SLIPPERY ROCK - They have played together since they were very young. Ben Collins handing off to Sean Ray.

Only the way in which the exchange has taken place has changed; the results couldn't be better.

Collins and Ray, both juniors on the Slippery Rock High School football team, head into the season as a lethal combination - Collins with his arm, Ray with his legs.

Just like the old days.

"We played together in Prospect, for the midget team, mostly," Ray said. "Most of this team is from Prospect."

That familiarity has bred contempt - from the opposition, who doesn't know which way is up at times while trying to figure out the Rockets' offense.

Collins' job at quarterback isn't just handing off and throwing. He must also be one part actor and one part magician.

In Slippery Rock coach Clyde Conti's wing-T attack, deception is the name of the game, and that involves a slew of ball fakes from Collins.

"I usually don't get a chance to watch Sean run because I am carrying out my fakes," Collins said. "Our offense is all about faking."

Ray, a wingback in the offense, gains most of his big yardage on a play called the jet sweep.

He comes in motion and receives the handoff from Collins in a dead run parallel to the line.

Ray, though, runs it better than most because his 5-foot-8 frame gets lost behind the offensive linemen pulling in front of him before bolting through a crack the line has created.

"It all sort of falls into place," Ray said. "I hide behind them and look for my spot. The line was great last season."

Ray's cohort in the running offense last season, Travis Sarver, graduated, but senior Trevor Gallo, who was a devastating blocker at the other wing last season, is shifting to fullback.

The balance of carries may shift as well.

Collins, who gained 512 yards on the ground last season, may get more chances this year.

That's fine with Ray.

"I think we're going to divide it up," Ray said. "Ben will get a lot of carries and so will (fullback Trevor) Gallo. He'll probably get the most carries."

Last year Ray made the most of his attempts.

He gained 1,496 yards on just 173 carries in 14 games. At midseason, he was averaging almost 12 yards per attempt.

That opened up the passing game for Collins, who enters this season with an amazing wealth of experience in just a short time as starter.

Collins took over the quarterback job late in the 2002 season when Mike DeCola broke his collarbone late in the first half against Sharon.

Since then, Collins has started 18 consecutive games - eight coming in the playoffs.

Last year, Collins threw for 1,039 yards and 13 touchdowns.

"We're still a very young team," Conti said. "We play a lot of young kids, but they all have a lot of experience."

Collins in particular. He has almost a season's worth of starts just in playoff games.

"I'm thankful for the experience," Collins said. "It helped me out a lot and really made me a lot better."

How much better Collins and Ray get will depend on how they can bring along players who were once like them - young, but eager to play.

"That's what we have to do now," Collins said. "We're going to need some of the freshmen and sophomores to step up and we're going to have to help them out."