Complete Game Notes (28-page PDF)
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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The seventh-ranked Slippery Rock University football team returns to Mihalik-Thompson Stadium this Saturday to host Clarion University in a 6 p.m. kickoff on "Saute to Military and First Responders" night.
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Below you will find all pertinent information regarding tickets, parking, tailgating and live coverage, along with complete game notes.
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SALUTE TO MILITARY AND FIRST RESPONDERS NIGHT
• Free admission for all veterans, active-duty military, current and retired first responders. All persons that fit that criteria will be admitted free with ID. Please use Gate 5 at the stadium, which is the gate opposite the scoreboard end of the stadium on the home side.
• Beginning two hours prior to kickoff in the parking lot below the stadium, ROTC will showcase a number of military-themed displays and activities, including a Stryker armored military vehicle. The display is free and open to the public, with or without game tickets.
• The PA National Guard will have a M101 howitzer on hand and will fire a ceremonial blank round from the powerful long-range artillery gun after the National Anthem.
• The Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Department will have one of its ladder trucks on display in the stadium prior to the game. The ladder will be extended 100 feet in the air and a 30-foot American flag will hang from the top of the ladder during pregame ceremonies.
• Slippery Rock will wear its "cadet gray" uniforms that pay homage to the original colors worn by the United States Army. The uniforms resemble the color of the gray uniforms cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point have worn since the early 1800s.
• All military and first responders will be recognized during the game.
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LIVE INTERNET COVERAGE
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Live Stats | Provided by SRU Athletic Communication.
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Live Streaming Video | Provided by SRU Athletic Communication.
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Live Audio (Online and Radio)Â |Â Provided by The Rock Station 97.7 FM (Butler County).
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Twitter | All scoring information and in-game updates.
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WATCH ON YOUR TV
• Fans can watch the game live and on-demand for free on the Rock Athletics Digital Network, created and operated by the SRU Athletic Communication Office.
 • Search for "Rock Athletics Digital Network" in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku and Android TV devices to download the app. Each of the remaining regular season SRU football games will be available on the app.
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MOBILE APP
• Fans can also watch all PSAC football games on the PSAC Sports Digital Network mobile app that is available for free in the app stores on Apple and Android devices.
TICKETS (For advance tickets, Call 724-738-2021 or stop by the Athletic Office in Morrow Field House)
• Tickets can be purchased on game day. The stadium gates will open at 4:30 p.m.
• Tickets can also be purchased in the SGA Bookstore during the week and Saturday morning.
• Chair-back Reserved Seat - $15
• Reserved Bench Seat - $15
• Adult General Admission - $10
• Students Ages 6-High School – $5
• Children Ages 6 and Under – FREE
• SRU Students – FREE with valid student ID
• Students from Other Colleges - $5 with valid student ID
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COVID-19 FAN INFORMATION
• Fans should not attend any events if you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or feeling ill.
• Masks are REQUIRED inside all buildings on the SRU campus, regardless of vaccination status.
• Fans are encouraged, but not currently required, to wear masks at SRU outdoor events.
• Fans are encouraged to social distance when possible at events.
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PARKING
• Parking is available in the lots surrounding the stadium
• Parking spaces are $10 in all tailgating lots ($25 for motorhomes, large vehicles)
• Shuttles will circle the parking lots to assist with transportation to the gates
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Campus Map | Stadium is #52 on Map
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VISITING FAN PARKING
• Visiting fans can park together and tailgate in the Stadium Lodge lot
• GPS Address: 246 Harmony Road, Slippery Rock, PA
• Visiting fans can enter the game through gate six, located at the field hockey/lacrosse building just below the lodge parking area, which provides direct access to the visiting bleachers.
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Campus Map | Visitor parking is at building #51. Entry gate is at building #53.
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TAILGATING
• Tailgating is allowed in paid lots three hours before kickoff (lots open at 3 p.m.)
• No Tailgating at halftime
• All Tailgaters must enter game at kickoff
• Tailgaters must vacate the lots 90 minutes after the game ends
• No hard liquor or glass bottles
• Adhere to all campus tailgating rules found
HERE.
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STUDENT GATE PROCEDURES
Students should still bring their valid ID to enter the game through the student gate, but will also need to use the CORE application on their cell phones. Login to your CORE account to access the event QR code that will be scanned at the gate. Only CURRENT students will be allowed to enter through the student gate. To speed up entry into the game, students should download the app in advance and be prepared to scan their code at the entry gate.
THE GAME
No. 7 Slippery Rock will look to improve to 5-0 for the second season in a row and will look to win its 18th straight PSAC West game, 25th straight night game and 10th game against Clarion since the "Milk Jug Trophy" was introduced to the series in 2010. Clarion enters at 0-4 this fall and is riding a 10-game losing streak after closing the 2019 season with six straight losses.
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MILK JUG HISTORY
The winner of the Slippery Rock and Clarion game has taken home the "Milk Jug Trophy" in each of the last 10 years. The trophy was introduced to the series in 2010 as an added incentive for the two schools separated by just 46.7 miles. The trophy was donated by Clarion employee Chad Thomas, who painted half of the jug white with a green "S" and the other half gold with a blue "C." The scores of each game are added to the jug. SRU is 9-1 since "trophy" was introduced.
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SLIPPERY ROCK RANKED NO. 7 IN DIVISION II
Slippery Rock opened the 2021 season ranked fifth in the AFCA Division II national poll that is regarded as the official national ranking used by the NCAA. The Rock have been ranked no lower than eighth this season and enter this week at No. 7 after slipping back one spot from No. 6 last week. SRU has been ranked in the top 10 nationally for at least one week in five of the last six seasons. SRU is also ranked eighth by D2football.com this week and was ranked fourth on the NCAA.com Division II Power Rankings. Complete polls are on page eight of the PDF linked above.
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LAST MEETINGÂ |Â Box Score
Slippery Rock scored 24 points in the third quarter to blow the game open and cruised to a 41-6 win over Clarion at SRU on Oct. 26, 2019. The Golden Eagles were limited to a pair of field goals in the first half and were shut out in the second half. SRU posted a 483-167 advantage in total offense with 342 passing yards and 141 rushing yards. Clarion went for 72 rushing yards and 95 passing yards. Roland Rivers III threw for 342 yards and three scores.
Jermaine Wynn Jr. caught eight passes for 153 yards and one score.
Henry Litwin had seven grabs for 92 yards and one score. Michael Proios led clarion with 69 passing yards. Terrell Ford had a team-high 83 all-purpose yards with 78 kick return yards. Watch highlights from the game below.
CLARION AT SRU HIGHLIGHTS - OCT. 26, 2019
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KINGS OF THE PSAC WEST
Slippery Rock is looking to defend its back-to-back titles in the PSAC West. The Rock have gone unbeaten in the PSAC West in each of the last two seasons and have won 17 straight PSAC Western Division games dating back to Oct. 21, 2017. The Rock are 21-2 against the PSAC West in their last 23 divisional games and have won six of the nine PSAC West titles dating back to 2011.
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THREE UNBEATEN TEAMS LEFT IN PSAC
Slippery Rock is one of just three teams in the PSAC that enter week five of the season without a loss. The Rock and Cal U are both 4-0 in the Western Division and Shippensburg is the only team in the Eastern Division that is 4-0.
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DEFENDING PSAC 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. SRU is attempting to win the PSAC West and advance to the state title game for the third straight year, a feat it also accomplished from 2013-15.
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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
Rock football teams have compiled a 174-68 (.719) record the last 45+ seasons in games played at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium (formerly known as N. Kerr Thompson Stadium). The Rock own a 75-23 (.765) home record since artificial turf was installed in the summer of 2003 and are 71-16 (.816) in home games since 2005. The numbers get even better in recent years, as The Rock are 53-8 (.869) at home since the beginning of the 2010 season and 40-4 (.909) since the beginning of the 2013 season. SRU has won 15 straight regular season home games with the only two home losses since October of 2017 coming in the 2018 PSAC title game and the 2019 national semifinal.
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HOME NIGHT GAMES
The Rock will play their first three home games this season under the lights with 6 p.m. kickoffs against East Stroudsburg, Lock Haven and Clarion. SRU has been nearly impossible to beat at home in night games over the last decade, posting a 26-1 record since 2010 and winning its last 18 straight home night games. Since SRU installed lights in 2003, the program has posted a 37-9 overall record at home under the lights. The last time SRU lost a home night game was a 56-49 defeat against Kutztown on Sept. 29, 2012.
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WE LOVE NIGHT GAMES
Slippery Rock will play its fifth straight of five night games to open the season this weekend with a fifth straight 6 p.m. kickoff, which is just fine with The Rock. SRU has won its last 24 consecutive games that started at 4 p.m. or later. The Rock have not lost an evening game since Sept. 29, 2012 against Kutztown. SRU will not play a day game until Oct. 9 with a 2 p.m. game at Edinboro.
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KEEPING THE WINNING GOING ON THE ROAD
Slippery Rock won its eighth straight road game last week with a 41-17 win at Seton Hill. SRU was a perfect 6-0 on the road in 2019 and has not lost a game away from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium since a 21-17 road loss in the 2018 NCAA quarterfinals at Notre Dame (Ohio). The Rock are 18-4 in their last 22 road games dating back to the start of the 2017 season and are 10-0 in their last 10 road games in PSAC West play. The last time SRU lost a PSAC West divisional game on the road was Oct. 21, 2017.
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SRU GETS THROUGH CROSSOVERS UNBEATEN
Slippery Rock is one of only two teams from the PSAC West to make it through the two weeks of mandated PSAC crossover games against the Eastern Division without a loss. The Rock and Cal U both benefitted from the schedule makers and emerged unblemished while every other PSAC West team lost at least one of their two crossover games against the Eastern Division.
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EARLY SEASON PSAC CROSSOVER SUCCESS
SRU is 16-1 against PSAC East opponents over the last seven seasons in the two mandated regular season crossover contests that take place early in the season. The only loss in those games, which are typically played in weeks two and three, during that stretch came on the road at Shippensburg in 2018 when SRU fumbled in their own end zone to hand the Red Raiders a late 25-21 win. SRU has scored at least 45 points in 11 of the last 17 early season PSAC crossover games, has tallied 50 or more points eight times, has posted two shutouts and has allowed 10 or fewer points in seven games during that stretch, including both crossovers this year against East Stroudsburg and Lock Haven.Â
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LAST WEEK FOR SLIPPERY ROCK
Slippery Rock improved to 4-0 with a 41-17 win at Seton Hill last Saturday night, scoring 41 points against a Seton Hill defense that entered the game having allowing just 35 total points in its first three weeks. The Rock threw for 379 yards and rushed for 60 yards on the way to a 439-218 advantage in total offense. Seton Hill threw for 99 yards and rushed for 119 yards.
Andrew Koester completed 20 passes for career-highs of 346 yards and five touchdowns.
Henry Litwin caught three of those TDs and finished with 148 yards.
Jermaine Wynn Jr. added the other two scores and went for 134 yards.
Peyton Remish scored the first defensive touchdown of the year with a 26-yard pick-six on the last play of the third quarter.
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LAST WEEK FOR CLARION
Gannon jumped out to a 28-0 lead and never looked back in handing Clarion a 56-21 defeat in Erie last Saturday. Gannon posted a 437-335 edge in total offense with Clarion throwing for 215 yards and rushing for 120 yards. The issue for the Golden Eagles was hanging onto the ball, as Clarion turned it over five times with three lost fumbles and two interceptions. One of those miscues came on the goal line and Gannon scooped the ball up and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown. Taylor Eggers completed 18-of-33 passes for 189 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Terrell Ford grabbed five passes for 87 yards. Mylique McGriff rushed for 41 yards and one touchdown.
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ROCK OFFENSE HITTING ITS STRIDE
Slippery Rock was averaging just 23.0 points per game over the first two weeks, which was a far cry from the 2019 season when SRU had the best offense in the nation and averaged more than 46 points per game over a 14-game season. Things have started clicking over the last two weeks however, as SRU has put up 98 points in the last two games and has seen the scoring average climb to 36.0 points per game. The Rock now sit 20th in the nation in total offense at 467.0 yards per game and 31st in scoring average.
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KOESTER EARNS PSAC WEEKLY HONOR
Slippery Rock QB
Andrew Koester was named the PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Week for his performance in the win at Seton Hill. Koester threw for 346 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in just three quarters of action.
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KOESTER SETTLING IN
Andrew Koester improved to 5-1 as the SRU starting QB last week and is getting more and more comfortable with the offense each week. In four games this season, Koester has thrown for more than 300 yards three times. He currently ranks fifth among all quarterbacks in Division II in passing yards with 1,269, despite having an average of 40 less attempts than the four QBs ahead of him on the list. Koester's 11 touchdowns rank 14th nationally and his 326.5 yards of total offense per game rank 10th.
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KOESTER IMPROVES TO 5-1 AS STARTER
Andrew Koester improved to 5-1 as the SRU starting QB last week and 5-0 in games he has started and finished. His only loss as a starter was week two of the 2018 season at Shippensburg, when he left the game at halftime with an injury that kept him sidelined for the rest of the season.
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STRONG ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PASSING GAME
Slippery Rock has been exceptional on both sides of the ball in the passing game. The Rock rank seventh nationally in passing offense at 338.8 yards per game and perhaps even more impressively rank fourth in passing defense allowing just 97.8 passing yards per game. SRU has held three of its four opponents under 100 passing yards so far this fall and has given up just two passing touchdowns.
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DEFENSE HAS BEEN STELLAR
Slippery Rock enters this week ranked ninth in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 13.0 points per game. The Rock are also 11th in total defense with opponents averaging just 246.5 yards per game. SRU has allowed a total of 52 points through four weeks, but those numbers only tell part of the story. The Rock have given up 21 fourth quarter points with its reserves on the field late in games that were already decided. The starting unit has allowed just 31 total points through four games for an average of 7.75 points per game.
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RUNNING GAME COULD USE A BOOST
While Slippery Rock has excelled on both sides of the passing game, the running game could use a boost. The Rock rushed for just 60 yards last week, part of which was taking what the defense presented, but SRU no doubt would like to see that number go up. The Rock are averaging 128.2 rushing yards per game through four weeks on offense. Since allowing 247 rushing yards on 55 carries in the opener at Wayne State, SRU has limited opponents to 351 rushing yards over the last three weeks for an average of 149.5 rushing yards per game.
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LITWIN GOES OFF AGAIN
Henry Litwin went over 100 receiving yards for the third time in four games this season and the 14th time in his career with nine catches for 148 yards and three touchdowns all in the first half of last week's 41-17 win at Seton Hill. Litwin had touchdown grabs of nine yards, one yard and 13 yards and now has five touchdowns and is averaging 124.2 yards per game. Litwin ranks fourth in the nation with 497 receiving yards.
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LITWIN BY THE NUMBERS
Henry Litwin played primarily on special teams in his freshman season in 2017, finishing the year with no catches. After moving into a starting role in 2018, Litwin has racked up 180 catches for 2,847 yards with 34 touchdowns over his last 32 games. His 34 TD grabs are already a career record at SRU. He set single-season records at SRU last fall for catches (103), yards (1,509), touchdowns (21) and scoring (128 points) on his way to All-America honors. Litwin needs 36 catches and 536 yards to break Greg Hopkins' career records at The Rock.
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LITWIN SHINES IN THE CLASSROOM TOO
Henry Litwin is also one of only four players in Division II to be named a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American in each of the last two years. He is one of 15 Division II players to be named a national semifinalist for this year's William V. Campbell Trophy, known in college football as the Academic Heisman. He already graduated from Slippery Rock with his undergrad degree in safety management and is currently enrolled in the master's of business administration (MBA) degree program.
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WYNN JR. GETS IT GOING
Jermaine Wynn Jr. went over 100 yards for the first time this season and the eighth time in his SRU career and showed off the powerful 1-2 punch that Slippery Rock has when he grabbed seven passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns last week. Wynn is also returning kicks and punts this year and finished last week with a game-high 211 all-purpose yards. He leads SRU this fall with 160.3 all-purpose yards per game.
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WYNN JR. BY THE NUMBERS
In 31 games in the SRU lineup,
Jermaine Wynn Jr. has pulled down 165 passes for 2,333 yards and 26 touchdowns. He needs 51 catches to break Greg Hopkins' SRU career record. Wynn grabbed 95 passes for 1,339 yards and 15 touchdowns last year, ranking him second behind only Litwin on the SRU single-season ledger in catches and touchdowns and third in yards. He also caught 26 passes for 562 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman at Alderson Broaddus in 2017 to bring his collegiate career totals to 191 catches for 2,895 yards and 32 touchdowns at the Division II level.
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LIT-WYNN COMBINED
Through 32 games in the same lineup,
Henry Litwin and
Jermaine Wynn Jr. have put up almost identical numbers. They have combined for 345 catches for 5,179 yards and 60 touchdowns. Since they stepped on the field together for the first time in 2018, the duo are collectively averaging 10.8 catches for 161.8 yards and 1.9 touchdowns per game. They are on pace to become the second and third SRU players to ever top 2,500 receiving yards in a career and already are the first SRU teammates to ever top 2,000 yards during the same seasons.
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WYNN AND LITWIN AMONG DIVISION II LEADERS
Jermaine Wynn Jr. and
Henry Litwin currently rank second and third among all active Division II players in career receiving yards. Wynn ranks second with 2,895 yards when also counting his one year at Alderson Broaddus. Litwin is close behind in third with 2,847 yards. They are closing in on Chad Gailliard from Saginaw Valley (2,900 yards) for the most receiving yards among all active players in Division II.
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KUHN'S STORY STILL BEING WRITTEN
All-American DE
Chad Kuhn played quarterback in high school at Kiski Area. He didn't play a single defensive snap in his football career before coming to Slippery Rock and accepting the challenge of moving to the defensive side of the ball. Since then, Kuhn has racked up 24.0 career sacks and 38.5 tackles for loss.
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KUHN MOVING UP CAREER LISTS
Chad Kuhn ranks second among all active players in Division II in career sacks (24.0) and has moved up to sixth all-time at SRU in sacks and eighth all-time at SRU in tackles for loss (38.5). Kuhn also has six career forced fumbles, which is sixth all-time at SRU and currently one shy of the most among all active players in Division II.
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DE BIEN HAVING BIG START
Slippery Rock has a formidable combo at the DE position with
Garrett de Bien opposite
Chad Kuhn. De Bien is quietly off to the best start of his career with 7.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks already through four games. His career highs for a single-season are 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, which came over 14 games in 2019. De Bien appears poised to shatter those marks in 2021. He and Kuhn have combined for 11.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks already this year.
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QUICK STARTS
The Rock defense has allowed a total of 24 points in the first half through four weeks this season for an average of just 6.0 points per game over the opening 30 minutes. On the flip side, SRU has scored a total of 76 points in the first half for an average of 19 points per game on the offensive side.
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DOMINANT MIDDLE FRAMES
Slippery Rock has allowed a total of 15 points in the second and third quarters combined through four weeks. The Rock have given up a single touchdown in each of those quarters and are outscoring opponents 96-15 in the second and third quarters.
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THIRD QUARTER DOMINANCE
Coming out of halftime, Slippery Rock has outscored opponents 61-7 in the third quarter through four weeks, allowing just one total touchdown in the first period after the halftime intermission.
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LOOKING FOR MORE TURNOVERS
Slippery Rock came up with two takeaways last week with interceptions from
Selvin Haynes and
Peyton Remish, but that brought the season total to just three takeaways in four games. The Rock have turned it over seven times on offense and enter week five with a negative turnover margin.
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MISSING A LOT OF KEY PIECES
Slippery Rock has yet to play a game this season with its full complement of players. The Rock have played each of the last three weeks without the services of a significant number of players that entered the season as projected starters or key reserves. For varying reasons for at least one game so far this season, Slippery Rock has been without the services of LB
Tim Vernick, LB
Trysten McDonald, CB
Khadir Roberts, DT
Jahmal Wynter, TE
Max Maciejewski, RT
Jake Tecak, WR
Jermaine Wynn Jr., RB
Evyn Holtz, WR
Izzy Adeoti, WR
Qaadir Dixon and K/P
Kyle Butts. While all of the players listed here have already or are expected to return to the lineup at some point, the impact on consistency and efficiency has been noticeable through four weeks as SRU looks to get back into a groove after not playing for almost two years.
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FIRST STARTS
SRU has had a total of 10 players make their first career start this season with five in week one: RB
Tim Smith, LT
Yuriy Hryckowian, DT
Munchie Johnson, LB
Isaiah Manning and LB
Cody Ross, three more in week two: OL
Anthony Rebar, WR
Gavyn Barnes, CB
Savion Harrison and two more in week three: OL
Nick Stazer and WR
Kyle Sheets.
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FRESHMEN EVERYWHERE
Counting the players that redshirted in 2019, the recruits that joined the program for 2020 but had their season canceled and the true freshmen that joined the program in the fall of 2021, Slippery Rock has three classes of players that are listed as freshmen in terms of their football eligibility. All of those classes add up to a total of 19 freshmen that are listed on this week's depth chart as a starter or backup.
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FIRST ZERO IN PROGRAM HISTORY
Middle linebacker and team captain
Tim Vernick will be wearing the number zero on his jersey this year to become the first SRU player to ever wear the zero in an NCAA competition. The number was not previously allowed as a jersey number in football, but the NCAA changed that rule this year and will now allow the number zero.
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THE END OF THE VERNICK ERA
This fall will mark linebacker and captain
Tim Vernick's final season at SRU and with that the end of a streak of eight consecutive years where a member of the Vernick family has been the middle linebacker at SRU. Tim's older brother, Bob Vernick, was an All-Region selection and also served as team captain while playing from 2013-16.
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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.
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CAPTAINS
Slippery Rock named its four team captains for the 2021 season back in April: Receiver
Henry Litwin, center
Austin Wayt, linebacker
Tim Vernick and defensive end
Chad Kuhn are the team captains.
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GRADUATES PLAYING ONE MORE SEASON
With the 2020 season being canceled and players retaining their eligibility, this fall will see a large number of student-athletes that have already graduated playing collegiate football. Slippery Rock is no exception, as a total of 13 of The Rock's players have already earned their undergraduate degrees:
D.J. Adediwura,
Kyle Butts,
Garrett de Bien,
Andrew Koester,
Chad Kuhn,
Henry Litwin,
Trysten McDonald,
Hunter Merritt,
Cinque Sweeting,
Jake Tecak,
Tim Vernick,
Austin Wayt,
Jahmal Wynter.
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FEATURED EVENTS ON THE SCHEDULE
Slippery Rock will host five home games during the regular season in 2021 and all of those dates will feature special events or be part of larger campus and community events. The opener Sept. 11 against East Stroudsburg was 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 was the cap to the annual Slippery Rock VillageFest and Friends and Family Weekend. This week's game against Clarion is the annual Salute to Military and First Responders game, where all former and current military and first responders will be admitted free. 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.
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WINNING SEASONS STREAK
Slippery Rock has put together a winning season in each of the last 11 years, which ranks tied for the ninth best active streak in Division II. The only other program in the PSAC with more consecutive winning seasons (not counting teams that played 4-5 games in 2020) currently is Cal U, which has strung together 16 winning seasons entering 2021.
STARTERS NOTES
Tim Vernick and
Chad Kuhn lead all players on the roster with 38 starts.
Jeff Marx and
Austin Wayt have both started the last 32 consecutive games.
Khadir Roberts has started 35 games but missed the last three weeks.
Trysten McDonald has started 31 games but missed the last two weeks.
Henry Litwin has started 30 games to give The Rock seven players with 30+ career starts. SRU has had a total of 10 players make their first career start this season with five in week one: RB
Tim Smith, LT
Yuriy Hryckowian, DT
Munchie Johnson, LB
Isaiah Manning and LB
Cody Ross, three more in week two: OL
Anthony Rebar, WR
Gavyn Barnes, CB
Savion Harrison and two more in week three: OL
Nick Stazer and WR
Kyle Sheets.
CLARION QUICK HITS
• Chris Weibel is in his sixth season in charge of the program at his Alma Mater, where he played quarterback and graduated in 1998. Weibel owns a 19-40 record after taking over in 2015.
• Clarion played three straight home games to open the year and will be playing its second straight road game this week. The Golden Eagles are kicking off a tough stretch that will see back-to-back-to-back games against ranked opponents. Clarion is 0-4 this season and has lost 10 straight dating back to 2019.
• Clarion is scoring 24.3 points per game on offense, but is allowing 42.5 points through four weeks. The Golden Eagles average 220 passing yards and 121 rushing yards per game for 341 yards of total offense. Opponents are throwing for 280 yards per game and rushing for 138 yards for 418 yards of total offense per game.
• Four different QBs have played in games this year for Clarion. Taylor Eggers has played in all four games and has thrown for 613 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions.
• WR Quinn Zinobile has 21 catches for 373 yards and five touchdowns. Terrell Ford has 13 grabs for 167 yards.
• RB Mylique McGriff is averaging 67.3 rushing yards per game and has 202 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
•LB Kareem Hamdan leads the defense with 33 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss. DB Legend Davis has two interceptions and DL Robert Lachmann has two of the team's four sacks on the year.
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UP NEXT
Slippery Rock will play its first day game of the season when it travels to Edinboro for a 2 p.m. kickoff next Saturday, Oct. 9. The Rock will play back-to-back Homecoming games the next two weeks as Edinboro will be hosting its Homecoming Oct. 9 and SRU will host its Homecoming Oct. 16.
To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on Twitter (@Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).
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