April 28, 2005

University of Dayton seniors John Hoppe, Steve Verhoff and Ryan Winner have been named football captains for the 2005 season.

Hoppe returns for his second year as a starter after being named a First Team All-Pioneer Football League in 2004. The linebacker from Northbrook, Illinois (Glenbrook North High School) was second on the team in tackles (57 total hits, 22 solo) in nine games last year, and had 4.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and assisted on a sack. He was First Team All-PFL, First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District and named Second Team Academic All-Pioneer Football League.

Verhoff, a fifth-year tailback from Wellington, Ohio (Wellington High School) was UD's leading rusher and second-leading receiver last season. He gained 612 yards (3.8 yards per carry) in 10 starts, with four rushing touchdowns. He also caught 18 passes out of the backfield for 115 yards (6.4 avg.). He was named Second Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America, First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District, and First Team Academic All-Pioneer Football League.

Winner has started the last 21 games at left tackle for the University of Dayton. The Greenville, Ohio (Greenville High School) product has been a mainstay on a line that has bulldozed the way for 68 rushing touchdowns the last two seasons, compared to 14 for Flyer foes. The 6-6, 294-pound Winner was First Team All-Pioneer Football League and selected an Honorable Mention All-American by the Football Gazette.

The Flyers finished the 2004 campaign 7-3 overall, and 2-2 in the Pioneer Football league's North Division. UD had its 28th straight winning season, extending the Flyers' school record. That ties Dayton with Florida State with the longest such streak among Division I football-playing schools. UD was ranked sixth in the nation in the final Sports Network NCAA Division I-AA Mid-Major poll, and fifth in the Football Gazette ranking.

The Flyers' three losses were to two of the five teams ranked ahead of them (#2 Drake and #3 San Diego) and to Ivy League powerhouse Yale. All three losses went down to the final minute, and two ended with UD having the ball in the red zone.

Dayton has won eight PFL titles in the 11-year history of the league, and UD will begin the pursuit of its ninth PFL championship on August 7, when the players report for pre-season camp.