University of Dayton Men's Football

Trevor Andrews was named the University of Dayton's head football coach on Dec. 12, 2022. He brings 25 years of college coaching experience to his alma mater. The 2025 season marked the third year of progress for the Dayton Flyers football program under head coach Andrew Trevor. Competing in the Pioneer Football League (PFL), the Flyers continued to build momentum with competitive performances throughout the season and several strong stretches of play against conference opponents, ending with a 7-4 record overall and a 5-3 mark in the PFL. Dayton fell short of eventual champion Drake after fighting for the championship down to the last two games. The PFL All league teams' honors were given to five athletes on The Flyers First Team this year. Four athletes from The Flyers Second Team also received honors. Eight other Flyers football players were named Honorable Mention this season. With their victory over No. 16/19 Presbyterian, this team of athletes helped earn eight PFL weekly awards and national recognition. The Flyers football team had 81 student-athletes on the honor roll in The PFL Academic Honor Roll. Dayton Football appears to have an excellent future, as all players, besides senior Yeager, are anticipated to return for the 2026 campaign. Andrews, 47, was a three-year letter winner at defensive back for the Flyers.  He was a member of three Pioneer Football League championship teams that had Mike Kelly as the head coach, and Andrews’ predecessor at Dayton , Rick Chamberlin, as the then-defensive coordinator.  The Flyers were a combined 37-5 over Andrews’ four years.  That includes Dayton’s undefeated (11-0) team in 1996.   “The reason I got into coaching was because of my experience at the University of Dayton,” Andrews said.  “Dave Whilding, Rick Chamberlin and Mike Kelly showed me the way, and made me want to help other young men have the kind of experience that I had playing college football at UD.”   Andrews brings a wealth of college coaching successes back to The Hilltop.  He returns to Dayton from Western Michigan, where he coached the Bronco linebackers for four seasons.  Prior to that, he was at William & Mary for 18 years, including six as Associate Head Coach, five as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for nine years.  He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Illinois Wesleyan in 1999 and coached one season at Randolph-Macon before moving to William & Mary.   “When I let myself think about it, I came to realize that coaching at the University of Dayton was my dream job,” the new Flyer coach reflected.  “The type of student-athlete you get to coach here is second to none.  You get to get to know them and their families in the recruiting process, watch them grow and mature in their time as they earn their degree and graduate, and years later they come back with their own families.  That’s what it’s all about.”    Over his coaching career, Andrews has coached 23 all-conference players, three league defensive players of the year and six NFL players.   Andrews earned his B.S. in physical education from UD in 1998.  He and his wife, Danielle, have four children, James, Sophia, Aiden and Annabelle.   “I’m humbled to be the Dayton football coach, a bit overwhelmed it’s actually happening, and very excited to get started,” Andrews concluded.   WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT TREVOR ANDREWS   Former Western Michigan Coach Tim Lester: “Dayton is getting an unbelievable leader in Trevor Andrews.  His knowledge of the game, ability to communicate, and willingness to create strong relationships makes him the perfect person to lead at Dayton.  He was a huge part of our success in recruiting and on defense.  I’m excited to watch his continued success.”   Former William & Mary Head Coach Jimmye Laycock: “Trevor worked his way up in our program by just doing things very well, and just getting better and better the longer he was here.  He’s a good one.  He understands all aspects of a football program.  I valued his input in every decision we made at William & Mary.  He earned the respect of myself, our staff and our players during his time here.  I know how special Dayton is to him.  He takes a lot of pride in being (a Flyer).”   Former Flyer Teammate/Current Duke Offensive Coordinator Kevin Johns: As a former player, I take great pride in the traditions and values that the University of Dayton football program has been built upon for the last 50+ years. No one in this country understands and believes in “Flyer Pride” more than Trevor Andrews. He is the exact right person to lead this program into the ever-changing landscape of college football. He will respect our history while also being creative enough to recruit and attract elite student-athletes to the University of Dayton. From Coach Carter to Coach Kelly to Coach Chamberlin and now to Coach Andrews, I’m excited to support Trevor as he becomes the next great head coach to lead our football team for many years to come. Go Flyers!     Former William & Mary Player/Current Buffalo Bills Quarterback Coach Joe Brady: “Trevor Andrews is a great football coach full of energy, with an impressive background in player development. Trevor has always valued relationships with his players. His players play their best under him. I know the pride and passion he has for the University of Dayton. He's never stopped representing the Flyers. Couldn't be more excited for Trevor, Danielle, and the Andrews Family!” Former Dayton Head Coach & College Football Hall of Famer Mike Kelly: “Coach Trevor Andrews experienced the traditions, culture, and success of Flyer football.  The Dayton Way is imbedded in his beliefs.  His ‘walk’ has prepared him for the head coach position.   Former Dayton Head Coach & UD Hall of Famer Rick Chamberlin: “Trevor Andrews is a great hire for the University of Dayton.  Not only is he a Flyer and knows the Dayton way, he has grown into an outstanding college coach since his graduation from UD.  I can't wait to see the 2023 Flyers under his leadership.”  

Bruton joined the Dayton Football coaching staff as the assistant coach/tight ends coach for the Flyers in 2025.  A native of Miamisburg, Bruton played tight end at Miami University (OH) from 2007-2011. Bruton returned to the field, in a coaching role, at Hiram College from 2018-2020. In his time at Hiram, Bruton coached running backs, tight ends, linebackers, and was the Special Teams Coordinator. In 2021, he coached the tight ends and fullbacks at the University of Findlay where he won a G-MAC Championship. In 2022, he served as the Offensive QC at the University of Buffalo, winning the Camillia Bowl vs Georgia Southern. In 2023 Coach Bruton Coached at Walsh University as their Wide Receivers Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. 2024 Coach Bruton was an Offensive QC at the University of Akron Bruton is married with two children. 

Bell was hired as the graduate assistant/linebackers assistant coach for the 2025 season.  Originally from Tampa, Fla., Bell has served as a student assistant coach at Florida A&M and has coaching experience at Livingstone College as well. 

Mark Ewald has been with the Flyers since the 2012 season, after 16 years with Wittenberg University. In his time at Dayton, Ewald has coached the top two rushers in UD history.  He mentored the 2015 Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Year, Connor Kacsor, and then led another of his running backs, Tucker Yinger, break Kacsor's records and become Dayton's all-time leading rusher. Ewald coached Wittenberg’s record-setting receiving corps from 1996-2005, before taking over the running backs coaching duties in 2006. Almost every Wittenberg receiving record was broken under Ewald, as the passing game flourished and was regularly ranked among the best in the NCAC and all of NCAA Division III. During his tenure, the running game saw great success as well. Coach Ewald was also instrumental in leading the Wittenberg Special Teams, specifically the kickoff return and coverage teams. Under his guidance, the Tigers were ranked in the Top 50 nationally multiple times. Ewald graduated from Capital University in 1988, where he received a Bachelor’s of Science in Marketing with a minor in Education. He and his wife, Diane, reside in Kettering, OH and have three children- Nicholas, Jacklyn, and Luke David.  Luke will play football at Ohio University beginning in the fall of 2019.

Tony Aker joined the Flyer football program as the wide receivers coach in the summer of 2025. He comes to UD after five years as the head coach at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisc.  The 2005 Wisconsin High School Athlete of the year brings 14 years of college coaching experience to Dayton. Aker began his coaching career at his alma mater, Wisconsin-Stevens Point, as a student assistant in 2011.  He spent four seasons as a full-timer on the staff at Stevens Point, serving as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator his last two years. He then spent the next four seasons (2016-2019) at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisc., where he was associate head coach and offensive coordinator/quarterback coach. A native of Bloomington, Ind., Aker moved to Brown Deer, Wisc. Wisconsin as a teen and was a star athlete at Brown Deer High School. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel chose him as its Wisconsin Athlete of the Year in 2005. He spent two years at Rochester Community and Technical College where he was an National Junior College Athletic Association All-American and two-time all-region performer. Aker helped lead his team to the 2007 NJCAA national championship. An All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection at Stevens Point, Aker earned a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2012.

Flyer football alum Scott Horcher returned to the Dayton football program during the 2019 season.  Horcher coaches the cornerbacks, the position he started at for UD from 2006 to 2009. Horcher played on teams that were a combined 33-12.  He was on teams that won the Pioneer Football League championship in 2007 and 2009, and the Flyers won the NCAA Division I-AA Mid-Major (non-scholarship) national championship by defeating Albany in the Gridiron Classic in 2007.  He was the ROTC Cannonball Award as UD’s top newcomer in 2006, and an Academic All-PFL performer. A high school teacher, Horcher has coached on the football staffs at Dayton area high schools since his graduation from UD in 2010. He was Special Teams Coordinator and coached defensive backs from 2011-15, and was defensive backs coach and then Co-Defensive Coordinator at Springboro High School from 2016-2018. In addition to his undergraduate degree in Education and Allied Professions from UD, he earned his master's in Fitness and Health Promotion from Concordia University Chicago in 2017  Scott continues to teach Physical Education and Health at Fairmont.  He and wife Renee live in Miamisburg and have three children Caroline, Camden & Callie.

Jay Terry joined the Flyer football coaching staff in the summer of 2024 and coaches the Dayton defensive line. He comes to UD from Susquehanna, where he was on the coaching staff for the last three seasons prior to his beginning with the Flyers.  The Bainbridge Island, Wash., native got his coaching start at West Virginia State, his alma mater.  He coached there for four years after finishing his playing career as earning all-conference honors as a defensive end.   Terry earned his Associate's degree in Kinesiology from Santa Barbara City College (2015), his Bachelor's in Exercise Science at West Virginia State (2018) and his Master's in Sports Administration from West Virginia State (2019).  

JJ Mira came to UD as assistant offensive line coach in March of 2025.   Mira was a four-year letterwinner on the defensive line for Tusculum University.  He played in 33 games in his career, including 22 starts over his final two seasons.  He was Second Team All-South Atlantic Conference(Mountain Division). A native of Fort Myers, Fla., Mira graduated from Tusculum with a degree in Business Management and a minor in Psychology.

Tim Cooper was named as an Assistant Coach for Dayton Football in the spring of 2026, entering his 30th year of coaching college football. He will focus on leading the linebacker unit for the Flyers.  *Hometown:  Oxford, OH - Talawanda HS *Family:  Jamie Cooper (wife), Joshua Szabo (son) Coaching Career: Prior to Dayton DePauw (IN) University - RBs  /  1997-98 University of Rhode Island - Restricted Earnings / DBs / 1999 University of Connecticut - GA / DBs / 2000 Carroll College (WI) - Defensive Coordinator / 2001-02 Miami University  - GA / DBs / 2003 Miami University  - Assistant Coach / DBs / 2004 - 08 * 2003 MAC Champions - 13-1 / AP #10 national ranking / GMAC BOWL Participant *2004 MAC East Champions / INDEPENDENCE BOWL Participant *2005 MAC East Champions *2007 MAC East Champions Indiana University - Quality Control  DBs / 2009 Butler University - Defensive Coordinator / LBs / 2010-16 *2012 PFL Champions *2013 PFL Champions / FCS Playoff Participant University of Pittsburgh - Quality Control / DBs & LBs 2017-18 *2018 ACC Coastal Champions  *2018 SUN BOWL Participant *2017 Upset Nationally Ranked (AP #2) University of Miami Hurricanes 24-14 University of Indianapolis - Defensive Coordinator / DBs 2019-22 *2019 - D2 Playoff Participant *2021 GLVC Conference Champions *2022 GLVC Conference Champion / D2 Playoff Participant *2022 Ranked #1 in RUSH DEFENSE NATIONALLY IN NCAA D2 (NCAA Statistical Leader) Western Michigan University - Safeties / 2023 *2023 Won the Michigan MAC Trophy Gardner-Webb University (NC) - Defensive Coordinator / Safeties / 2024-25 *2025 Tied School Record for D1 Wins (7)

Began at Dayton: July, 2025 Job Responsibilities: Assist with day to day operations of the program. Coordinate team travel. Coordinating and managing student film staff. Video uploads and exchange. Past Experience: Worked with the Penn State Football program as a student manager and as a football operations intern from the 2021 season to the 2024 season. Education:  Graduated in 2024 with a bachelor's degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management from Penn State University. 

Greg Whalen joins Flyer staff after coaching tight ends at Western Michigan in 2022.  Prior to that, Whalen was the offensive line coach at Marian University from 2019 to 2021.  Whalen helped guide an offense that ranked No. 10 in NAIA passing offense per game in 2020-21.  He led one of the top offensive lines in the NAIA in 2019, ranking second in the country in sacks allowed, just six for the entire season.  That line had an All-American and had four of five linemen earn All-Conference honors. Marian played in the NAIA national championship game in 2019.   Twenty-two of the last 35 starting offensive linemen he has coached were named all-conference.  A North Central College football alumnus, Whalen coached two seasons at North Central College (2017-18).  Prior to North Central, he was the offensive line coach for two seasons at Aurora University.  He also served as a defensive line and tight end grad assistant in 2014 at Aurora. Whalen played four seasons at North Central, starting 34 games and was a team captain, helping advance North Central to the NCAA DIII Semifinals as a senior.

John Bowes comes to UD from New Hampshire, where he has been the safeties coach since 2018.   A 2006 graduate of Catholic University (where he was a three-year starter in the secondary), Bowes got his coaching start at his alma mater immediately after his playing career ended.  He spent the 2007 season as a graduate assistant at Clarion University.  In 2008, he moved to William & Mary, where he coached for five years.  He began his time at W&M as a defensive and special teams assistant, then moved to defensive backs.  He also coached linebackers before being named special teams coordinator and safeties coach. He was part of three FCS playoff teams (2009, 2010, 2022) and two CAA championshi8p teams (2009, 2022) while at William & Mary. Bowes spent three years (2013-16) at Bucknell as the special teams coordinator, while coaching linebackers and then the secondary.  In 2015, he coached the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and Third-Team All-America safety Clayton Ewell.  Bowes spent one season at Fordham as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach.