SLIPPERY ROCK — Good defensive units are nothing new to Slippery Rock University football.

It's even had some great ones.

It's never had the best one.

Until now.

The Rock enters Saturday's noon kickoff at Lock Haven with the top-ranked defense in all of NCAA Division II, leading the country with only 211 total yards allowed per game.

“We've won four Western Division championships in a row,” SRU coach George Mihalik said. “We've been in the national playoffs. We've been ranked as high as No. 2 in the country.

But we've never had the No. 1 ranked defense in the country for even a single week, let alone multiple weeks like we have now.”

The Rock returned only five starters from last year's defense, none along the defensive line. Linebackers Zach Sheridan (last year's leading tackler) and Quindell Dean, cornerback Andre Freeman, safeties Jayson Nickson and Brandon Watters are the returnees.

Regardless, SRU's defense has allowed merely four touchdowns through seven games. The offense and special teams have given up five.

SRU has defeated fellow PSAC West heavyweights California, Edinboro and Indiana in recent weeks — with the defense allowing one touchdown in those 12 quarters.

The Rock defense has permitted but one TD in its last 18 quarters, in fact.

“These guys don't panic in any situation,” defensive coordinator Shawn Lutz said. “They trust each other and they're unselfish.

“Nobody on that unit cares who makes the plays, so they're all in position to make the play when it comes at them. They rarely get caught out of position.”

SRU has 11 defenders with between 17 and 55 tackles so far this year. Sheridan's preseason goal was to personally lead the nation in tackles.

He leads his team with 55, but is not near the national lead.

“This way is a lot better,” Sheridan said. “I'm playing on the best defensive unit in the country. I bring that up to people all of the time. I'll probably be talking about it for the rest of my life.

“We're a bunch of brothers out there. Our goal is always to not let anybody score on us. Make it as easy on our offense as possible, so they only have to score a few points.”

The offense makes it easy on the defense as well.

“We're No. 1 in the conference in time of possession,” Lutz pointed out. “That means we're getting plenty of rest on the defensive side of the ball during games.”

Watters is among the national leaders with five interceptions.

“We can't do anything without the front seven,” Watters said of the secondary. We all work together. We get interceptions because of their pressure. They get sacks because of our coverage.

“We're disciplined on defense because we believe in the system. Nobody wants to miss a tackle because no one guy wants to let down the other 10. You don't want go be the weakest link.”

Two transfers from other Division I schools have impacted The Rock defense. Linebacker Jake Wickline came from Edinboro and noseguard Jack Charles from Fairmont State.

Wickline is second on the team with 53 tackles and has eight tackles for loss. He left Edinboro to get closer to home after his father died last year.

“They weren't going to release him up there, but I talked to Scott (Edinboro coach Browning) and explained that it was a family situation. Jake had nothing against his program,” Mihalik said. “To Scott's credit, he released him.”

Wickline commutes from his family's home in Ellwood City, where he helps his mother and sister.

“I love this defense because it suits my style,” Wickline said. “I only play this game at one speed and that's full-tilt. We're encouraged to shoot the gaps here and I thrive in that system.”

Wickline also credits linebacker coach Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay, a young coach who played at North Carolina State.

“He's a player's coach and he gives uis a lot of freedom out there,” Wickline said. “Our linebackers, we're all athletes and he encourages us to use that athleticism.”

Lutz said the defenders have “incredible relationships” with Lindsay and defensive backs coach Jason Makrinos.

“Our defensive staff does a great job of scheming and putting guys in position to use their talents,” Mihalik agreed.

Charles is 6-foot-0, 310 pounds, “an athletic 300 pounds who does more than jus tclog up the middle,” Lutz said.

Sheridan agreed.

“No one's come close to running up the middle against us all year and it's because of him,” Sheridan said.

Charles is a Gateway High School graduate who left Fairmont State after two years of starting at the WVIAC school.

“It was OK, but I wanted more,” Charles said. “I was considering Slippery Rock and Clarion. I fell in love with the coaching staff here and they introduced me to a great team with great players.”

Another reason Charles came to The Rock: His uncle is former SRU running back and NFL player Chuck Sanders.

“Yeah ... He kinda steered me this way,” Charles said.

SRU gets its share of takeaways defensively, but not a high number of them. It gets some quarterback sacks here and there, but not too many.

Lutz said this defense excels because of its fundamentals — and desire.

“We win first-and-10 most of the time. Do that and the opponent becomes one-dimensional on second down,” he said. “We get to the football and we don't miss many tackles.

“Our No. 1 goal is to be relentless. We have a drill in practice where a running back runs outside the numbers and our defense pursues him. I mean, everybody.”

Dean, Sheridan, defensive ends Jeff Thompson and Josh Smith, Charles, Wickline, Freeman, Nickson, Watters — each could be all-confernce this season.

“They're all that good individually,” Lutz said. “Put them on a field together in a system they believe in with trust in each other ... You've got what we've got.”