SLIPPERY ROCK — Jake Whitmer has no idea who will get the football.

It could be him. It could be the A-back. It could be the B-back. It could be the fullback. In the Slippery Rock High option offense that Whitmer quarterbacks, anyone is a threat.

“We play Corry this week. Corry doesn't know who's going to get the ball,” Whitmer said. “I don't know who's getting the ball. Our coaches don't know who's getting the ball. No one knows who's getting the ball, and that's what makes the option offense so unique.”

And hard to stop if it is run well.

Whitmer has been running it well since he became the starter for the Rockets three years ago.

Whitmer, a senior, has been in the offense installed by Slippery Rock head football coach Brendan Hathaway for five seasons. He cut his teeth on it at the junior high level and was tutored in the attack by former Slippery Rock standout quarterback Jono Powell.

Powell is now a coach in Jacksonville, N.C.

Whitmer is a de facto coach on the field with the Rockets.

His strength?

“His ability to take control on the line,” said junior back Ryan Lauser, “and make the right decisions.”

Whitmer has been making a lot of right decisions lately.

Two weeks ago in a 34-0 rout of General McLane, Whitmer rushed for 252 yards and four touchdowns. Last week against Sharon, Whitmer added three more rushing TDs.

He leads the undefeated Rockets (8-0) with 627 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.

Slippery Rock has five players with more than 300 yards rushing this season.

And not a lot of passing, which is quite fine with Whitmer.

Slippery Rock has nine completed passes in eight games — three coming last week against Sharon.

“I wouldn't want to be in any other offense,” Whitmer said.

Whitmer spreads the ball around in his own way — with handoffs instead of down-field passes.

“Not knowing if you will get the ball just makes us work that much harder if you get that opportunity,” Lauster said.

“You just have to take everything play by play,” Whitmer added. “Teams can change from week to week, from play to play and even within a play sometimes. Our coaches prepare us for anything. My job is to do my part to make sure the right guy gets the ball.”

The ever-changing nature of the opponent makes film study difficult.

Whitmer said what he and his teammates see from a foe on film is rarely what they show against them on a Friday night.

“I told Coach Powell this summer, 'an option coach has to lose a lot of hair worrying about what they might see,'” Whitmer said. “It's hard as an option coach because the offense is so much different, teams run a defense they may not run against anyone else.”

Still, Whitmer and Slippery Rock have had a knack of cracking the code.

They do that by not worrying so much about what the defense might do and more on what they as an offense can do.

“Our motto as a team is get better every day,” Whitmer said. “It's a life lesson. Never be satisfied with how good you are.

“Before every practice, Coach (Eli) Christy will yell, 'We will,' and we'll respond, 'Win the day.' That's all we try to do. Win the day. If we can win each day, we'll be successful.”