SLIPPERY ROCK — Dylan Neal burst through the line and nearly had Bradford quarterback Matt Yurkewicz in his grasp for a 10-yard loss.

Yurkewicz, though, slung a pass to tight end John Pantuso eight yards past the line of scrimmage. Pantuso caught the ball, shook off a tackle and began lumbering forward for another few yards until he was slammed to the Slippery Rock High football field turf ... by Dylan Neal.

“That's heart,” said Slippery Rock football coach Brendan Hathaway of his star senior linebacker. “He finishes. He wraps and he puts the shoulder into you.”

The Rockets are going to need another dominant performance from Neal and the defense this week against a potent East offense.

Slippery Rock makes the trek up to Erie to face the Warriors for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday.

“They like to spread it out on offense,” Hathaway said. “And their quarterback, Jauwan Ford, is very dangerous passing or running. We're going to have to be disciplined and don't give up the big play.”

Slippery Rock (4-0) has rarely given up big plays this season against dangerous weapons at the quarterback position.

This will be the fifth-straight game in which the Rockets have faced a QB who can make things happen with his feet as well as his arm.

Last week, Yurkewicz accounted for 172 of Bradford's 198 points, but the Owls managed just three points.

A week before against Central Tech and its dual-threat quarterback, Paul Kafando, rushed for 222 yards, but Central managed just 18 points.

Slippery Rock is bending, but not breaking.

It's Neal and the defense who are doing the breaking.

“We all are playing together as one unit,” Neal said. “Everyone is getting to the ball, we're wrapping up and gang tackling. It just feels really great. It's awesome.”

Ford will be another challenge as the senior has rushed for 102 yards and four touchdowns and has passed for 522 yards and four more scores.

The Rockets, though, are ready.

“We can improve more,” Neal said. “We're still climbing that ladder. If we can just play to our fullest potential and gang tackle, we'll be good.”

Neal hasn't been the only disruptive force on the Rockets' defense.

Senior defensive linemen Spencer Rea, Bruce Pelletier and Forrest Christmann and junior Ryan Bosch have made life miserable for foes, especially against Bradford last week.

In the secondary, senior Joey Meyer and junior Chris Reeseman each had interceptions.

“Everyone looks up to Dylan Neal and Jeff Croll,” Bosch said. “Everyone knows they are going to give 100 percent. We know they are going to play their hearts out.”

Croll, though, suffered a knee injury early in the second half against Bradford that appeared to be serious.

Croll and the Rockets are still waiting for tests results to ascertain the severity of the senior fullback/linebacker's injury.

“It's still a process of figuring it out,” Hathaway said. “We're waiting for MRI results. It doesn't ... well, we'll see.”