BUTLER TWP — His college football options weren’t what Jake Alston had in mind.

So he has decided to expand them — like no one has before.

The 2013 Butler graduate was looking at Notre Dame College (Ohio), Westminster, Clarion and Misericordia University in as possible destinations this fall. But he will be attending none of those schools.

“The defensive coordinator who recruited me at Notre Dame College left for another job,” said Alston, a wide receiver-free safety. “Clarion wanted me to walk on, the other schools didn’t seem like the right fit.

“I was looking for a way to keep my options open.”

He found it by becoming the first football player to commit to the Spire Academy, a post-graduate academy designed to improve the skills and academic standing of basketball, volleyball, swimming and track and field athletes.

The facility is located in Geneva, Ohio. Alston will be staying at a golf resort down the road.

Spire Institute recently opened the second Michael Johnson Performance Center — the first is in Dallas and hosts the NFL Combine — and has become an official Olympic/ParaOlympic training facility.

“With the MJ Performance Center, it only seems natural we expand into football,” said Gary Smallshaw, executive director of the Spire Center. “We won’t have a team and there won’t be any games. But we will develop Jake’s football ability and skills.

“He wants to play free safety in college. By next year, he’ll be prepared to go to a college team and be ready to play right away.”

Alston will take six credits of collegiate courses at Kent State-Ashtabula while at Spire. He will be able to retake his SAT and ACT by late fall or early spring.

In the meantime, he will be working out three times a day.

“Brian McCall is a legendary trainer there and they are in the process of hiring football coaches,” Alston said.

One coach expected to join the srtaff is former NFL quarterback Elvis Grbac.

“I’ll be gone from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. every day,” Alston said. “My day will begin with a workout, then I’ll go to class, have another workout in the early afternoon, do more academics, then work out in the early evening.

“I’m excited about this. I feel like it’s a unique opportunity to maximize my potential.”

Alston made 25 tackles and caught six passes for 38 yards with the Golden Tornado during a senior season hampered by injuries.

Smallshaw said every athlete at Spire is measured by a “SPART” number.

“They are numbers measuring one’s speed, power. agility, reaction time and quickness,” he said. “Athletes increase their SPART numbers by 54 percent while they’re here.”

While Alston is the first football player to officially join the program, others are expected to follow suit.

“We will get a number of commitments,” Smallshaw said. “We’ll work with the athletes on football specific stuff, academics and general athleticism.”

Alston will experience pool therapy, yoga, fitness drills and competitive training over the next few months. His orientation at Spire is Aug. 24.

“I’m hoping to wind up at Coastal Carolina, Kent State, Mount Union, Slippery Rock ... any place I can get on the field and play,” Alston said.

“I know I’m going to get bigger, stronger, faster and smarter. I’ll be a better athlete, better player and a better person.”