PHILIPPI, W.Va. — Coming out of Knoch High School, Dakota Bruggeman had plenty of football options.

Penn State offered him a chance as a preferred walk-on at tight end. Ohio University liked him at the same position. Kent State wanted him as a wide receiver.

One problem. Bruggeman wanted to play quarterback in college.

So he took an offer from Alderson-Broaddus (W.Va.), which was reviving a football program that had been dormant since 1930.

“That was the only school to offer me a chance to play quarterback,” the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Bruggeman said. “I figured I'd have a chance to play as a freshman rather than go to a bigger school and play for maybe one or two seasons.

“Besides, I'm a small-town guy. I went to visit Penn State and that campus was like a city. Before I even got out of the car, I knew it wasn't for me. When I first saw Alderson-Broaddus, I knew the place was perfect for me.”

Bruggeman played quarterback for only his senior year at Knoch, throwing for 1,264 yards and 10 touchdowns in leading the Knights to the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs.

Alderson-Broaddus had played an independent schedule of junior varsity and club teams in its debut season of 2012, winning nine of 11 games. The Battlers went 4-6 in Bruggeman's freshman year, its first as a Division II program playing a D-II schedule.

A-B finished 7-4 in each of the past two seasons. Bruggeman saw time behind center in each of those seasons. He entered this year having completed 141 of 233 passes for 1,837 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his collegiate career.

He's also rushed for 262 yards and four touchdowns and even caught five passes for 46 yards. He's even done a little punting.

“We were short on numbers at receiver for a couple of games because of injuries, so I went over there,” Bruggeman said.

“I've never been big on individual goals. I'll do what's needed to give my team the best chance to win. I'm a team-oriented guy and I came here wanting to help this program develop.”

Mission accomplished in that regard.

Bruggemnan started at quarterback in A-B's first game this season, a 14-7 upset of Division I Robert Morris on the road. He passed for 129 yards and two touchdowns that night.

The win was the Battlers' first-ever against a Division I opponent. Only three other D-II schools nationwide defeated D-I opponents that week.

“It was a huge thrill for all of us,” A-B coach Dennis Creehan said. “It should certainly give our team confidence, but it was only one game and we have 10 more to go, so we need to get back down to earth.”

A-B dropped a 13-6 decision to St. Joseph's this past weekend. Bruggeman did not play in that game as Creehan is rotating quarterbacks until one of them claims the job outright.

“Dakota is a big strong armed quarterback who can also run,” Creehan said. “He presents a dual threat to the defense. He also does a great job of reading our pass plays and gets the ball to the right guys.”

A nursing major, Bruggeman knows he's in a battle for playing time in his final season. It's been that way his entire collegiate career. Sometimes he starts, sometimes he doesn't.

All of that is fine with him.

“Sure, I'd love to start every game,” he said. “But the friends I've made and relationships I've developed here ... I don't regret coming here at all.”

Creehan is grateful for the 30 seniors still with the team.

“They have been the absolute backbone of the program,” the coach said. “We all started this together and it has been great watching them grow and develop as men while they have gained confidence on the field.

“Dakota is already one of the leaders on the team, but he needs to do two things better: Make his reads quicker and stop turning the ball over. If he does these two things, he will be our starter and our leader.”

“We've got a good team now and the program is only going to get better,” Bruggeman said. “I'll always know I was part of the start. It's something I'll always be proud of.”