SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University head football coach Shawn Lutz has announced that offensive coordinator Justin Roper and running backs graduate assistant coach Billy Fessler have accepted Division I positions and have completed their time at The Rock.
 
Roper will join the offensive staff at the University of Northern Iowa as the quarterbacks coach. The Panthers finished the 2018 season with a 7-6 overall record and were ranked 23rd in the final FCS national poll. Fessler will join the offensive staff at Mississippi State of the prestigious Southeastern Conference (SEC) at the FBS level. Fessler was a quarterback at Penn State when Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead was the offensive coordinator for the Nittany Lions.
 
"I want to thank both of these men for their contributions to Slippery Rock football," said Lutz. "Justin was with us for three years and mentored two All-PSAC quarterbacks in that time and Billy worked with our single-season rushing record holder in his one season, so that gives you an indication of the kind of coaches these guys are. We wish them both a great deal of success in the future and we're excited to get busy searching for their replacements."
 
Athletic director Paul Lueken confirmed that a national search will take place to fill both positions, which are expected to attract a number of high-level candidates due to the strength of the Slippery Rock program. The Rock finished the 2018 season with an 11-3 overall record, reached the NCAA quarterfinals for the second time in the last four years and was ranked 12th in the final national poll. SRU also lost just four senior starters from the 2018 team and is expected to receive significant preseason national attention entering 2019.
 
Roper served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Slippery Rock for the last three seasons, helping The Rock to a 26-10 overall record during that stretch. His offense averaged 451.0 yards and 37.6 points over 36 games and consistently ranked among the national leaders in numerous categories.
 
Slippery Rock had 13 All-Conference offensive players and four All-Americans on offense during Roper's three years as the offensive coordinator. He mentored second team All-PSAC quarterback Tanner Garry in 2017 when Garry ranked second in Division II in total passing with 3,522 yards. The Rock ranked fifth in the nation in passing offense that year. Last fall, Roper mentored first team All-PSAC quarterback Roland Rivers III and led and offense that ranked fourth in the nation in total first downs (322). Rivers, who missed two games, finished the year ranked ninth in the nation in points responsible for.
 
Fessler spent just one season working with the running backs at Slippery Rock, where he helped mentor Wes Hills on his way to setting the SRU single-season rushing record with 1,714 yards. Hills was named to All-America honors following the season and received an invite to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, where he is garnering significant interest from NFL scouts.
 
The Rock offense rushed for 2,838 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2018 for an average of 202.7 rushing yards per game. SRU rushed for at least 192 yards in all three of its NCAA playoff games and averaged 223.0 rushing yards per game in the playoffs.
 
Slippery Rock will announce the replacements for Roper and Fessler in the coming weeks.
 


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