SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University offensive coordinator Phil Longo is gone.

His offense is still here.

“We’ve had a lot of success with that offense the past couple of years,” SRU head coach George Mihalik said. “I really didn’t want to have a major change there.

“Everyone’s comfortable with it, so we’re going to keep things the way they are.”

That means no offensive coordinator will replace Longo, who left The Rock after last season to accept the same role at Sam Houston State in Texas.

Offensive line coach Chris Conrad is now The Rock’s “run” coach while Frank Bongivengo, the wide receivers coach, is now the “pass” coach. Zack Patterson is the quarterbacks coach and will remain in the booth with the headset.

Conrad and Patterson are full-time assistants at The Rock for the first time. Conrad was part-time last year and Patterson was a graduate assistant coach.

Patterson will also serve as recruiting coordinator this year.

Bongivengo, who also teaches at New Castle, remains a part-time coach. He will signal in the plays from the sidelines. His son, Mike, a receiver at SRU last year, is now a graduate assistant coach and will work with the running backs.

“This adjustment will be big,” Conrad allowed. “Coach Longo has been running this offense for 25 years. It’s his baby.

“Now we’re the new drivers of it and we don’t want to scratch the car. That’s how we’re looking at this.”

SRU sported one of the most productive offenses in NCAA Division II last year — and the most productive offense in school history. The Rock generated 43.3 points per game, 315 first downs, 2,187 yards rushing, 4.251 yards passing and 536.5 yards per game.

The team wound up 9-3, reaching the Division II playoffs for the first time since 1999.

Of course, quarterback Nigel Barksdale and receiver John Schademan have since graduated from that team.

“They were two of the best in the country,” Conrad said. “They will be difficult to replace, but we’ve got the pieces here to keep this going.”

Patterson described his role last year as diagnosing defensive coverages and fronts from the booth and relaying that information to Longo. He also coached running backs and tight ends.

“I’ll still be up in the booth, but now I’m going to be more directly involved in play-calling,” Patterson said. “My role will be expanded more.”

A 2012 Grove City College graduate, Patterson played defensive end for the Wolverines.

“I know what defenses are trying to do because I’ve done them,” he said.

Conrad, a former Pittsburgh Steeler offensive lineman, praised Patterson’s contributions from the booth last season.

“He picks up on formations and sniffs out schemes really well,” Conrad said. “He was a tremendous help to Coach Longo that way.”

Mihalik anticipates the offensive system will flow well this season, though this is the first time in his 26 seasons he has not had a true offensive coordinator.

“We’ve had co-defensive coordinators here before with Joe Kopnisky and Jay Foster in the late 1990’s and we won championships during those years,” Mihalik said. “This will work because everybody, players and coaches, are familiar with what we’re doing.”

Patterson said the key will be in the coaching staff’s preparation during the week.

“We’ll put the time in during the week prepping for the opponent and getting on the same page with what we want to do,” Patterson said. “Game days, we’ll be operating as a unit.

“Monday through Friday will be the big days for us.”