locker room.

PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATION: the Pioneer Football League's coaches tabbed Drake and Morehead State to win their respective divisions in the PFL's preseason poll. Drake is picked first for the first time since divisional play began while it is the fourth time in five seasons Morehead State has been chosen as the PFL South winner.

PFL NORTH POLL RESULTS: Drake, the 2004 PFL Champion, received five of the nine possible first-place votes in the PFL North. Dayton and San Diego split the four remaining first-place votes and were picked second and third, respectively. Valparaiso and Butler round out the five-team PFL North, the two teams selected in a fourth-place tie.

PFL SOUTH POLL RESULTS: Morehead State, the three-time PFL North defending champion, received five first-place votes. Second-place Jacksonville picked up three first-place votes while Austin Peay, which was picked third, claimed one first-place vote. Davidson rounds out the four-team PFL South.