SLIPPERY ROCK — George Mihalik is gone. The rest of the Slippery Rock University football program remains intact.

And Shawn Lutz plans to keep it that way.

The Rock's defensive coordinator for the past eight years and assistant coach for the last 20 seasons, Lutz takes over as head coach this fall. He replaces Mihalik, who has retired after 28 years and 197 wins.

“There's no need to change much here,” Lutz said.

Indeed.

SRU is coming off a 12-2 season, consecutive PSAC championships, four PSAC West crowns in the past five years and enters 2016 with a 17-game home winning streak, the longest active streak of its kind in NCAA Division II. SRU is ranked No. 9 in the Sporting News preseason Division II poll.

The Rock returns seven starters on defense, including Sporting News preseason All-American defensive end Marcus Martin. He has 32 quarterback sacks in his first two seasons and needs 15 over the last two to break the Division II record for career sacks.

End Cody Conway, tackle Joe Phillips, middle linebacker and Butler graduate Bob Vernick, cornerbacks Titus Howard and Alfon Cook and safety Derrick Fulmore are the other returning starters defensively.

“As good as Marcus is, people don't realize how good Conway, Phillips, Vernick and other guys on that unit are,” Lutz said. “Derrick Fulmore was on his way to a great year before he got hurt (after seven games).

“We have to fill in some new linebackers around Bobby. We've got the personnel to do that.”

Anthony Zappone, a transfer from Eastern Michigan, will be one starter at linebacker. John Conglose may get the other spot. In terms of depth, “we're a little thin there,” Lutz admitted.

Vernick said The Rock's defensive line makes life easy on him and the other lines of defense.

“Those guys are unreal,” Vernick said. “We're fortunate to have a group like that. They make us very effective against the running game.

“Anthony Zappone will bring a lot of experience to the linebacking corps. He'll be a big key this year.”

Offensively, SRU was the only team in the country to run more than 1,200 plays last season, averaging 86.8 plays per game. Senior running back Shamar Greene returns needing just 179 yards to break SRU's career rushing record.

Greene led the PSAC with 1,545 yards rushing last season. But his offensive line returns only one player — Sporting News preseason All-American center Joe LoSchiavo.

“We'll put together another line,” Greene said. “There's a lot of young talent coming up. We've restructured the offensive line before and we can do it again.”

Jim Popa and Austin Fields, a transfer from West Virginia University, are the frontrunners at guard. Slippery Rock High graduate Colten Raabe, coming off a torn ACL, could work his way into the lineup there as well.

Tackles will come from Seneca Valley graduates Steve Gaviglia — a converted defensive lineman — and Dean Ketterer, along with Chris Larsen. St. Francis (Pa.). Transfer Brian McNally is the leading candidate at tight end.

“How our offensive line fares will obviously be critical to us,” Lutz said.

The same can be said for the quarterback situation.

Don King III, a senior transfer from Sam Houstion State, is competing with Zack Newsock for the starting spot. Newsock has started a handful of games for SRU over the past two seasons.

“We want to have our starter named two weeks before our opener,” Lutz said. “Quarterbacks win you championships in this league. I feel like we've got two good ones.

“We're not handing the job to anybody. It will have to be earned.”

SRU has plenty of depth at running back and receiver. Isiah Neely and Dominic Dingle back up Greene in the backfield and freshman Donte Rash could make an impact there.

Slot receivers include veterans Millie Raye, Leroy McClain and Drew Scales — who combined for 92 catches, more than 1,400 yards and 12 TDs last year — and University of Akron transfer Landon Yeartie. Raye had 57 catches himself.

“We might have the deepest set of slot receivers in the country,” Lutz said.

Outside receivers include Taishan Tucker (35 catches-440 yards), Marcus Johnson and Carnel Harley. Darren Massey, Edinboro's all-time leading receiver, has transfered to SRU and figures into that mix as well.

One area The Rock will undergo major change is in the kicking game. Freshman punter/placekicker Jake Chapla from Plum will handle all of the kicking chores.

“We're taking a leap of faith there,” Lutz said. “A lot will be on Jake's shoulders. We've had solid, veteran kickers and punters here the past few years.”

The PSAC West preseason coaches poll picks SRU to finish second, behind Indiana (Pa.).

“We want to hit the ground running,” Lutz said. “One of our biggest keys will be New Haven, our first game. Once we settle in, if we can get over that first hump, I think we'll be OK.”