Even in the middle of January, University of Dayton head football coach Rick Chamberlin is busy.

Chamberlin gives the seniors on the team a deadline on whether they want to return for a fifth year. Players had until Jan. 16 to decide and, according to Chamberlin, 12 are coming back for a final season in a Dayton uniform.

"You always like that," Chamberlin said of the players returning. "I think it says something about their experiences; that they're enjoying it. Not just football, but the school itself, too. Sometimes I think of it as they don't want to go out in the real world yet. They want to hold onto one more semester of college life. But, there's more to it than that, I'm sure."

Among those returning are running backs Taylor Harris, who's season ended with a pulled hamstring, and Dan Jacobs; offensive linemen Bill Petraiuolo, Owen Elger and Dave Allen; and defensive linemen Kevin Kern, Phil DeBoer and Zach Weber.

Harris and Jacobs combined for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns. DeBoer, Kern and Weber had 10 sacks and 79 tackles on the season combined.

Senior running back Brian Mack also was part of UD's three-headed rushing attack, but Chamberlin said Mack will not be returning for a fifth year because he has a job offer following graduation.

Harris said he is pleased to have another season at UD. Last year, Harris was on his way to a 1,000-yard rushing season until he pulled his hamstring in the second-to-last game of the season against San Diego University on Nov. 5.

"I'm looking forward to it," Harris said in a phone interview. "Last year was kind of a disappointing season team-wise going 6-5. So coming back we have a really good chance with fifth-years coming back and we have returning starters coming back. It's really exciting to go at it one more year with guys I've been with the past four years."

Dayton has 21 players graduating, and thus nine leaving, from last year's team that finished an uncharacteristic 6-5. The NCAA allows athletes to fit four years of athletic eligibility within in a five-year window.

Chamberlin said the Flyers also are hot on the recruiting trail. Over the coming weeks, recruits will be touring the campus and deciding if Dayton is the place they want to play.

The fourth-year head coach said needs for this year's recruiting class are offensive linemen and linebackers. Recruiting, though, is a process that involves looking at needs in the future and not just the immediate present, according to Chamberlin.

"In your recruiting process, you not only look just at the great players that you lose like [redshirt senior defensive end] Devon Langhorst," Chamberlin said. "You can't expect a freshman to come in and be a Devon Langhorst. What you look at is the total team picture of depth at your posititions."

Harris said the reason he came to UD from Highland High School near Centerburg, Ohio - about 40 miles northeast of Columbus - was because of the sense of togetherness between members of the football team and students on campus.

"I know a lot of people say this, but [it was] the whole since of community," Harris said. "It was really nice. Everyone on the team is very hospitable; they care about each other. ... It's really a great group of guys you want to put yourself around. Visitng and everything, you just find that feeling that this is the place that I need to be."