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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University football team was picked to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division when the league announced its annual preseason coaches poll Wednesday.
 
The Rock received four of the available seven first place votes in the Western Division (coaches cannot vote for their own team) to be picked atop the division for the second straight season after also appearing atop the 2019 preseason poll. Despite winning six of the last nine division titles and being the top program in the PSAC over the last decade, this marks just the third time since 1999 that SRU was picked to win the PSAC West in the preseason poll.
 
"Preseason recognition is nice, but we know it doesn't mean anything in the long run," said head coach Shawn Lutz. "We have been ranked as high as No. 3 in the some of the preseason national polls that have been announced. Our guys know those rankings are based on 2019 and don't really have any impact on how this season will go. We have a really tough first week opponent and expect the PSAC West to be a real fight again this year. We have big goals and can't wait to get to work this weekend. It's been a really long time since we got to prepare for a football season and our guys are excited."
 
Indiana (Pa.) was picked second in the PSAC West with three first place votes. Cal U was picked third with the remaining first place vote. Mercyhurst and Edinboro rounded out the top five, followed by Seton Hill, Gannon and Clarion.
 
Shepherd was picked to win the PSAC East with six first place votes. West Chester was picked second with one first place vote and Kutztown picked up one first place vote to rank third. Bloomsburg and Shippensburg rounded out the top five and East Stroudsburg, Millersville and Lock Haven capped the Eastern Division poll.
 
Slippery Rock is set to open the 2021 season on the road at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan Thursday evening Sept. 2 with a 6 p.m. kickoff.
 
The Rock will officially report to campus this Sunday, Aug. 8, to begin preseason camp.
 
Check out the complete PSAC preseason polls, SRU preseason notes and a position-by-position breakdown heading into camp below.
 

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PSAC PRESEASON POLLS
 
WEST (# of 1st Place Votes)
1. Slippery Rock (4)
2. IUP (3)
3. Cal U (1)
4. Mercyhurst
5. Edinboro
6. Seton Hill
7. Gannon
8. Clarion
 
EAST (# of 1st Place Votes)
1. Shepherd (6)
2. West Chester (1)
3. Kutztown (1)
4. Bloomsburg
5. Shippensburg
6. East Stroudsburg
7. Millersville
8. Lock Haven
 
LUTZ READY FOR FIFTH SEASON AS HEAD COACH
Shawn Lutz enters his 26th overall year at Slippery Rock and his sixth year (and fifth season of competition) as head coach in 2021. Lutz was named the Division II National Coach of the Year by Don Hansen's Football Gazette in 2019 after leading SRU to the NCAA semifinals. In four seasons in charge of the program, Lutz owns a 39-11 overall record with two trips to at least the NCAA quarterfinals. The 39 wins are the most among all PSAC head coaches over the last four seasons.
 
COACH LUTZ SAYS
About the schedule: "We have a really tough schedule this year and one of the hardest week one games of any team in the region with a road trip to Wayne State. We certainly won't be sneaking up on them this year. After we beat them in week one in 2019, they went on a run and finished the year 8-3 with two of those losses against national semifinalists. They could be one of the best teams we play all year and it will be a stiff challenge right out of the gates after not playing for more than a year. We will learn a lot about our football team that first week. The PSAC West is always a gauntlet. There are no easy games in the PSAC West and we know we will get everyone's best effort."
 
Outlook for camp: "We haven't had a proper preseason camp in two full years so we are all really excited to get going this weekend. We have to place an emphasis on staying healthy and preparing the right way. Staying healthy will be the most important part of camp. After that, we have to figure out who is going to be our quarterback week one and what our identity as a team is going to be. We've added some pieces on both sides of the ball that we are excited about and camp will give us a chance to put the pieces together and see where we are."
 
On coaching changes: "We had a couple changes during the offseason with the staff. We will miss Jared Buck, Darrin Walls and Jake Reed and we wish those guys all the best in their next endeavors. They all did a great job in their roles here. We are thrilled with the group we brought in to replace them though. Joe Marella will coach the receivers, Anthony Cicione II will coach the defensive backs and Nick Fiacable is our new graduate assistant that will work with running backs and tight ends (STORY HERE). All three of those guys worked with Division I programs before coming here and they have all blended into our staff really well already."
 
On preseason polls: "I love when the preseason polls start coming out, because it means we are talking about football again and the season is coming up. But, we don't put a lot of weight in those polls, whether they are the PSAC or the national polls, because we know those are all based on the 2019 team and this team is going to be different from that team. We had a magical season in 2019, but this team will have a different identity and we're excited to figure out what that is."
 
WHY WE'RE PICKED NO. 1
Slippery Rock won its first 13 games in 2019 on the way to its best season in school history. The Rock won the PSAC West for the second year in a row, won the overall PSAC title, won the Super Region One title and posted a 13-1 overall record after bowing out of the NCAA playoffs in the national semifinals.
 
KINGS OF THE WEST
Slippery Rock has gone unbeaten in the PSAC West in each of the last two seasons and has won 16 straight PSAC Western Division games dating back to Oct. 21, 2017. The Rock are 20-2 against the PSAC West in their last 22 divisional games and have won six of the nine PSAC West titles dating back to 2011.
 
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS
Slippery Rock is the reigning PSAC champion after defeating Kutztown in a battle of 10-0 teams in the 2019 PSAC title game played at Kutztown. That title marked the 12th overall PSAC championship for SRU and its third since 2014.
 
PLAYOFF STAPLES
Slippery Rock has reached at least the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Playoffs in each of the last two seasons with a trip to the Super Region One final in 2018 and a Super Region title and a trip to the NCAA semifinals in 2019. The Rock have reached the NCAA Playoffs in five of the seven seasons dating back to 2013.
 
WINNING SEASONS STREAK
Slippery Rock has put together a winning season in each of the last 11 years. The only other program in the PSAC with more consecutive winning seasons currently is Cal U, which has strung together 18 winning seasons entering 2021.
 
PRESEASON NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Slippery Rock was ranked fifth in the Lindy's Sports College Football Preview magazine's Division II preseason national poll this summer. Receiver Henry Litwin and defensive end Chad Kuhn were both named first team preseason All-Americans by the publication. Litwin and Kuhn were also both named to the College Football America preseason team. College Football America ranked SRU No. 3 in its preseason poll. The Rock also came in at No. 4 in Wayne Cavadi's preseason "Power 10" that was posted to the official NCAA Website earlier today.
 
17 STARTERS RETURNING
Slippery Rock returns 17 players that saw significant starting action during the 2019 season, including eight offensive starters, eight defensive starters and one special team starter.
 
YOU DON'T REPLACE A ROLAND RIVERS III
The biggest question entering the 2021 season for Slippery Rock is who will take the week one snaps at quarterback after the departure of 2019 Harlon Hill Trophy winner Roland Rivers III. Rivers shattered SRU and NCAA records on his way to a consensus All-America season in 2019 that saw him named the National Player of the Year and the first SRU player to ever win the Harlon Hill Trophy. He threw for 4,460 yards with 52 touchdowns and just seven interceptions while completing 66.9 percent of his passes. Rivers also ran for 700 yards and nine touchdowns.
 
OTHER KEY LOSSES
In addition to Rivers, Slippery Rock will also be without two more first team All-Americans in left tackle Chris Larsen and linebacker Brad Zaffram, who both graduated. Larsen was a finalist for the Upshaw Award as the DII Lineman of the Year and Zaffram posted 19.5 tackles for loss to lead all linebackers in the nation in 2019. SRU will also need to replace kicker Jake Chapla, who had one of the best four-year careers in program history. He shattered the all-time scoring record at SRU and set the PSAC record for points by a kicker.
 
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
Slippery Rock returns two first team All-Americans from 2019 in receiver Henry Litwin and defensive end Chad Kuhn. Both are expected to be among the best in the nation again at their position in 2021. Litwin already owns the SRU career record for touchdown catches with 29 in just two seasons as a starter. He broke SRU single-season records with 103 catches for 1,509 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2019. Kuhn had a breakout junior season in which he racked up 17.0 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks to go along with 58 total tackles in 2019.
 
TWO MORE ALL-AMERICA CANDIDATES
Slippery Rock has at least two more players garnering preseason attention as potential All-Americans in slot receiver Jermaine Wynn Jr. and right tackle Jake Tecak. Wynn is coming off a stellar season in 2019 that was among the best in the nation for a receiver and ranked just below Litwin on multiple single-season lists at SRU. He grabbed 95 passes for 1,339 yards and 15 touchdowns while leading the team with 1,541 all-purpose yards. Tecak earned All-PSAC honors and started all 14 games at the right tackle spot, helping to block for the best offensive attack in the nation.
 
RETURNING ALL-PSAC PLAYERS
Slippery Rock returns six players that earned All-PSAC honors in 2019, headlined by Litwin and Kuhn. The Rock also return two-time first team All-PSAC selection Jeff Marx at the defensive tackle position. Marx is among the best interior linemen in Division II and serves as the primary run stuffer in the middle of The Rock defense. SRU also returns second team All-PSAC honorees in Wynn Jr., who made the team as a receiver and as a punt returner, Tecak on the offensive line and cornerback Khadir Roberts.
 
A LOT OF NEW FACES
Despite a total of 16 offensive and defensive starters returning, Slippery Rock welcomes back just 34 total letterwinners from the 2019 team, which means more than 70 players entering camp are either players that redshirted in 2019 and haven't played a game since 2018, freshmen that joined the team for 2020 and haven't played since 2019 or incoming 2021 freshmen or transfers that have not played at The Rock yet.
 
TOP OFFENSE IN 2019
Slippery Rock had one of the best offenses in the nation in 2019, ranking third in Division II in scoring offense (46.2 points per game), fifth in passing offense (329.9 yards per game), second in total first downs (356), fifth in completion percentage (66.7), ninth in total offense (501.7 yards per game), seventh in fourth down conversions (69.6 percent) and 19th in third down conversions (47.6 percent).
 
BEST RECEIVERS IN THE NATION
All four of Slippery Rock's starting receivers from 2019 – Henry Litwin, Jermaine Wynn Jr., Cinque Sweeting and Qaadir Dixon – will return this fall. Litwin ranked second in Division II with 1,509 yards in 2019, while Wynn Jr. was just behind him and ranked fifth in the nation with 1,339 yards. Sweeting also went for 839 yards giving SRU the best trio in the nation by a wide margin. Add in Dixon's 421 yards and the foursome combined for 285 catches for 4,108 yards and 48 touchdowns.
 
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
SRU ranked eighth in the nation in 2019 in turnovers gained with 30, which included ranking 13th in the nation in interceptions with 17. On the offensive side, SRU turned the ball over just 15 times in 14 games with only seven interceptions in 501 passing attempts.
 
WE LOVE NIGHT GAMES
Slippery Rock will play its first five games of the 2021 season under the lights as the first five weeks are all scheduled for 6 p.m. kickoffs, which is just fine with The Rock. SRU has won its last 20 consecutive games that started at 4 p.m. or later. The Rock have not lost an evening game since Sept. 29, 2012. SRU will open the year Thursday Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. at Wayne State before hosting East Stroudsburg (Sept. 11) and Lock Haven (Sept. 18) in back-to-back weeks at 6 p.m. The Rock then travel to Seton Hill Sept. 25 for a 6 p.m. game and host Clarion Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. SRU will not play a day game until Oct. 9 with a 2 p.m. game at Edinboro.
 
FEATURED EVENTS ON THE SCHEDULE
Slippery Rock will host five home games during the regular season in 2021 and so far four of those dates will feature special events or be part of larger campus and community events. The opener Sept. 11 against East Stroudsburg will be the annual Hall of Fame game with the Rock Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2021 being inducted in a ceremony before kickoff. The Sept. 18 game against Lock Haven will be the cap to the annual Slippery Rock VillageFest and will be part of Friends and Family Weekend at SRU. The Oct. 16 game against Indiana (Pa.) will be the annual Homecoming game and the Nov. 6 game against Cal U will serve as The Rock's Senior Day game.
 
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Six of Slippery Rock's opponents this fall won at least six games and finished with a winning record in 2019, while four opponents won at least seven games, three won at least eight games and two won 10 games and made NCAA playoff appearances. However, after those six teams with winning records, The Rock's other remaining five opponents in 2021 combined to win a total of 12 games in 2019.
 
2021 Opponents Records in 2019
IUP: 10-2
Shepherd: 10-3
Wayne State: 8-3
Cal U: 7-4
Mercyhurst: 6-5
East Stroudsburg: 6-5
Edinboro: 3-8
Clarion: 3-8
Seton Hill: 2-8
Gannon: 2-9
Lock Haven: 2-9
 
POSITION BREAKDOWNS
Quarterbacks: The biggest question surrounding the team is who will win the job out of camp. SRU will enter camp with its largest stable of quarterbacks in quite some time, but the competition is likely to boil down to three men barring any major surprises during camp. North Dakota transfer Noah Grover took the first snaps of the spring game back in April and will likely be locked in a battle with veteran returner Andrew Koester, who was the starter at the beginning of the 2018 season before being injured and giving way to Roland Rivers III. Koester backed up Rivers in 2019. The third player in the conversation is redshirt freshman Brayden Long, who looked strong in the spring game, but to date has no collegiate experience.
 
Receivers: There aren't many questions here. Litwin, Wynn Jr. and Sweeting are locks to start and could easily make up the best three-man receiving crew in the nation again in 2021. Dixon will enter camp with the edge to keep his fourth spot, but expect Kyle Sheets and North Dakota transfer Izzy Adeoti to push for reps. The Rock's four returning starters combined for more than 4,000 yards and 48 touchdowns in 2019.
 
Tight Ends: SRU brings back starting tight end John Eakin, who also earned All-PSAC honors in the shot put last spring for the track and field team. Eakin will still play a major role in the blocking game, but SRU expects a productivity boost in the passing game with the return of a healthy Max Maciejewski. The 6-4 tight end has great hands, runs well and will create mismatch problems out of the slot. Maciejewski missed most of the 2019 season with an injury.
 
Running Backs: The backfield will be entirely new in 2021 with none of the men who racked up yards in 2019 set to return. Despite the new faces, SRU expects to be better in this area than it was in 2019 and to be more balanced of an offensive attack. The starter will be Portland State transfer Evyn Holtz, while Fairmont State transfer Tim Smith will be the next man in. Also expect to see the freshmen duo of Xander McClure and Chris D'Or.
 
Offensive Line: Slippery Rock returns three starters on the offensive line, led by center Austin Wayt, who has started every game of the last two seasons. Right tackle Jake Tecak enters the season as the most likely candidate for postseason awards and started every game in 2019. Right guard Matt Carr also started every game of the 2019 season. The left side of the line will feature new faces. Colton Rossi, who played tight end in some packages in 2019, is likely to slide into the starting left guard position, while Nick Stazer looks poised to become the starting left tackle after the spring injury and departure to Dayton transfer Jacob Brunson. Yuriy Hryckowian will also push for time along the line and brings experience from the 2019 season, when he was one of the reserve linemen for The Rock.
 
Defensive Line: The line should be the strongest part of The Rock defense in 2021 with three starters returning, headlined by Kuhn at the end position and Marx at the tackle spot. Garrett de Bien also returns at the opposite end position from Kuhn. Returner Jevon Lang is expected to slide into the fourth starting position in the interior. SRU added Miami transfer Jahmal Wynter in the offseason, along with Wesley transfer Munchie Johnson and expects to see freshmen Henzloy McFarlane and Matt Wilwohl make an immediate impact. The three returning starters combined for 32.5 tackles for loss in 2019, including 18.0 sacks.
 
Linebackers: Slippery Rock returns captain Tim Vernick at the middle linebacker spot and Trysten McDonald at one of the outside spots. McDonald missed most of the 2019 season with an injury, but has returned to full health and could lead the unit this year. Returner Isaiah Manning and redshirt freshman Devyn Clair are expected to compete for the third starting role, while Cody Ross and Peyton Remish will also be in the mix for playing time. Vernick was fourth on the team in tackles in 2019 with 63 stops, including 7.0 TFL.
 
Secondary: Slippery Rock returns four players with starting experience, headlined by cornerback Khadir Roberts and safety Dalton Holt. Roberts projects to be one of the top corners in the region. He will be joined at the opposite corner by De'Vijan Franklin, while Holt is expected to be joined at the safety spot by Selvin Haynes. Those four combined for 19 passes defended and five interceptions in 2019, while Holt was second on the team with 78 total tackles. Expect to see All-PSAC transfer Hunter Merritt from Mercyhurst make his way into the lineup in nickel packages, as Merritt can play a hybrid safety/linebacker role. Others expected to see time include Josh Stokes and Savion Harrison at the corner spots and Sam Fairley and Za-Ki Lindo at the safety spots.
 
Kickers: The kicking jobs are up for grabs in camp, but Monmouth transfer Kyle Butts has the inside track to earning both roles. DJ Opsatnik and Jackson Gildea will both be pushing for reps at the placekicker and punter role.
 
Kick Returners: Jermaine Wynn Jr. and Cinque Sweeting will enter the season as the favorites to handle the punt returning duties, while Izzy Adeoti and Savion Harrison could earn the kickoff return jobs. Freshman Xander McClure could also work his way into the mix as a return man.
 


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