June 29, 2009

The University of Dayton football team will play away from Welcome Stadium five times in 2009, and four of those games have had their start times finalized or determined. The Flyers' six home games will all still have start times of 1:00 p.m. ET.

Dayton's first road game of the year at Robert Morris on September 19 will now kickoff at 12 Noon Eastern Time. The Campbell game on October 10 had been listed as TBA, and is now slated for a 1:00 p.m. ET start. The Valparaiso game on October 24 is at 2:00 p.m. ET, and the Drake game on November 14 is now at 4 p.m. ET.

The Flyers' PFL opener at Morehead State on October 3 will remain a 1:00 p.m. ET game.

UD will open the season Saturday, September 12 at 1:00 p.m. ET against Urbana.

UD finished 9-3 overall, and 6-2 in the Pioneer Football League in 2008, head coach Rick Chamberlin's first season in charge of the Flyer football program. The Flyers' three losses were by a total of only 14 points. Dayton led the conference in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and sacks. Dayton returns 11 starters from that team.

Key returnees for the Flyers include 2008 All-PFL First Team selections Kalen Hemmelgarn (5th year defensive tackle from St. Henry, Ohio), Joe Ries (senior linebacker from Cincinnati,), Steve Valentino (senior wide receiver/kick returner from Solon, Ohio), and second-team selection Sean Heenan (5th year defensive tackle from St. Joseph's, Mich.). Also back for Dayton is Matt Smyth (5th year safety from Highlands Ranch, Colo.), who led FCS football in passes defended in 2008.