Work before wins
SLIPPERY ROCK — Last year at this time, Slippery Rock High football coach Brendan Hathaway spoke about how his team didn't care what people thought of the Rockets coming off an 0-10 season.
A year later, following a breakthrough 7-4 campaign that saw Slippery Rock make the playoffs for the first time since 2008, Hathaway and his team still don't care what people think of them.
“It's about the 44 guys we have in that locker room now,” Hathaway said. “We're going to go out and work. We believe work comes before wins. That's our mentality. The opinions of other people don't play a part.”
Senior offensive lineman and linebacker Dylan Neal certainly doesn't listen to what people say outside of the Slippery Rock locker room. He heard the talk during the darkest days of the 0-10 season. He chose to ignore it.
Now, he said, the Rockets want to do the talking.
“We overcame an 0-10 season together. We worked hard together,” Neal said. “That meant so much to us. This year, we're building for a larger goal: to make the playoffs and win a few.”
It's the next logical step in the evolution of the Slippery Rock program.
The Rockets, though, won't sneak up on anyone this year in the revamped District 10 Class AAA. Champion Grove City dropped to Class AA, but Cathedral Prep, Meadville and Strong Vincent remain.
Then again, Slippery Rock may not need the element of surprise.
Hathaway will still employ his unorthodox flexbone offense that features wide splits between the offensive lineman and a misdirection running game that features a plethora of ballcarriers.
Senior quarterback Ryan Currie led the Rockets with 757 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground last season. Three other backs gained at least 400 yards.
Only one returns in senior Jeff Croll, who is poised for a big season after blooming in the middle of the 2011 campaign.
Croll rushed for 509 yards on 107 carries and four TDs a year ago.
“He's put on some weight in the weight room,” Hathaway said of Croll. “He hasn't missed a day of lifting all year. I expect him to do very well this year.”
Hathaway plans to add a few wrinkles to the flexbone this year.
Currie is the key, although sophomore backup quarterback Jake Whitmer has shown promise at the position as well.
“Ryan is a returning all-region player,” Hathaway said. “He's familiar with the offense. He's going to do well this year, there's no doubt. Jake Whitmer has been working as hard as anyone. It's nice in our offense to have two quarterbacks who are pretty good at what they do.
“We're going to be doing some different things this year, some stuff we're going to be adding into it,” Hathaway added. “I think that's because the kids are familiar with some of the things we've done in the past and our first group of sophomores are coming in having gone through the system in seventh-, eighth- and the undefeated ninth-grade team a year ago. That makes a big help, too.”
The key to the season may be the large sophomore class. A handful of those young players, who have seen success at every level, will be asked to play key roles on both sides of the ball this season.
Hathaway isn't fretting.
“We have a very, very good sophomore class and they are going to contribute this year,” Hathaway said. “We have 22 sophomores this year and we are looking for our senior class to provide some leadership.”
