Slippery Rock U. football 2025 preview: What to watch, 3 things to know and schedule
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Brandon Ross works on leg work during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Assistant coach Lisa Horton demonstrates blocking during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Brandon Ross catches the ball during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Ethan Trettel catches the ball during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Ethan Trettel catches the ball during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Potential quarterback David Bahm catches the ball during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Head coach Shawn Lutz takes a drink during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Defensive coordinator Domenick Razzano works with Jason Gillespie during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Assistant coach Lisa Horton talks with a player during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Assistant coach Lisa Horton watches the players during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Joe Cooper takes a break to watch other drills during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Assistant coach Lisa Horton throws the ball to a player during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Assistant coach Lisa Horton throws the ball to a player during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Head coach Shawn Lutz works with a players during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Assistant coach Lisa Horton demonstrates proper leg work during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Head coach Shawn Lutz works with a players during practice as the Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Slippery Rock University football team held their first day of practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
SLIPPERY ROCK — Preseason polls seem to think highly of Slippery Rock University’s football team, and The Rock hope to oblige.
The Rock, coming off a 12-2 season that fell one quarter short of a national championship game appearance, is ranked No. 4 in the American Football Coaches Association Division II preseason poll. It has not had a preseason ranking that high since 1998.
SRU is also picked to win the PSAC West Division in a poll of the division’s coaches. Its five-year reign as division champs was snapped by California (Pa.) last season.
“We don’t rebuild around here, we reload,” 10th-year head coach Shawn Lutz said. “We haven’t won a PSAC championship since 2019. We’d like to hold that trophy, have that moment.
“We also want to defend the Super Region One title. Both would be nice.”
If SRU’s offense is to shine this season, it will be a bunch of new players applying the polish.
Either by graduation or the transfer portal, The Rock have lost their starting quarterback, top two running backs, top three receivers and starting tight end from last season.
“Ideally, we’d like to have our starting quarterback in place by the start of (August) camp, but for the first time in a while, we don’t,” Lutz said. “We’re not sure who’s going to be catching the football, either.
“We’ve got a talented bunch, we just need to sort things out. We may be more ground-and-pound this year than last. I love our set of running backs.”
Those backs include JayJay Jordan, Quentin Harrison and Luke McCoy. None rushed for as many as 75 yards last year.
Jordan considers himself a combination power runner and speed back.
“We lost some great backs from last year, but this program is designed to develop and replace,” Jordan said. “I feel like I have the ability to be elusive, make people miss, but I can shed tackles, too.
“I’m not worried about how many yards I or the other guys gain. My sole goal is the national championship.”
Anthony Vespo, a 6-foot-3 senior transfer from Northern State University (S.D.), is battling with redshirt freshman DaOne Owens for the quarterback spot.
“We’re not gonna split time with them. We want to name a starter,” Lutz said. “Vespo has more Division II experience and is in the lead right now (early in camp), but DaOne is such a dual threat. It’s possible we’ll put some goal-line packages in for him if he’s not the starter.”
Returning receiver Xander McClure (14 catches, 187 yards), Slippery Rock High graduate John Sabo, Butler graduate Ethan Trettel and Latrell Sutton, along with transfers Reggie Fleurima (Northwestern) and Joe White (Missouri Baptist), will make up the wide out room.
Carson Heckathorn (six catches, 55 yards) figures to be the tight end.
1. Defense solid on the back end: While both starting linebackers return in Jacob Snow and Teddy Gregory Jr., SRU has a solid secondary to back them up.
Kanye Thompson — the fastest runner in the PSAC — will man one corner while Anthony Smith, a transfer from Frostburg State, will likely be on the other side. Veteran safeties return in Michael Henwood and Freeport graduate Ben Lane.
“I think our defense is going to be better,” Henwood said. “We’ve been playing together, and we’re all on the same page. Communication is vital and that will be a strength of ours.”
Lane, stepping into a starting role, has set some lofty goals for himself.
“Eight interceptions, a pick-six, four forced fumbles, a scoop and score ... the biggest thing is coming up and making tackles,” he said. “We take pride in that. We do intense tackling drills every day.”
2. New look up front: Hit by graduation losses along the defensive line, The Rock have reinforcements in place.
Trever Valenti is a returning starter at tackle, and would-be starters from last year — Brian Young Jr. and Daniel Tooson — are returning from early season injuries a season ago. Tooson isn’t expected back until midseason.
Brett Kwoka, an All-PSAC East player from Shepherd, has transferred in, and Dylan Christley is a 6-1, 310-pound transfer from Maricopa Community College (Ari.).
“He is a physical force,” Lutz said of Christley. “Ohio State and Penn State had interest in him, but he came here to play his final season. He’s drawing interest from NFL scouts and should make an impact for us.”
3. Special production from special teams: This unit could be electric in a lot of ways.
With last year’s kicker, punter and top return man gone, new faces will be filling in. Billy Lech, a freshman from Central Catholic, may be the starting kicker and punter. He booted a 54-yard field goal in high school last year.
“Kickoffs, kicking, punting, he can do it all,” Lutz said. “We’ll have a competition, but this kid has a tremendous leg.”
Thompson and Jordan figure to be the top return men. Thompson ran the 100 meters in 10.1 seconds in the spring.
- Friday, Sept. 5, 6 p.m. - at Franklin Pierce (N.H.)
- Saturday, Sept. 13, 6 p.m. - vs. Shepherd
- Saturday, Sept. 20, 6 p.m. - vs. Shippensburg
- Saturday, Sept. 27, 6 p.m. - vs. California (Pa.)*
- Saturday, Oct. 4, noon - at Gannon*
- Saturday, Oct. 11, noon - at Seton Hill*
- Saturday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. - vs. Indiana (Pa.)*
- Saturday, Nov. 1, 1 p.m. - vs. Clarion*
- Saturday, Nov. 8, noon - at Edinboro*
- Saturday, Nov. 15, noon - at Bloomsburg
*Division/section/conference game
