ST. LOUIS, Mo. – University of Dayton quarterback Bryce Schondelmyer, Presbyterian College defensive back Caleb Francis, and University of San Diego kicker/punter Emiliano Salazar are the Pioneer Football League’s Week 5 Players of the Week, as announced Sunday.

Schondelmyer threw five first-half touchdowns and needed only 36 minutes to amass 333 passing yards in a PFL victory against Stetson. Francis picked off two passes, including one in the end zone, to help Presbyterian score its first PFL shutout in a win against Morehead State. Salazar hit a walk-off 25-yard field goal to help San Diego rally from a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat St. Thomas.

Butler, Dayton, Presbyterian, and San Diego all picked up home wins in the four-game opening week of conference play. The PFL’s second week of league action features five contests, highlighted by Butler traveling to St. Thomas in an early battle of teams 1-0 in the standings.

Offensive

Bryce Schondelmyer, Dayton (Sophomore (RS), Quarterback, Brookville, Ohio)
Schondelmyer threw five first-half touchdowns to power Dayton past Stetson 48-14 in PFL action on Saturday. He became the second Flyers quarterback to throw five touchdowns in a half. In just 38 minutes of action, Schondelmyer completed 19-of-23 passes for 333 yards and five touchdowns without an interception, setting career highs in completion percentage (82.6), completions, passing yards, and touchdowns. Schondelmyer’s first two touchdown passes went for 50 and 54 yards, and he followed that with TDs from 21, seven, and seven yards. Seven of his 19 completions went for 20-plus yards.

Others Nominated

• Butler quarterback Reagan Andrew completed 17-of-27 passes for 151 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another 57 yards on 14 carries in a 31-28 PFL victory against Marist.
• Presbyterian running back Zach Switzer ran for 158 yards and two touchdowns on six carries in a 41-0 PFL victory against Morehead State.
• St. Thomas wide receiver Quentin Cobb-Butler had six receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns in a PFL loss at San Diego.
• Stetson wide receiver Dylan Redmon had two touchdown receptions as part of a three-catch, 58-yard outing in a loss at Dayton.
• San Diego wide receiver Josh Heverly finished with five receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown in San Diego’s 30-27 PFL victory against St. Thomas.

Defensive

Caleb Francis, Presbyterian (Senior, Defensive Back, Jacksonville, Florida)
Francis picked off two passes, including one in the end zone, to help Presbyterian score its first league shutout since joining the PFL with a 41-0 victory against Morehead State to remain unbeaten in 2025. He finished with six tackles (five solo) and one for loss, along with the two interceptions. Francis set the tone right from the start, intercepting a pass on the first play from scrimmage to hand the Blue Hose offense a short field, leading to a 40-yard scoring drive. He then capped his performance on Morehead State’s most promising drive in the fourth quarter. With the Eagles at 1st-and-Goal on the one-yard line, he made a solo tackle for no gain on second down and then intercepted a pass in the end zone on fourth down.

Others Nominated

• Butler defensive back Will Mason had an interception, forced a fumble, and had four tackles (three solo) in a 31-28 PFL victory against Marist.
• Dayton linebacker Jon Kingsbury posted 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack as part of an eight-tackle (four solo) outing in a 48-14 PFL win against Stetson.
• San Diego defensive end Cooper Malachi blocked a field goal and forced a fumble all in the second half to cap a five-tackle (three solo) effort that included a tackle for loss in a 30-27 victory against St. Thomas.

Special Teams

Emiliano Salazar, San Diego (Sophomore, Kicker/Punter, Orange, California)
Salazar connected on all of his field goals, including a 25-yarder as time expired that lifted San Diego to a 30-27 PFL victory against St. Thomas on Saturday. He got San Diego on the scoreboard with a 42-yard field goal in the second quarter. In the fourth quarter, Salazar tied the game with a 34-yard field goal with 1:52 left and then hit the game-winner. He also made all three PATs to finish the day with 12 points. Salazar also had two punts average 49.5 yards, including a 57-yard boot, and handled kickoff duties with three touchbacks on six kicks.

Others Nominated

• Dayton linebacker Sam Schmiesing blocked a punt as part of a nine-tackle effort in a 48-14 victory against Stetson.
• Marist punter Ethan Yuska averaged 45.8 yards on five punts with no returns as three were fair caught and two were downed inside the 20-yard line in a loss at Butler.
• Morehead State punter Kip Warren averaged 48.2 yards on six punts, including a 75-yard boot that was one of his two for 50-plus yards, with one fair caught and one downed inside the 20-yard line in a loss at Presbyterian.

About the Pioneer Football League

The Pioneer Football League is the only non-scholarship, football-only NCAA Football Championship Subdivision conference. The PFL is a truly national conference with members on each coast and throughout the nation’s heartland. Butler University, the University of Dayton, Drake University, and Valparaiso University were among the league’s founding members in 1993, with Davidson College, Marist College, Morehead State University, Presbyterian College, the University of San Diego, the University of St. Thomas, and Stetson University joining to form the current 11-team league.