In January 1991, NCAA delegates met in Nashville, Tenn., for theassociation's annual convention with a major issue on the docket'sfinal day. Upset for some time that Division I athletic programswere playing football in Division III, including the successfulUniversity of Dayton, D-III presidents wanted those teams out.
The vote for Proposition 53 was conclusive at 569-157 and createda major change for the Flyers and coach Mike Kelly.
'How did Mike handle it? Like a pro,' said Larry Kehres, theMount Union College coach who has a 260-21-3 record and nineDivision III national championships in 22 seasons. 'He stayed withhis school, stayed loyal and gave Dayton a solid days' work everyday.'
It wasn't the only challenge Kelly faced at UD, but it wasperhaps the most significant. In 1993, when the new rule tookeffect, the Flyers went from perennial Division III power andchampionship contender to the six-team Pioneer Football League,playing as one of a handful of Division I programs withoutscholarships. Without a playoff, only a league championship waspossible.
To some, it was a downward move. But, more than his 246-54-1record, Kelly's brilliance in 27 seasons as Dayton's football coachwas guiding the program through such a change and continuing itsmassive on-field success. Without a playoff at season's end, Kellyrecruited players and fans with solid blocking and tackling as wellas his focused view of winning the game in front of them.
Some programs faltered, but UD remained a winner with a WestMilton-raised coach who became a Dayton institution along the way.
'Once you're dealt a hand, you can moan and gripe or you canbuckle it up and say we're going to figure out the best way to run aprogram,' said Walt Hameline, the 27th - year coach at Wagner, whichalso moved from D-III to I-AA in 1993. 'That's what Mike did.'
Assistant first
After graduating from Manchester College in 1970, Kelly took highschool coaching jobs in Union City, Ind., and Logansport, Ind. Inhis spare time, he scouted upcoming opponents for Earlham Collegeand later Hanover College when both were coached by Rick Carter.
Kelly and Carter had a relationship since childhood, when theirfathers worked side-by-side at NCR. Carter invited Kelly to join hisHanover staff in 1975 as defensive coordinator, and Kelly signed on -- with a $4,000 pay cut and duties including wrestling coach,baseball coach, intramural director and teaching 12 hours ofclasses.
Meanwhile, Dayton football was near a major change. Afterstarting football in 1905, UD entered its modern era in 1923, thefirst of 24 seasons for legendary coach Harry Baujan. By the 1970s,though, the program was struggling to keep up with other Division Ischools and chose to eliminate scholarships and join D-III forfootball.
To former players and many fans, it was a lesser brand offootball. That's the Dayton world Kelly entered when Carter washired in 1977, the first season in D-III.
'They approached it by saying, 'This is good football, just watchus,' ' said Rick Chamberlin, who was then a UD All-Americanlinebacker and became a 28-year Dayton assistant before taking thehead coaching job Tuesday. 'We were winning, and people love awinner.'
In 1980, UD punctuated that success by winning its first D-IIInational championship. Soon after, Carter left for Holy Cross andDayton promoted the 32-year-old Kelly.
'I felt like if I was ever going to become a head coach,' Kellysaid at the time, 'this was the time, the time to cut the cord.'
In Kelly's first season, Dayton again played in the nationalchampionship game. In his first 12 seasons, his teams won 10 or moregames eight times, with another D-III national championship in 1989and four title game appearances overall.
Dayton's success was widely known, enough that New York Yankeesowner George Steinbrenner once cut through a gathering of reportersto point to Dayton Daily News sports editor Si Burick.
'How,' barked the Ohio native, 'does the University of Daytonproduce all those winning football teams?'
Changing football
Division III administrators grew more frustrated with higher-division schools playing for their championship in 1987, when Daytonlost to Wagner in the title game.
'Two Division I schools,' one D-III president said, 'playing forour championship.'
Although not drastically smaller in enrollment, the D-III schoolswere uncomfortable about Dayton's facilities and its ability to takerecruits to UD basketball games. Schools such as Wittenberg andWilmington couldn't compete with such amenities.
'For instance, we had a 200-piece marching band,' Kelly said.'There were some who thought that wasn't what Division III was meantto be. My answer was I don't remember any of our band membersrunning for a touchdown.'
Still, the NCAA voted in 1991 to restrict Division I schools.Beginning in 1993, they could no longer play Division III infootball. Some called it the Dayton Rule, as the Flyers had a 158-29-3 record since eliminating scholarships in 1977.
'I was relieved,' Kelly said. 'We were tired of trying to defendwhat we were doing even though we were doing exactly what everyoneelse was doing. Could we take a recruit to see Dayton-Notre Dame inbasketball? Sure we could. But now we didn't have to face thecriticism and we could focus on football.'
Facing challenges
The D-III football refugees included Dayton, Butler, Drake,Evansville, San Diego and Valparaiso, so the six schools joined toform the Pioneer Football League. If nothing else, the leagueprovided a chance for a championship, as the teams were now barredfrom the Division III playoffs.
'The league was created by necessity,' said Ted Kissell, the UDathletic director. 'It was without historical rivals, withouttradition, but with essentially a common problem, as we wanted tocontinue to play this brand of football. The rug had been pulled outfrom under us, all of us. The challenge there is keeping the fansinvolved as much as recruiting players.'
Dayton didn't stop winning. From 1993-96, its first six seasonsplaying I-AA nonscholarship football, the Flyers went 37-5 beforeclaiming I-AA Mid-Major national titles in 2002 and '07.
But many consider Kelly's greatest achievement his ability, as anassistant and head coach, to guide the program through two majorchanges and preserve its place as one of the winningest programs inall of college football.
'One of the best things Coach Kelly did was keep his playersfocused at all times,' said former quarterback Brian Kadel, who wasa sophomore when the Flyers moved into I-AA and was the team MVP in1995.
'We didn't even think two weeks out. We focused on the calls,blocking and tackling; that was it. That's why he was alwayssuccessful.'
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 orknagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.
The modern era of UD football
Although the University of Dayton fielded its first football teamin 1905, the 'modern era' began when Harry Baujan coached the firstof his 24 seasons in 1923. From there, UD went through threeseparate incarnations of football: major college and Division I,Division III and nonscholarship Division I-AA.
Mike Kelly, who retired this week after 27 seasons, arrived at UDas an assistant during its first season in D-III, and he guided theFlyers through some significant changes.
Division I (or major college): 1923-1976 Record: 249-231-20
Coaches: Harry Baujan (1923-46), Joe Gavin (1947-53), Hugh Devore(1954), Bud Kerr (1956-59), Stan Zajdel (1960-62), Pete Ankney (1963-64), John McVay (1965-72), Ron Marciniak (1973-76)
Significant season: In 1951, Dayton went 7-2 and played in theSalad Bowl, where it lost to Houston 26-21.
Division III: 1977-1992 Record: 158-29-3
Change: The program dropped its 40 scholarships to participate inthe nonscholarship D-III without a winning season in Division I in10 years and a 39-54-3 record in that time.
Coaches: Rick Carter (1977-80), Mike Kelly (1981-92)
Significant season: In 1980, Dayton went 14-0 and won the D-IIInational championship. Carter left for Holy Cross the next season,and Kelly was promoted to head coach.
Division I-AA nonscholarship: 1993-present Record: 127-32
Change: The NCAA disallowed schools from upper divisionscompeting in D-III for football, which made UD one of a handful ofschools to play Division I football without scholarships. And, therewas no longer a playoff.
Coach: Mike Kelly (1993-2007)
Significant season: In 2007, Dayton rebounded from a 4-6performance the year before to go 11-1 and win the Pioneer FootballLeague and Gridiron Classic. The Flyers were crowned I-AA Mid-Majornational champions for the second time.
