By Quincy Burns

Final Road Game of 2024

This Week in Valpo Football: The Valparaiso University football program will board the buses for the final time in 2024 this week prior to Saturday’s road finale at Dayton. Valpo will look to replicate its success from its most recent road trip by making it back-to-back road victories. This will mark just the second time that sixth-year Valpo head coach Landon Fox will return to his old stomping grounds, where he spent over a decade and was the Flyers defensive coordinator prior to accepting the head coaching position at Valpo.

Previously: The Beacons experienced Hoosier Helmet heartbreak this past week as a promising drive with under two minutes remaining was snuffed out in Butler territory on a lost fumble, causing the hosts to fall 24-17 to Butler at Brown Field. Freshman Gary Givens III had three catches for 96 yards including a touchdown, while redshirt junior Jake Birmingham registered a dozen tackles to lead a valiant defensive effort against one of the top scoring offenses in FCS.

Series Notes: Valpo is 5-27 all-time against Dayton and enters this week with hopes of recording back-to-back wins over the Flyers for the first time ever. The Beacons came away with a 21-7 victory at Brown Field last season, forcing eight punts and two turnovers on downs while limiting the Flyers to just 175 yards of total offense and seven points. That was Valpo’s best performance in terms of total defense since 2014 and best in league play since 2008. Valpo’s last trip to Dayton saw the hosts score the game-winning touchdown in the closing seconds to prevail 31-24 on Oct. 29, 2022. Valpo is 1-15 all-time at Dayton and has dropped nine straight dating back to the team’s lone road victory in the series on Oct. 11, 2003 (33-28).

Following the Beacons: Saturday’s game will air on Facebook Live courtesy of Dayton athletics. In addition, the hometown radio call will be available on 95.1 FM Valparaiso, ValpoAthletics.com and the TuneIn Radio app featuring Todd Ickow (play-by-play) and Brandon Vickrey (analyst). Links to live video, audio and stats can be found on ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach Landon Fox: Landon Fox (20-41) is in his sixth season as the head coach of the Valparaiso University football program in 2024. Over the last four seasons, Fox has led Valpo to 14 Pioneer Football League victories, the most in a four-year period in program history. This stretch marks Valpo’s most league wins in a four-year period in any conference since 1961-1964. Fox finished the 2023 season with 17 victories as Valpo head coach, tied for the seventh most in program history. He coached his 2023 team to a 3-2 record at Brown Field, the group’s highest home win total since 2017. Fox’s teams continued to thrive academically in 2023 as well, led by PFL Scholar-Athlete of the Year Evan Annis, who became the first Beacon to earn that honor. He was part of a group of five Academic All-PFL selections, tied for the most in the league and the program’s most since 1998. During the 2022 campaign, Valpo had 64 PFL Honor Roll members, the most in program history. After spending the previous 11 seasons as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the University of Dayton, Fox was named the head football coach at Valpo prior to the 2019 season. He helped the Flyers finish with 10 winning seasons in his 11 years on staff and guided a defensive backfield that produced one All-American, four Academic All-Americans, two PFL Special Teams Players of the Year and three corners who were invited to NFL Rookie Minicamp. Prior to joining Dayton’s staff, Fox served as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Wayne State University in Detroit from 2005-2007. He also spent time as a defensive graduate assistant at Ball State University (2004), Dayton (2002-2003) and Lakeland College (2001). Fox began his coaching career as an assistant varsity coach at Preble Shawnee High School in Camden, Ohio during the 2000 season. During his playing days, Fox was a team captain and all-conference performer at Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio from 1995-1999 and graduated with a degree in physical education and health in May 2000 before earning his master’s degree in education from Lakeland in May 2002.

Block Party

• Onye Nwosisi notched his second blocked kick of the season, turning away a field-goal try in Week 11 vs. Butler. He previously blocked a field-goal attempt on Oct. 5 vs. Drake.
• Nwosisi became just the 13^th player nationally in FCS with multiple blocked kicks this season.
• As a team, Valpo has blocked three, tied for the 16^th most nationally.
• Valpo has turned away 26 kicks in Landon Fox’s six seasons as head coach.

Hats Off to the Defense

• The Valpo defense should be commended for its work in Week 11 vs. Butler, holding a PFL-leading offense that was averaging 37.8 points per game (sixth nationally) to 24.
• The Bulldogs had scored a combined 94 points over their previous two games – 48 at Davidson and 46 vs. Stetson. The team also put 40 on Morehead State and had scored 40 in six of its seven wins prior to the game at Valpo.
• In the last two games, Valpo has permitted a grand total of seven second-half points. Strangely enough, the Beacon defense has been especially stingy in the third quarter, as Valpo opponents have not scored in the third quarter in any of the team’s last six games.
• Valpo has not allowed a third-quarter point in any of its five PFL games. In fact, neither team has scored a third-quarter touchdown in any of the team’s league contests. Valpo is seeking its first third-quarter touchdown this season.

Notes Wrapping Up Week 11: Butler 24, Valpo 17

• The Beacons played their 29^th one-score game of Landon Fox’s head coaching tenure and their fourth against Butler in that time. Valpo has played four one-score thrillers this season including each of the last two contests.
• Freshman Gary Givens III hauled in three catches for 96 yards, while redshirt sophomore Chris Gundy had three for 42. Redshirt freshman quarterback Caron Tyler went 8-of-16 through the air for 158 yards and a touchdown. Givens’ 96 receiving yards were the most by a Beacon this season.
• Redshirt senior running back Michael Mansaray totaled 82 rushing yards and one score on 23 carries. Mansaray had his seventh rushing TD of the year, while Givens recorded the second TD grab of his rookie campaign.
• Fifth-year senior Sam Johnson averaged 47.2 yards per punt on five attempts, his fourth straight game averaging at least 45 yards per punt.
• Redshirt junior Ryan Hawk made his only field goal try, went 2-for-2 on PATs and had two of his four kickoffs go for touchbacks.
• Redshirt junior Jake Birmingham boasted a career-high 12 tackles to lead the team, followed by Max Franco with nine and Sam Hafner with eight. Franco’s total marked the second highest of his career and highest since Oct. 15, 2022, also vs. Butler. Birmingham’s tackle total was the highest by a Beacon since Will Abrams (13) on Oct. 28, 2023 at Butler.
• Colin Graves had his first career forced fumble, while Kevin Spelman had his first career fumble recovery.
• Valpo went 9-for-16 on third down.
• Only four combined penalty flags were thrown in the contest – two against each team.

On the Road Again

• Valpo is 1-5 in its last six road finales with the lone victory in the final road game of a season in that stretch coming 47-3 on Nov. 13, 2021 at Butler.
• Valpo will look to make it back-to-back road wins for the first time since beating Presbyterian and Morehead State on the road in October 2022.
• The Beacons’ 17-14 win at Marist in their most recent road game stopped a 10-game skid away from Brown Field.

Buckeye State Beacons

• With head coach Landon Fox having Ohio roots, its no surprise that 14 members of the program will be returning to their home state for Saturday’s game.
• Redshirt junior running back Barret Labus (Wadsworth), redshirt junior defensive back Caleb Rao (Liberty Township), redshirt senior running back Michael Mansaray (Columbus), senior linebacker Rylan Woods (Cincinnati), redshirt junior quarterback Michael Appel Jr. (Springboro), freshman wide receiver Ryan Ricketti (Rocky River) redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Matt Molnar (Avon Lake), redshirt junior kicker Ryan Hawk (Columbus), redshirt senior offensive lineman Tyler Eberhart (Barberton), freshman offensive lineman Nathan Snedegar (Westerville), sophomore offensive lineman Noah Kline (Loveland), redshirt freshman offensive lineman Austin Lambert (Delaware), freshman wide receiver Jack Elgin (Akron) and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Antony Morris (Cincinnati) all hail from the Birthplace of Aviation.
• Valpo defensive coordinator Dave Marquis served as the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Dayton from May 2017 to March 2019, when he worked under Fox, who was Dayton’s defensive coordinator at that time.

Scouting the Flyers

• Dayton, which will hold its senior day on Saturday, was picked to finish sixth of 11 in the PFL preseason poll and currently sit in seventh in the PFL standings.
• The Flyers have dropped three straight since beating Butler 21-14 on Oct. 19. Offense has been an issue as they’ve been held to 10 points or fewer during each game of the skid.
• Most recently, Dayton fell 16-10 vs. San Diego last week.
• Head coach Trevor Andrews is in his second year at the helm of his alma mater.

Punting Prowess

• Redshirt senior punter Sam Johnson is not only in position to break the program record for single-season punting average, but he is also poised to become the Pioneer Football League season-single recordholder.
• Greg Wood’s 2010 punting average of 43.63 yards per punt is currently not only the Valpo program record, but also the PFL single-season record. He is slightly ahead of Ben Niesner, who turned in a punting average of 43.58 in Spring 2021.
• Johnson is up to third nationally in FCS with his punting average of 46.9. He is behind only The Citadel’s James Platte (48.1) and Elon’s Jeff Yurk (47.9).
• Valpo’s team punting average of 42.76 ranks second nationally behind only Youngstown State (43.63).
• Johnson is in position to lead the PFL in punting average, marking the fifth straight year that the PFL leader in punting is a member of Valpo’s program.
• Johnson has booted 19 punts 50+ yards this season, already believed to be the most in program history, more than Greg Wood’s high of 15 in 2011.

Hawk Tries to Soar Into Record Book

• Johnson isn’t the only Valpo specialist finding success, as Ryan Hawk is 10-for-13 this season and 14-for-20 in his career on field-goal tries.
• The Valpo kicker is only one make away from cracking the program’s all-time top 5. Andrew McCawley (2003) and Dimitrios Latsonas (2017) are tied for fifth in program history with 11 made field goals in a single season.
• Valpo’s record for made field goals in a single-season is 13, which has stood since it was established by Kevin Mackey in 1984.
• Hawk is a perfect 8-for-8 on field-goal attempts that are less than 40 yards.
• In addition, 19 of his 32 kickoffs this season have gone for touchbacks and he’s a perfect 13-for-13 on PATs.
• Hawk ranks 24^th nationally and fifth in the PFL by hitting 76.9 percent of his field-goal tries. He ranks 30^th nationally and third in the PFL at 1.11 made field goals per game.

Career Notes

• Kevin Spelman has 12.5 career sacks. Since 2005, that is the third most career sacks by a Valpo player behind John Guilford (2012-2015; 19.5) and Nikko Carson (2009-2011, 13). Spelman recently passed Tre Purty (12, 2019-2021).
• Spelman has 74 yards from sacks, tied for the second most in a Valpo career since 2005, behind only John Guilford (125).
• Sam Hafner owns 24 career tackles for loss, the fifth most by a Valpo player since 2005. Guilford (40, 2012-15) has the most, followed by Nikko Carson (30, 2009-2011), Tre Purty (26.5, 2019-21) and Adam Rundh (25, 2006-2009).
• Max Franco has 21 career passes defended (19 breakups, two interceptions), the third most by a Valpo player since 2005. Josmar Diaz-Martinez (29, 2015-18) leads, followed by Kohlton Sherman (24, 2018-2022).

Notes Wrapping Up Week 9: Valpo 17, Marist 14

• Running back Michael Mansaray rushed for a season-high 135 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. He was just shy of his career high of 141 set on Sept. 18, 2021 at Cal Poly while playing for South Dakota.
• Quarterback Caron Tyler went 14-of-20 through the air for 131 yards. Eight Beacons caught passes, led by Jack Coulson with three catches for 57 yards.
• Mark Johnson and Jimmy Pouba both registered career highs in the tackle department as they shared the team lead with 10 apiece.
• In the kicking game, Sam Johnson averaged 45.2 yards per punt on five attempts, while Ryan Hawk improved to 9-for-12 for the season and 13-for-18 in his career on field goals. He was also 2-for-2 on PATs and two of his four kickoffs went for touchbacks.
• Marist outgained Valpo 298-292 in total offense, but Valpo held a 161-136 advantage on the ground. The Beacons overcame nine penalties for 87 yards in a turnover-free contest.
• Junior Jeffery Vercher had a 47-yard kickoff return.
• This marked Valpo’s 28^th one-score game in Landon Fox’s time as Valpo head coach.
• Valpo won at Marist for the second straight trip, in the process ending a 10-game road skid that dated back to the previous visit to Poughkeepsie on Nov. 12, 2022.

Recognition Rolls In

• Three members of the program were recognized for their contributions in Valpo’s 17-14 victory at Marist on Oct. 26.
• Sophomore defensive back Mark Johnson was named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week after producing a career-high 10 tackles to share the team lead. He delivered a game-clinching pass breakup on Marist’s final offensive snap of the contest.
• Redshirt freshman linebacker Nic Lendino also had a crucial pass breakup, stripping away a would-be go-ahead touchdown pass on Marist’s penultimate offensive snap. Lendino’s big breakup was the cherry on top of a day that featured a career-high seven tackles including a team-high four solos. Although the PFL does not officially recognize a Freshman of the Week, Lendino was tabbed the league’s top freshman and was nominated for national recognition. He earned FCS National Freshman of the Week honorable mention from Stats Perform for his efforts against the Red Foxes.
• Redshirt senior punter Sam Johnson – no relation to Mark – helped Valpo own an advantage of nearly 10 yards per punt over Marist’s punting average, a win in the punting game that played a key role in the victory on the scoreboard in a tight, low-scoring affair. Johnson averaged 45.2 yards per punt on five attempts, pinning two inside the 20 including his long of 61. Johnson won his third PFL Special Teams Player of the Week Award this season.
• In total, Valpo has six PFL weekly awards this season including four honors provided by the special teams unit. Michael Mansaray (offense) and Ryan Hawk (special teams) were both recognized on Sept. 22 for their roles in Valpo’s 31-23 double overtime victory over Roosevelt, while Johnson was previously named PFL Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 15 and Oct. 20.

Hurricane Havoc

• The Valpo at Stetson football game scheduled to take place on Oct. 12 in DeLand, Fla. was originally postponed due to Hurricane Milton. On Nov. 6, the two teams announced that the contest was canceled and would not be made up.
• This would have been the first visit to the state of Florida during the tenure of any active Valpo player, including the program’s longest-tenured player, sixth-year senior defensive back Austin Chilton.
• Chilton, the last active player who committed to Valpo prior to Landon Fox’s arrival, is a native of Windermere, Fla., located an hour away from DeLand.
• Four other Beacons hail from the Sunshine State – running back Brian Thomas, wide receiver Jackson Coulson, offensive lineman Jacob Gorberg and wide receiver Gary Givens III.

Rookies on the Rise

• Although the PFL does not officially hand out a Freshman of the Week award, Valpo boasted the league’s nominee for National Freshman of the Week consideration in back-to-back weeks in Week 2 and Week 3 and did so again in Week 9.
• Redshirt freshman Caron Tyler was the league’s top rookie after going 8-of-17 passing for 160 yards and a touchdown and rambling for 120 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns in Week 2 at No. 25/23 Youngstown State.
• Redshirt freshman Nic Lendino was recognized for his role in Valpo’s Week 3 victory over Indiana Wesleyan. After he was originally disqualified due to targeting, Lendino was reinstated into the game when the targeting call was reversed at halftime. He made the most of his opportunity, recording six tackles and the interception that helped wrap up the win with 5:05 remaining.
• Lendino was recognized as Stats Perform FCS National Freshman of the Week Honorable Mention, one of seven freshmen nationally in FCS recognized for their play in Week 3.
• Lendino earned Stats Perform FCS National Freshman of the Week honors again in Week 9 after his role in Valpo’s road victory at Marist, when he once again was the league’s honoree for national freshman honors.

Acrobatics & Tumbling

• Caron Tyler leaped over several Youngstown State defenders and sailed his way into the endzone to complete a seven-yard touchdown run on Sept. 7 at Youngstown State. The redshirt freshman quarterback took off from the five-yard line with the incredible leap.
• The play was featured on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays, ranking No. 2 on the iconic ESPN countdown that evening.
• Earlier in that edition of SportsCenter, Tyler’s leap was highlighted during the “two-minute drill” segment as the Most Acrobatic Play of the Day in college football.
• Tyler also received praise from ESPN’s College Football Final, checking in at No. 4 on that show’s Plays of the Day.
• The play was also highlighted on the NCAA FCS Football X account and was shared by Bleacher Report on TikTok.

O Captain, My Captain

• Valpo named its three captains for the 2024 season shortly before the Week 1 game at UNI.
• Redshirt senior defensive lineman Sam Hafner, senior linebacker Jimmy Pouba and redshirt senior offensive lineman Tyler Eberhart received the honor.
• Hafner and Eberhart are second-year captains, while Pouba holds the distinction for the first time this year.
• The Beacons will have a rotating game captain for the fourth captain spot each week.

Hafner Does It All

• Sam Hafner received preseason accolades related to each of the three main pillars of the Valpo Athletics Department – classroom, competition and community.
• Hafner was tabbed to the Preseason All-PFL Team, the lone Valpo player to earn that honor, after finishing second nationally among tackles by a defensive lineman with 63 last season. He was also named to the Phil Steele All-PFL First Team.
• Hafner was nominated for the 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works team, which recognizes college football athletes for their unwavering commitment to community service and their “good works” off the field. A 2023 team captain, Hafner is the community service leader for the Valpo football defense, helping organize and track volunteer hours for the team. He also works summer football camp, participates in a Boys & Girls Club holiday event every December and is involved in the team’s Polar Plunge to raise money for Special Olympics.
• Hafner owns a 3.78 cumulative grade point average in biology/chemistry, and was named a semifinalist for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy, which is college football’s premier scholar-athlete award and annually recognizes an individual for a combination of academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

More Preseason Plaudits

• Hafner was not the only player to receive recognition this summer, as offensive lineman Tyler Eberhart was named The Leadership Playbook 2023-24 Collegiate Male Student-Athlete of the Year.
• That award is presented to an individual who exemplifies sportsmanship, positive leadership and good teamwork. Eberhart, a team captain and mechanical engineering major, made a positive impact on the program through leadership despite suffering a season-ending injury in the 2023 season opener at Youngstown State.
• Four Beacons were named to the Phil Steele Preseason All-PFL Third Team – senior offensive lineman Carter Woody, senior defensive back Max Franco, junior running back Ryan Mann and junior defensive lineman Kevin Spelman.
• The Beacons will look to exceed preseason projections as they were picked 10^th of 11 in the PFL preseason poll. Defending champion Drake earned the top spot in the poll.

Star-Studded Staff

• Head coach Landon Fox’s 2024 coaching staff features three former National Football League players and five coaches who have either played or coached in the professional ranks.
• Offensive line coach Michael Brewster started 49 consecutive games at Ohio State, the second longest streak in program history, and earned a variety of awards and honors. He was a Freshman All-American in 2008, garnered All-Big Ten honors in 2010 and 2011 and was the only junior to be named a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the best center in college football, in 2010, when he was also named a First Team All-American. He spent two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars – seeing action in 26 games and making 10 starts – and later had stints with the Miami Dolphins (2014) and New Orleans Saints (2015).
• Quarterbacks coach Gibran Hamdan was a signal caller in the NFL from 2003-2010, playing for the Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft by Washington after playing his college football at Indiana, where he was a two-sport athlete and also played baseball. He passed for 2,115 yards and nine touchdowns during his senior season with the Hoosiers.
• Cornerbacks coach Stanford Routt was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Houston and played for the Raiders for seven seasons from 2005-2011. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans during the 2012 season and was part of the Baltimore Ravens organization in 2013. Routt played in 119 NFL games and made 60 starts including three different seasons where he started every game for the Raiders.
• Running backs coach Kearstin Schweitzer came to Valpo after a stint working with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League, where she spent the summer as part of the National Coaching Academy Fellowship with the Buccaneers and learned under longtime NFL running backs coach Skip Peete. She previously spent time with the Bucs as an NFL National Coaching Academy Finalist in May, working as part of the offensive staff during minicamp. She was also part of the NFL Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the summer of 2023. She became the first female position coach in Valpo and Pioneer Football League history. She joined St. Thomas’ Anna Caruso (Quality Control: In-Game Strategy and Data Research) as females with on-field coaching responsibilities in the PFL.
• Special Teams Coordinator / Safeties Coach Marc Hull served as the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League before arriving at Valpo.
• Fox will have more of a presence on the offensive side of the ball this season. He’ll leave the defense in the hands of his two confidants who have the most experience in his system – Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers Coach David Marquis and Assistant Head Coach / Co-Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Line Coach RJ Ghilarducci. Marquis is in his second season on Valpo’s staff and previously worked under Fox at Dayton. Ghilarducci is the program’s longest-tenured assistant coach in his fifth season.
• Tight Ends Coach / Recruiting Coordinator Jack Jarnigan spent the last two seasons as an offensive line graduate assistant under head coach Jerry Kill at New Mexico State University (FBS). During his playing days, he was a four-year starter at Valpo, where he was a fixture on the offensive line from 2016-2019 after redshirting as a freshman in 2015.
• Evan Matthes, who handles quality control with an emphasis on specialists, is another former Valpo standout. He earned All-PFL First Team honors at punter in 2023 and was a member of the program each of the last two seasons after beginning his playing career at West Virginia from 2018-2021.
• Wide receivers coach Justin Bosch joined the Beacons after spending time as the wide receivers coach at the University of Rochester and Kenyon College. Nickelbacks coach Dayven Coleman joined the Valpo staff after stints at UNLV and Austin Peay.
• Former Michigan State offensive lineman Luke Campbell is back for his second season as Director of Sports Performance. He was a four-year letter winner for the Spartans, for whom he saw action in 43 career games and made 26 starts.
• Head Football Athletic Trainer Nicole Mioduski is back for her seventh season of Valpo football. She is the longest-tenured on-field member of the program. Rose Paul (second season) and JP Ehrman (first season) round out the athletic training staff.
• Sarah Hacker is the program’s Director of Football Operations, while Patrick Oliva is a graduate student equipment manager.

2023 Valpo Football Feats

• Increased the team’s Pioneer Football League win total over a four-year period to 14, the program’s highest league win total in a four-year stretch since 1961-1964.
• Set a program record for PFL Honor Roll members with 64 and tied for the most Academic All-PFL First Team honorees in the league with five, the program’s most since 1998.
• Led the conference and ranked fourth nationally in blocked punts with four and led the PFL and ranked fifth nationally in total blocked kicks with five.
• Led the PFL and ranked 12^th nationally in kickoff return average at 23.16.
• Led the PFL and ranked 25^th nationally in punting average at 38.22.
• Led the PFL and ranked 28^th nationally in rushing defense at 123.3.
• Ranked second in the PFL and 50^th nationally in scoring defense at 24.8.
• Ranked second in the PFL and 22^nd nationally in total defense at 318.5.
• Had the team’s best scoring defense (24.8 ppg) in a traditional fall season since 2000 (21.7).
• Had the team’s best rushing defense in a traditional fall season since 2007. The team has ranked in the top four in the PFL in rushing defense in all five seasons under Landon Fox.
• Had the team’s best total defense (318.5) in a traditional fall season since 2000 (299.1).
• Posted a 3-2 record at Brown Field, the team’s highest home win total since 2017 (4-1).
• Allowed just 175 yards of total offense in a 21-7 win over Dayton on Nov. 4, helping Valpo improve to 2-2 against Dayton under Landon Fox after going 3-25 in matchups with the Flyers that occurred prior to his arrival. The 175 yards of total offense was the fewest permitted by the Valpo defense in a league game since Nov. 15, 2008 at Campbell.
• Landon Fox climbed into a tie for seventh in program history with Dave Cecchini for wins by a Valpo head coach with 17.
• Played seven games decided by seven points or fewer, the program’s most one-score games in a single season since 1976. Entering 2024, Valpo has played 25 one-score games in Landon Fox’s 52 games as head coach. In 2023, the team played five straight one-score games for the first time since 2003.
• Erased a 15-0 deficit to beat Southwest Minnesota State 16-15 on Sept. 30.
• Came within six points of eventual undefeated PFL champion Drake, falling 20-14 on Oct. 7 to an FCS Playoff bound team.

2023 Individual Achievements

• Evan Matthes tied for third in program history in single-season punting average at 43.2.
• Micah Mackay became the 26^th player in program history with a punt return for a touchdown.
• Max Samuel blocked three kicks, tied for the fifth most in a single season in program history.
• Jashon Butler led the PFL and ranked fourth nationally in kick return average at 30.8.
• Tyler Geiman led the PFL and ranked third nationally with 1.6 passes defended per game.
• Evan Matthes led the PFL and ranked 13^th nationally in punting average at 43.2.
• Max Samuel led the PFL and ranked third nationally in blocked kicks with three.
• Samuel had two blocked punts in the same game on Nov. 11 vs. Stetson, one of only eight players in the FCS nation with multiple blocked kicks in the same game in 2023.
• Sam Hafner finished the season with 63 tackles, the second most nationally by a defensive lineman.
• Solomon Davis had 10 receptions on Sept. 23 vs. Marist, the first Valpo player with a double-figure reception total since Tanner Kuramata in 2014. Davis had 175 receiving yards in that game, the most by a Valpo player in a single game since Kuramata in 2013.

2023 Awards & Honors

• Evan Annis, PFL Scholar-Athlete of the Year (first Valpo student-athlete to win the award since it began in 2014)
• Evan Matthes, FCS Punter of the Year Award Semifinalist
• All-PFL First Team – Solomon Davis, Sam Hafner, Evan Matthes
• All-PFL Second Team – Evan Annis, Jashon Butler
• All-PFL Honorable Mention – Max Franco, Tyler Geiman, Mohamed Kamara, Ryan Mann, Kevin Spelman and Carter Woody
• Academic All-PFL First Team – Evan Annis, Tytus Ragle, Sam Hafner, Kurt Kessen, Evan Matthes
• Academic All-PFL Second Team – Ryan Mann
• Phil Steele All-PFL First Team – Solomon Davis, Sam Hafner, Evan Matthes, Jashon Butler
• Phil Steele All-PFL Second Team – Evan Annis
• Phil Steele All-PFL Third Team – Kurt Kessen, Tyler Geiman
• College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District – Kurt Kessen, Sam Hafner, Evan Annis, Tytus Ragle, Ryan Mann
• Weekly Awards – Max Samuel (PFL Special Teams Player of the Week 11/12), Evan Matthes (PFL Special Teams Player of the Week 11/5)

Roster Rundown: The program has continued to bring in talent from all over the United States. This year’s roster features athletes from over half of the 50 states as 28 states are represented. Illinois is the state most represented on Valpo’s roster as 26 players hail from the Land of Lincoln. Other states in double figures are Indiana (19), Ohio (14) and California (10).

Who’s Back?: The 2024 Beacons boast seven returning starters on offense and five on defense.

Family Tree

• QB Michael Appel Jr. has two family members who played football at Morehead State University – father Mike (1993-1997) and uncle Jim (1989-1992)… The Morehead State annual academic award is named after his father and uncle as both were Academic All-Americans at MSU… Appel’s young brother Matt is a freshman offensive tackle at Navy.
• LB Hayden Bedell’s cousin is former Valpo offensive lineman Drew Parrish.
• TE Jalen Jones’ uncle Derrick Coleman was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. Coleman went on to play in the NBA from 1990-2005, was the 1991 NBA Rookie of the Year and was an NBA All-Star in 1994.
• DL Sam Hafner’s great aunt Louise Erickson played professional women’s basketball for three years (Racine Belles one year, Rockford Peaches two years).
• QB Caron Tyler’s father is rapper Aaron Tyler, better known by stage name MC Eiht.
• DB Mark Johnson’s father Mark played football at Vanderbilt from 1986-91.
• RB Amir Simmons is the cousin of Taco Charlton, who played at Michigan and was a 2017 first-round NFL draft pick.
• OL Noah Gargano’s uncle Greg Murphy played at Penn State from 1970-1974 and was selected in the 12^th round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers before playing with the Patriots (1976), Jets (1977-78) and Oilers (1979).
• TE Brayden Welch is the son of Joshua Welch, part of MMA Team Quest for 17 years.
• The parents of DB Kyle Patenaude – Allison Prado and Jerry Patenaude – both played rugby at Chico State.
• DL Betrand Berry II is the son of former Notre Dame defensive end Betrand Berry, who went on to play 12 years in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams, Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals. He was Second-Team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl selection in 2004.
• WR TJ Caldwell’s father Tracy played football at the University of Arkansas from 1990-1993.
• DL Max Munoz is the nephew of James Oesterle, who played football at Valpo from 1991-92.
• TE JT Gawrys is the son of Steve Gawrys, who played baseball at BYU from 1987-1991 and went on to play semi-pro ball.

Did You Know? #BeaconBits

• DB Austin Chilton lives a few minutes from Walt Disney World and can hear the Magic Kingdom Fireworks from his neighborhood every night. His career goal is to design and build rollercoasters for Disney World.
• LB Justin Jurmu’s oldest brother Jordan was a national finalist in the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship in 2015 at Augusta National.
• DL Alex Goworowski has never seen Star Wars, Rocky, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones or Caddyshack.
• DL Dawson Rye had a pet aquatic frog for over 15 years.
• TE Evan Jernegan has built out the biggest Lego set, the UCS Millennium Falcon.
• K Ryan Hawk is a certified advanced scuba diver.
• OL Noah Kline’s extended family is so large that at one point he had a relative living in every state except Maine.
• DL Cole Muilenburg’s family was all born on either the 15^th or 21^st of the month.
• WR Tyler Threat was born and raised in Dallas as a huge Cowboys fan. During a youth football season in Texas, he played against Coach Deion Sanders’ team and executed very well on both sides of the ball. His team won and Coach Prime came up to him after the game and gave him a high five.
• WR Ryan Ricketti trains MMA.
• QB Clayton Mains went to the same high school that produced Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney
• OL Nathan Snedegar is a second-degree blackbelt in Taekwondo.

Player-by-Player Quick Hits – Projected Offensive Starters
*Based on two-deep, starters subject to change

• WR #84 Gary Givens III, Fr. – Burst onto the scene with three catches for 71 yards and his first collegiate touchdown in Week 2 at Youngstown State… Posted a season-high 96 receiving yards, the most by any Valpo player this year, on three grabs including a touchdown in Week 11 vs. Butler.
• LT #77 Jake Russell, R-Fr. – Did not see game action in 2023… Had a good spring and fall camp to earn the top spot on the depth chart… Also competed in wrestling in high school… Was named the team’s Offensive Player of the Week following the Week 3 game vs. Indiana Wesleyan.
• LG #62 Carter Woody, 5^th – Started all 12 games in 2022 and all 11 games in 2023… Earned the 2023 Sever Award, presently annually to the team’s top offensive lineman… 2023 All-PFL Honorable Mention… 2024 Phil Steele Preseason All-PFL Third Team.
• C #60 Tyler Eberhart, R-Sr. – Suffered a season-ending injury in the 2023 season opener at Youngstown State… Earned 2023-24 Leadership Playbook Collegiate Male Student-Athlete of the Year honors… 2023 team captain… Played in all 12 games on Valpo’s offensive line in 2022.
• QB #1 Caron Tyler, R-Fr. – 2023 Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year… Saw action in two games in 2023, retaining four years of eligibility… Jumped over several defenders and landed in the end zone after taking off from the five-yard line on Sept. 7 at Youngstown State. That play was No. 2 on SportsCenter Top 10, No. 4 on College Football Final’s Plays of the Day and was named the Most Acrobatic Play of the Day in College Football on SportsCenter’s “two-minute drill” segment… Came off the bench to go 8-of-17 passing for 160 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 120 yards and two scores on 15 carries on Sept. 7 at Youngstown State. He had the highest single-game rushing total by a Valpo quarterback since Chris Duncan had 154 on Oct. 12, 2019 vs. Dayton… Went 8-of-17 passing for 70 yards and rushed for 115 yards on 18 carries in Week 3 vs. Indiana Wesleyan… Started at QB and went 14-of-20 through the air for 131 yards in Week 9 at Marist.
• RG #50 Nico Paic, R-So. – Was converted from defensive line to offensive line prior to the 2023 campaign…  Played in 11 games and made six starts in 2023.
• RT #70 Noah Kline, So. – Played in nine games, all starts in 2023… Team captain in both football and track & field during his senior season.
• TE #89 Jake Vickers, R-Sr. – Made seven catches for 105 yards and one touchdown while playing in nine games in 2022… Started all 11 games and made 16 catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns in 2023.
• WR #9 Chris Gundy, R-So. – Played in all 11 games in 2023 and racked up 195 receiving yards on 12 catches… Had six kick returns for 105 yards and three punt returns for 27 yards in 2023, bringing his all-purpose yard total to 331… Hauled in a 57-yard reception on a pass from Caron Tyler on Sept. 7 at Youngstown State… Had a six-yard TD catch for his second career score and first of the season in Week 3 vs. Indiana Wesleyan.
• SLOT #4 Brian Thomas, So. – Made a 21-yard touchdown reception on Sept. 21 vs. Roosevelt.
• RB #7 Michael Mansaray, R-Sr. – Played at South Dakota from 2020-2023, competing in 10 games during the 2023 season… Scored Valpo’s first touchdown of the season on a one-yard run that followed his 61-yard reception in Week 1 at UNI. He finished the game with three receptions for 79 yards while also rushing for six yards and a touchdown… Had 12 rushes for 46 yards in Week 2 at Youngstown State… Had 97 rushing yards on 16 carries in Week 3 vs. Indiana Wesleyan… Named the PFL Offensive Player of the Week for Week 4 after rushing for 132 yards and two scores in the win over Roosevelt. He ran for a 51-yard TD in the third quarter and a game-winning 17-yard TD in the second overtime… Rushed for a season-high 135 yards and two touchdowns in Week 9 at Marist, finishing just shy of his career-high 141 rushing yards set in September 2021 at Cal Poly while playing for South Dakota… Had a rushing TD while totaling 82 yards on 23 carries in Week 11 vs. Butler.

Player-by-Player Quick Hits – Projected Defensive Starters
*Based two-deep, starters subject to change

• DE #90 Sam Hafner, R-Sr. – Started all 11 games in 2023… 2024 Preseason All-PFL, 2024 Phil Steele Preseason All-PFL First Team, 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominee, 2024 Campbell Trophy Nominee… 2023 All-PFL First Team, 2023 Academic All-PFL First Team, 2023 Team Defensive Player of the Year, 2023 CSC Academic All-District, 2023 Preseason Phil Steele All-PFL Second Team… 2022 Academic All-PFL First Team, 2022 All-PFL Second Team, 2022 CSC Academic All-District, 2022 Phil Steele All-PFL Third Team… Finished the 2023 season second nationally in tackles by a defensive lineman with 63.
• DT #91 Kevin Spelman, R-Jr. – Was the only PFL player and one of 25 players nationally named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List for the honor presented annually to the nation’s top FCS freshman in 2022… Tied for fifth in the PFL in sacks and was one of nine players in the league with multiple forced fumbles in 2022… Ranked fourth in the nation in sacks by a freshman in 2022… Earned All-PFL Honorable Mention at both defensive line and long snapper in 2022… 2023 All-PFL Honorable Mention (long snapper)… 2024 Preseason All-PFL (LS)… Appeared in 10 games and made nine starts in 2023… Came up with his first career fumble recovery in Week 11 vs. Butler.
• NT #59 Isaiah Fowler, R-Fr. – Played in two games and redshirted in 2023… Northwest Indiana native and a Chesterton High School product.
• DE #9 Onye Nwosisi, Jr. – Played in all 11 games and made three starts in his first season at Valpo in 2023 after transferring from Muskingum… Had 32 tackles including 15 solos, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in 2023… Named the team’s Defensive Player of the Week for the Week 3 win over Indiana Wesleyan after sharing the team lead with eight tackles to go along with a sack and two QB hurries… Had 1.5 tackles for loss including a sack while also recording Valpo’s first blocked field goal since October 2021 (Nathan Orlandini vs. San Diego)… Blocked a Butler field-goal try in Week 11, becoming just the 13^th player nationally in FCS with multiple blocked kicks this season.
• LB (Will) #41 Hayden Bedell, R-Jr. – Had four tackles in Week 1 at UNI and Week 4 vs. Roosevelt… Played in eight games in 2023… Made his first collegiate start and recorded a team-high seven tackles in Week 6 vs. Drake.
• LB (Mike) #44 Jake Birmingham, R-Jr. – Played in all 11 games in 2023 and all 12 games in 2022… Had 40 tackles in 2022 and 17 in 2023… Had 36 of his 40 tackles in 2022 over the final four games of the season including three straight double-figure tackle outputs… Tied for the team lead in tackles with eight on Sept. 7 at Youngstown State… Shared the team lead with eight tackles in Week 3 vs. Indiana Wesleyan… Led the team with seven tackles and a had a key strip sack in Valpo’s Week 4 win over Roosevelt. The strip sack marked his first career sack, first career fumble recovery and second career forced fumble… Returned for Week 8 vs. St. Thomas after missing the previous two games due to an injury, and tied a career high with 11 tackles to lead the team… Recorded a career-high 12 tackles, the most by a Valpo player in any game this season to date, in Week 12 vs. Butler.
• LB (nickel) #15 Jimmy Pouba, Sr. – Played in eight games and made one start in his first season at Valpo in 2023 after transferring from College of the Sequoias… Tied for the team lead with a career-high nine tackles in Week 1 at UNI… Shared the team lead and improved his career high with 10 tackles in Week 9 at Marist.
• CB #14 Nic Lendino, R-Fr. – Played in four games in 2023, retaining four years of eligibility… Was a 7v7 national champion with the Midwest Boom… Had a key interception with 5:05 remaining to help seal the Week 3 victory over Indiana Wesleyan. He had six tackles to go along with his first career pick, a game where he was initially disqualified due to targeting before the call was overturned at halftime… Made his second interception of the season in Week 6 vs. Drake, turning away a Bulldog scoring chance by making the snag in the end zone. He became the first Valpo player with multiple interceptions in a season since Kohlton Sherman had four in 2022… Broke up a would-be go-ahead Marist touchdown catch in the final minute to help Valpo preserve a 17-14 victory in Week 9. He had seven tackles in that game and was tabbed FCS National Freshman of the Week Honorable Mention by Stats Perform.
• S #28 Mark Johnson, So. – Had six tackles in Week 5 at Morehead State… Played in 10 games in 2023… Broke up a pass on Marist’s fourth-and-1 from the Valpo 28 in the final minute of Valpo’s 17-14 victory in Week 9. He finished the game with a career-high 10 tackles, sharing the team lead. He was named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
• S #7 Colin Graves, Sr. – Started all 11 games in 2023, posting 70 tackles including 35 solos… Has played in each of the team’s 23 games over the last two seasons… Tied for the team lead with nine tackles in Week 1 at UNI… Followed that up by once again sharing the team lead in tackles with eight in Week 2 at Youngstown State… Had his first career forced fumble in Week 11 vs. Butler.
• CB #5 Max Franco, Sr. – Had an interception and a 34-yard return on Nov. 12, 2022 at Marist… 2024 Phil Steele Preseason All-PFL Third Team… 2023 All-PFL Honorable Mention… 2023 Team Most-Inspirational Player… Played in all 23 games over the last two seasons… Had 30 tackles, 22 solos, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and eight pass breakups in 2023… He made his second career interception in Week 3 vs. Indiana Wesleyan… Had the second highest tackle total of his career and the second highest on the team with nine in the Week 11 game vs. Butler.

Specialist Quick Hits – Projected Starters

• K #37 Ryan Hawk, R-Jr. – Made a 47-yard field goal in Week 2 of 2023 at Indiana Wesleyan on the first attempt of his collegiate career… Kicked a go-ahead, 34-yard field goal in overtime that stood as the difference in the 23-20 win over Stetson on Nov. 11, 2023… Played in all 11 games in 2023… Had 42 kickoffs for 2,405 yards, averaging 57.3 yards per kick while booting 21 touchbacks in 2023… Went 4-for-7 on field-goals and 10-for-11 on PATs last year… Went 3-for-3 on PATs and 1-for-1 on field goals on Sept. 7 at Youngstown State… Made two field goals including a go-ahead 37-yarder with 5:24 remaining in a 20-17 victory over Indiana Wesleyan in Week 3. Also booted four of his five kickoffs for touchbacks and averaged 64.2 yards per kick in that contest… Was named the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 4 after going 3-for-4 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points while also booting four of his five kickoffs for touchbacks in Valpo’s 31-24, 2OT win over Roosevelt. He had a career-long 51-yard field goal, Valpo’s longest since 2003, and became the first Valpo kicker with three made field goals in a game since 2017. His 39-yard field goal at the end of the first overtime extended the game… Had his eighth made field goal of the season, a 22 yarder, for Valpo’s only scoring in Week 6 vs. Drake… Went 2-for-2 on PATs, had touchbacks on two of his four kickoffs and drilled a 25-yard field goal that represented the difference in the game in Week 9 at Marist… Made his only field goal try, went 2-for-2 on PATs and hit two of his four kickoffs for touchbacks in Week 11 vs. Butler.
• P #46 Sam Johnson, R-Sr. – Joined the program prior to the 2024 season after previously playing at Alabama and Jackson State… Walk-on who made the start at punter for the first four games of the Crimson Tide’s 2020 season… Won one SWAC Championship at Jackson State and an FBS national championship and two SEC crowns while at Alabama… Averaged 48.4 yards per punt on eight boots in Week 1 at UNI… Had a 65-yard punt on Sept. 7 at Youngstown State, Valpo’s longest since Evan Matthes hit one 67 yards on Oct. 14, 2023 vs. Morehead State… Earned PFL Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his Week 3 performance vs. Indiana Wesleyan, when he averaged 42.7 yards per punt on six attempts and pinned four inside the 20. In the game, he also recovered a blocked field-goal attempt while serving as the holder and completed a 25-yard pass for a first down… Averaged 50.6 yards per punt on seven punts with four of the seven traveling 50+ yards in Week 6 vs. Drake… Averaged 50.5 yards per punt on eight attempts in Week 8 vs. St. Thomas, earning the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season… Averaged 45.2 yards per punt on five attempts with a long of 61, helping Valpo own an advantage of nearly 10 yards per punt over Marist in Week 9. His efforts landed him the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week honor for the third time this season… Averaged 47.2 yards per punt on five attempts in Week 11 vs. Butler, his fourth straight game with a punting average of 45 or better.

Senior Day

GAME NOTES (PDF)

https://daytonflyers.com/documents/2024/11/13/Notes_Valparaiso_Web.pdf

DAYTON — The University of Dayton football team will host Valparaiso on Senior Day Saturday at 12 Noon ET.  Dayton is now 5-4 overall and 3-3 in the Pioneer Football League after last week’s 16-10 loss to San Diego.

19 Flyers will be recognized in Senior Day ceremonies on Saturday — Danny Baker, Conor Clyde, Ca’ron Coleman, Mitchell Colter, Dylan Davidson,  Logan Foody, Nate Hess, Chase Holmes, Ryan Iiams, Cole Johnson, Jeremy Jonozzo, Colin Koennecke, Dan Kowaleski, Jerell Lewis, Aiden McKinley, Logan Miller, Kevin Roberts, Ty Stylski, and Austin Yeager.  Six others who went through Senior Day last year will be playing their final home game — Cade Beam, Luke Brenner, Jake Coleman, Dylan DeMaison, Alec Keathley and Jack Wardzala.  At halftime, one of those 25 will be awarded the Lt. Andy Zulli Memorial Trophy.

UD leads FCS football in total defense (247.4 yards per game) and passing yards allowed (128.9) opponent first downs (12.9) and blocked kicks (7).  Dayton is second in FCS opponent third down conversion (25.4%).   Linebacker Gideon Lampron leads FCS in TFL (2.2).  Lampron and safety Vincent Firenze are tied for third nationally in blocked kicks (2).  O

Valparaiso is 3-6 this season and also 1-4 in the PFL.  After dropping three games by double-digit margins at the start of league play, VU has played 60-minutes game the last two  outings — a 17-14 win at Marist and a 24-17 loss to Butler at home last week.

Beacon coach Landon Fox spent 11 seasons on Mike Kelly’s and Rick Chamberlin’s staff at Dayton as defensive coordinator and secondary coach.  Now in his sixth season at Valpo, this is just the second time Fox has brought his team to Welcome Stadium, that to the scheduling quirks of the Pioneer Football League.

The Flyers entered the season with the fifth-best winning percentage (.711, 180-73) in FCS football since 2000 AND have produced the most football Academic All-Americans (36) in Division I in the same time frame.  The top five in winning percentage are North Dakota State (.804), Montana (.766), Harvard (.751), San Diego (.712) and Dayton (.711).

The Flyers are one of 11 FCS teams to win 700 games.  The first eight members of the FCS 700 Win Club were Yale, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, North Dakota State, Dartmouth, Delaware and Lehigh.  Dayton was the ninth.  Northern Iowa and Lafayette joined the 700 win club last season.

The Pioneer Football League is in its 31st season.  The original (and now the only) Division I strictly need-based football league began with charter members Butler, Dayton, Drake, Evansville, San Diego and Valparaiso.    The Flyers’ 141-55 record is the best in PFL history.
UD’s 12 league championships are tied with San Diego for the most in PFL history.

Trevor Andrews was named the University of Dayton’s head football coach on Dec. 12, 2022.
A 1998 Dayton graduate, he brought 25 years of college coaching experience back home to his alma mater.  Andrews was a three-year letterwinner at defensive back for the Flyers.  He was a member of three Pioneer Football League championship teams.

Dayton will close out the regular season in Minneapolis at St. Thomas next Saturday.  Game time is 2 p.m. ET.

COURTESY DAYTON MEDIA RELATIONS