Slippery Rock University’s football program does not feature the full amount of scholarships permitted by NCAA Division II.

In fact, it’s not even close to that figure.

Division II football programs are permitted to dole out the equivalent of 36 full scholarships. SRU’s budget allows for maybe half of that.

Yet since 1997, The Rock has produced 10 PSAC West titles and eight other finishes among the top three, not to mention a few state championships and a number of national playoff appearances.

Two prime examples of how this has been done come right from Butler: Bob and Tim Vernick.

During the last eight years, one of those two has been the starting middle linebacker for The Rock. Neither was highly recruited in high school, if recruited at all.

The Vernick brothers played for struggling teams at Butler. Golden Tornado wins were rare when they were here and they did not have the physical attributes that stood out on the field.

Simply put, the Vernick brothers were under the radar when it came to college recruitment.

Both guys have the intangibles that cannot be measured by statistics, athletic ability or a recorded time in the 40-yard dash. Both have heart, intensity, desire and extreme knowledge of the game of football.

Retired Rock coach George Mihalik boldly predicted — upon seeing Bob Vernick in practice his freshman year at SRU — that he would graduate as one of the best linebackers in Rock history.

Current Rock coach Shawn Lutz admitted he looked at bringing Tim Vernick into the program because of his last name, figuring he had the same positive intangibles his brother possesses.

Both coaches were right.

Both Vernick brothers wound up becoming team captains. They’ve compiled very similar statistics in their collegiate careers.

Oh, yeah, and their teams have won. A lot.

The following numbers will show that the Vernick brothers haven’t just been along for the ride of this run of SRU football success. They’ve contributed plenty to it.

As a tandem, they’ve produced 456 total tackles, 49.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 quarterback sacks and eight interceptions.

Broken down, Bob Vernick had 243 tackles, 23.0 TFLs, six sacks and six interceptions as a four-year starter at The Rock. Tim Vernick has 213 tackles, 26.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks and two interceptions as a four-year starter as well.

And Tim, of course, is still playing.

When Lutz first recruited the younger Vernick, he pegged him as being a contributor on special teams.

He wound up starting at middle linebacker as a freshman.

During the eight-year “Vernick era,” The Rock has won 74 games and lost 19, capturing five PSAC West championships along the way.

SRU football has built its legacy on the type of players the Vernick brotrhers are.

Being a consistent winner helps the recruiting process, that’s for sure.

But to stay a winner, you have to bring in winning-type people.

Bob and Tim Vernick certainly check that box.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.