Walk onto the campus of the University of Dayton on a crisp Saturday in October, and you’ll feel it. It isn't the deafening, 100,000-seat roar you find up the road in Columbus. It’s different. It’s quieter, sure, but it’s steeped in this weird, stubborn excellence that shouldn't really work in the modern era of college athletics. University of Dayton football is an anomaly. While the rest of the college world is chasing NIL deals and massive TV contracts, the Flyers are over here playing non-scholarship football in the Pioneer Football League (PFL), winning at a clip that would make most blue-blood programs blush.
They don't give out athletic scholarships. Read that again. Every kid on that field is there because they want to be, supported by need-based aid or academic merit. Yet, they’ve produced NFL talent like Adam Trautman. It’s a program that lives in the tension between being "big-time" and staying small-town.
The winningest program you've probably ignored
If you look at the raw data, UD’s history is actually kind of staggering. For decades, they were the kings of Division III. Under the legendary Mike Kelly—a man who basically became a local deity in the Gem City—the Flyers were a juggernaut. Kelly finished his career with 246 wins. That isn't a typo. He lost only 54 games in 27 seasons.
People forget that Dayton won the D-III National Championship in 1980 and 1989. When they made the jump to Division I-AA (now the FCS) in the early 90s, everyone thought the party was over. You can't just stop giving scholarships and expect to compete with teams that are paying for their players' housing and meal plans, right? Wrong. UD helped found the Pioneer Football League, a conference specifically for schools that wanted to play at the highest level of the NCAA without the massive price tag of full-ride athletic grants. Since then, they've just kept winning. Honestly, it’s a bit ridiculous. They’ve grabbed a share of the PFL title 12 times.
Welcome to Welcome Stadium
The home turf is Welcome Stadium. It’s a multi-purpose bowl owned by Dayton Public Schools, which gives it a gritty, community-centered vibe. It’s not a shiny new "Palace of Football." It has track lanes around the field. It’s windy. But for a Flyer fan, it’s home.
The atmosphere isn't about flashy light shows. It’s about the "Flyer Faithful." You’ve got generational fans who remember the days of the "Old Tin Can" (the nickname for the tiny stadium that preceded Welcome). The tailgating scene in the parking lots along Edwin C. Moses Blvd is surprisingly robust. It’s a lot of craft beer, Redman’s sandwiches, and people who can tell you exactly who the starting quarterback was in 1994.
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The "Non-Scholarship" misconception
Let’s clear something up because people get this wrong all the time. "Non-scholarship" does not mean "club sports." These guys are Division I athletes. They lift the same weights, watch the same film, and endure the same brutal 6:00 AM practices as the guys at Alabama or Ohio State.
The recruitment process for University of Dayton football is actually harder than it is for scholarship schools. Think about it. A coach has to convince a 6'5" tight end who has scholarship offers from smaller D-II schools to come to Dayton and pay—even with financial aid—to play. Why do they do it? It’s the "Flyer for Life" pitch. The school has a massive alumni network, especially in engineering and business. The sell is basically: "Play high-level football for four years, get an elite degree, and we'll make sure you're employed for the next forty."
It works.
Why the NFL still scouts Dayton
You might think scouts wouldn't bother with the PFL. Then Adam Trautman happened. A small-town kid who turned into a third-round draft pick for the New Orleans Saints. Trautman proved that if you have the frame and the hands, the NFL will find you, even if you’re playing against Davidson or Valparaiso instead of Michigan.
Before him, there was Brandon Staley. Most people know him as the former head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, but before the headsets, he was a record-setting quarterback for the Flyers. The program specializes in a specific type of player: high IQ, incredibly disciplined, and usually carrying a chip on their shoulder because the "big" schools overlooked them.
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The Trevor Andrews Era
Right now, the program is in a bit of a transition. Rick Chamberlin, who was a fixture at UD for over 40 years as a player, coach, and head coach, retired recently. He was the bridge to the Mike Kelly era. Replacing a guy like that is a nightmare.
Enter Trevor Andrews. He’s a former Flyer linebacker. He knows the DNA of the place. He came back from a successful stint as an assistant at Western Michigan because he understands that UD isn't just another coaching job. It’s a culture. The 2024 and 2025 seasons have been about modernizing the offense while keeping that physical, Midwestern defensive identity.
They’re playing a schedule that takes them from the suburbs of New York (Marist) to the mountains of North Carolina (Davidson) and out to the West Coast (San Diego). It’s a weird travel itinerary for a school in Southwest Ohio, but that’s the PFL life.
What makes the rivalry with Butler so heated?
It’s the "Pioneer Land" battle. It’s the Hoosier State vs. the Buckeye State. Since both schools are similar—private, mid-sized, academically rigorous—they end up recruiting the same kids. The games are usually ugly, defensive slugfests decided by a field goal in the fourth quarter. It’s great.
There’s a genuine dislike there that you don't always see in non-scholarship ball. It makes the season. If UD finishes 7-4 but beats Butler, the alumni are happy. If they go 9-2 but lose to the Bulldogs, there’s a lot of grumbling at the local bars on Brown Street.
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The reality of the modern landscape
Is University of Dayton football sustainable? That’s the question everyone’s whispering. With the transfer portal and NIL, small schools are getting raided. If a Flyer has a breakout freshman year, a mid-major scholarship school might try to poach him.
UD’s defense against this is their community. The school is famously tight-knit. There’s a "Dayton 6th" mentality that extends to the football field. The fans and donors have started to figure out how to navigate the new NCAA rules, but they’re doing it the "Dayton Way"—quietly, and without the circus.
How to actually follow the Flyers
If you’re looking to get into University of Dayton football, don't expect to find every game on a major cable network. You have to know where to look.
- Streaming: Most home games and PFL matchups are on ESPN+. It’s the primary home for the conference.
- Radio: Check out WHIO. Larry Hansgen has been the voice of the Flyers for decades. Listening to him call a game is a rite of passage for fans.
- The Schedule: The PFL season typically heats up in October. Look for the October home stands; that’s when the weather is perfect and the student section is actually full.
- Visit Brown Street: Before the game, go to Flanagan’s or The Pine Club. If you want the real experience, you need to see where the fans congregate.
- Gear Up: The university bookstore in the Kennedy Union has the best selection of Flyer football apparel that isn't just generic "Dayton" stuff.
The best way to experience it is to just show up. Buy a ticket at the gate. Sit in the lower bowl. Watch a group of guys play for the literal love of the game because there isn't a paycheck waiting for them at the end of the tunnel. In 2026, that’s a rare thing to find.
The University of Dayton hasn't changed its identity to fit the times. Instead, it’s waited for the times to realize that their model—education first, winning second, but winning a lot—actually makes a whole lot of sense. Keep an eye on the PFL standings this November; don't be surprised if the Flyers are right at the top again.