“I was behind two fifth-year captains, Joe Bubonics and Brandon Easterling,” said Lenti, who’s from La Grange Park, Ill., and Mount Carmel High School. “Throughout my career, I’ve been able to learn so much from those two guys. I’m really close with them. I’m still in contact with them to this day. They taught me a lot. It’s dudes like that kind of laid the foundation for us. We’re trying to keep it going.”
Lenti heard from both Saturday when he made his first career start in a 22-20 season-opening victory at Robert Morris. Easterling sent him a text message before the game. Bubonics attended the game and was the first person Lenti talked to after the game.
“He said we looked really good and he was proud of us,” Lenti said.
Lenti had seven tackles and a pass breakup. Piqua graduate Ca’Ron Coleman, a sophomore defensive back, also made his first start and had eight tackles, including one for a loss of seven yards.
Dayton’s defense will get a bigger test in its second game. The Flyers play at Youngstown State (1-0) at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The Penguins beat Duquesne 31-14 in their opener. Jaleel McLaughlin, a third-team All-American who ran for 113.9 yards per game last season, ran 20 times for 203 yards and three touchdowns.
Dayton leads the series against Youngstown State 9-1. Youngstown State won the last meeting 28-10 in 2013. Prior to that game, the teams hadn’t played since 1977.
“On paper, undoubtedly, they are bigger, they are faster, they’re stronger,” Dayton coach Rick Chamberlin said. “They’re well coached. We’re going to be playing on their field. There are a lot of challenges, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. We just have to go and execute and make sure we play our best game yet. Even though we played well in the first game, there are areas we can get better, and we need to get better to have a chance against Youngstown.”
Dayton quarterback Dante Casciola made his debut in the opener. He completed 10 of 19 passes for 87 yards with one interception. He also ran 13 times for 96 yards. He scored on a 1-yard run on fourth down late in the third quarter to give Dayton a 22-14 lead.
“What I liked about Dante was when he did pull the ball down and take off running,” Chamberlin said, “he didn’t try to force anything, and that’s the sign of maturing quarterback.”
Casciola outgained Dayton’s fifth-year running back, Jake Chisholm, who ran for 75 yards on 22 carries. Casciola, a redshirt freshman who started his first game since high school, said he had never gained more yards on the ground than through the air in a game.
“There’s room for improvement,” Casciola said. “I definitely need to keep my eyes downfield on some of the scrambles. I left the pocket early a couple of times. I had the one turnover that I wish I could have back, but I was really commanding the offense more and I’m just glad we got the win. Any way we can do it is just how I roll.”
Wide receiver Luke Brenner made the big play of the game, running 62 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to give Dayton a 15-14 lead.
“It was a play we’ve been working on all fall camp,” Casciola said. “We set it up perfectly. We had Chisholm go the other way, and obviously, the defense keyed on him. Brenner is really fast, and he got the ball and took off.”
SATURDAY’S GAME
Dayton at Youngstown State, 2 p.m., 1290, 95.7
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