SLIPPERY ROCK— Transition is a word that's all too familiar to Seneca Valley graduate Brandon Fusco.

The 6-foot-5, 285-pound offensive lineman was recruited by Slippery Rock University as a tackle.

In the spring of 2007, he was moved to center, where he played a role on one of the biggest, most physical offensive lines in SRUfootball history that season.

This year, he's the experienced leader of one of the school's most athletic offensive fronts.

"It's a different role, that's for sure,"Fusco said. "Last year, I was a student, learning from everybody else.

"This year, I'm the teacher. I'm doing what I can to help the other guys."

Still just a redshirt sophomore himself, Fusco joins guard Grant Hrabovsky as the only returning starters up front for The Rock.

"He could play anywhere on our offensive line — guard, tackle, center, you name it,"SRUcoach George Mihalik said. "We had a void at center and called upon Brandon to fill it.

"He's our anchor. He's the rock of that offensive line."

Center is not a position that The Rock coaches have taken lightly over the years.

Since 1993, SRU's center has made the all-conference team nine times. Butler graduates BrianMinehart (three) and Dave Sabolcik (two) have been all-PSACfive times, Bill Ricks had the honor twice, Pete Geis and Pat Oster got it once each.

Ryan Travis, the two-year starter at center before Fusco, did not make all-conference, but played at that level.

"A good center needs to have intelligence, physical toughness and quickness," Mihalik said. "Brandon rates highly in all three of those categories.

"If there's a better center in the PSAC, you'll have to show him to me."

The Rock's line struggled against Gannon last Saturday, as SRU's running game produced only 75 yards. The Rock averaged more than 200 yards rushing per game last year.

Injuries have been a problem.

So far this season, leading running back Corey Manfull went down in the first game, freshman tackle Austin Fedell was lost for the season to a knee injury and sophomore guard Brian Henion injured an ankle last week.

"Losing a Big 33 player (Fedell) hurts,"Fusco said. "But we'll make adjustments and move on. Other guys have to step up and fill in."

That's what Fusco did last year through simple hard work.

He was 6-4, 255 pounds when he graduated from Seneca Valley. The 30 pounds he's gained since came from bulking up in the weight room.

"I work at the Oxford Athletic Club during the summer, and the nutritionist there helped me with my diet, too,"Fusco said. "But I'm in the weight room every day."

Even during the season, the sports management major hits the weight room early each morning before going to class.

He had no problem making the transition from tackle to center after playing the latter position as a junior in high school.

"That's when (current Pitt sophomore) Kevan Smith was our quarterback, so we were in the shotgun quite a bit,"Fusco recalled. "That benefited me, getting all of those reps that way.

"When you play tackle, you're kind of on an island out there all by yourself. At guard or center, you're in the middle of everything and it's very physical."

Last year's line opened a lot of running lanes inside. This year's line prefers to open those lanes outside.

"Outside zone blocking is more conducive for us now,"Fusco admitted. "Our linemen are quicker and can pull really well. We hit a big screen pass (Saturday to Damarcus Cleckley for 59 yards vs. Gannon) as an example. I think we can do more of that."

Fusco has lofty goals for the remainder of his football career. He wants to continue The Rock's tradition of landing centers on the all-PSACteam. He also wants to play in the NFL.

"That's everybody's dream and it's my goal,"Fusco said. "I talk to Mike Butterworth once a week. He's my role model. He got cut, but he'll get another chance."

Butterworth was a tackle for SRU last year who signed with the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent and lasted until the team's final cuts.

While Fusco hopes the NFLis in his future, he's busy dealing with the present.

"Our line is striving every week to get better and better," he said. "We know we have to run the football and we know that begins with us.

"We're still growing and maturing as a unit. I'm still growing and maturing as a player."

The latter is a comfortable thought for Mihalik.

"When we shifted Brandon to center last season, we knew that became a position we wouldn't have to worry about for four years," the coach said.