DAYTON, Ohio – The Stetson football team has a mantra that, no matter what happens, the next man has to be ready to step up.
 
The Hatters needed several players to step up on Saturday against Pioneer Football League power Dayton and, despite giving the Flyers all they could handle, Stetson was unable to generate enough offense to avoid a 21-10 loss.
 
Stetson falls to 4-4 overall on the year with the loss, 2-3 in PFL play. Dayton improved to 7-2, 5-1.
 
Stetson went into the game with three true freshmen in the starting lineup on offense while also missing a pair of key pieces on defense – including All-American Donald Payne, who made the trip to Ohio but was not medically cleared to compete.
 
"There is no question that the effort was there, but I have to do a better job of getting them prepared," Hatters coach Roger Hughes said. "We started out well offensively, but we were not able to take advantage of some things and we have to protect the quarterback better."
 
Even without Payne and starting corner Dre Long available, the Stetson defense more than held its own against the Flyers, holding Dayton to just 253 yards of total offense. The Hatters finished the game with 256 yards.
 
"Football is an injury game and sometimes your best players get hurt," Hughes said. "When they are out, you have to find a way to pick things up and get going. I thought the effort was there, and you can't say things would have been different with (Payne) out there."
 
Stetson got on the board first in the game. The Hatters took their first possession, with freshman Cole Martin and junior receiver Darian Wright alternating snaps at quarterback, on a 14-play drive than ended in a 22-yard Grant Amick field goal with 8:03 left in the first quarter.
 
After that drive, six of the next eight Stetson possessions started inside the Hatters' 15-yard line.
 
"They did a great job of pinning us deep and I just didn't feel comfortable opening the offense up down there," Hughes said. "Our defense hung in there for a long time, we just have to go back and learn from our mistakes and get better."
 
Dayton got on the board late in the first quarter after an Eric Fogle punt from near the Stetson goal line was returned 17 yards to the Hatters' 38. Jared Ruffing took the ball to the Stetson four on a run and then quarterback Alex Jaske plowed in for the touchdown.
 
Stetson had a chance to get those points right back when Kegan Moore returned the ensuing kickoff 86-yards for a touchdown, but the Hatters were flagged for a block in the back during the play and an unsportsmanlike conduct foul after the play, backing the ball up to the Stetson 11.
 
"I'll have to look at the film because I am not sure I believe the call, but it was a huge boost to them because I thought we had the momentum at that point," Hughes said. "That is just what you have to deal with on the road."
 
The Hatters never got back to within scoring distance until the very end of the game.
 
Dayton extended its lead to 14-3 in the second quarter on another quick drive after a short Stetson punt. After Jaske ran for 11 yards and then was sacked for a loss of four, he dropped a perfect pass over Hatters' defender Glenn Adesoji and into the hands of Ryan Skibinski for a 28-yard TD.
 
The Flyers put the game away late after taking over on downs near midfield. Jeske did most of the damage himself on the seven-play drive, rushing for 37 yards, including the final eight for the score with 3:11 left to play.
 
Stetson was able to answer in the final minutes of the game, but not without a heavy cost. The Hatters drove 74 yards in six plays, with Wright plunging into the end zone from the one with 1:32 to play. The cost on the drive was the loss of Martin, who suffered an injury to his throwing hand on a 20-yard completion to Wright when he was hit by Dayton's senior linebacker Christopher Beaschler.
 
The hit resulted in a personal foul, but left Wright to compete the drive. Moore had runs of 18 and 17 yards to the Dayton one before Wright did the rest.
 
Even with Payne and Long out of action, the Hatters still piled up 10 tackles for loss in the game, led by David Lazear with 3.5 and Davion Belk with three. The game ended with neither team able to force a turnover.
 
The Hatters will return home to Spec Martin Stadium next Saturday for a Homecoming tilt again Marist. That game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.