BUFFALO TWP — Handling the increased demands of playing Football Championship Subdivision (former Division I-AA) football won’t be much different for Freeport senior Andrew Romanchak.

Romanchak, who verbally committed to play for Robert Morris University’s football team Wednesday, spent all last summer making a turnaround.

After a rough junior season where he and the team struggled, the 6-foot-2, 190 pound senior worked hard to put himself in a good position.

“Having the year I did junior year opened my eyes and pushed me a little more,” Romanchak said. “I hated the feeling and never want to have that again. I now know what I have to do to keep pushing myself.”

The Colonials recruited him as an athlete and Romanchak thinks he will end up playing defense.

RMU was the first school to offer Romanchak.

He was interested after watching them play Central Connecticut State during the season.

As a junior, Romanchak threw nine interceptions and only one touchdown.

He spent all summer working out and turned in record-setting performances as a senior.

Romanchak set the school’s passing record, throwing for 442 yards and five touchdowns against Burrell.

He finished with 1,922 yards passing, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Romanchak also led the team in rushing with 617 yards and scored eight TDs.

On defense, Romanchak intercepted five passes.

Freeport rebounded with a 5-4 record after finishing 2-7.

Romanchak said the turnaround was thanks to a total effort from the Yellowjackets.

“Mainly, it was having the team to put in the effort to become a better team than we were the year before,” he said.”

Romanchak is the second Yellowjackets players to commit to playing Division I football. Junior offensive/defensive lineman Logan Thimons verbally committed to West Virginia University before the season started.