Corey Tucker

SLIPPERY ROCK — Nothing stopped Cory Tucker this football season.

The season is over, in fact, and the Slippery Rock University right tackle is still going.

The 6-foot-4, 285-pound Tucker has been named one of eight finalists for the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award.

“I didn’t see this coming,” Tucker said. “I had heard I might be on the ballot, but I never thought I’d get this far.”

A South Park High School graduate, Tucker is only the second SRU lineman to ever be a national finalist for the Upshaw Award. Seneca Valley graduate Brandon Fusco, now with the Minnesota Vikings, won the award in 2010.

Tucker is undergoing surgery in two weeks to repair a torn labrum, an injury he played with all season.

“Doctors wanted to do the surgery in the spring,” SRU coach George Mihalik said. “Cory would have missed the entire season under that scenario.

“He said he could put the surgery off and play with a brace. He’s basically achieved what he has while playing with one arm.”

Tucker suffered a torn labrum in his other shoulder during his freshman year and had surgery after that season. He’s gone on to be named first team All-PSAC West in each of the past two seasons while starting all 24 games, 18 of them wins.

“I’ve been through this procedure before,” Tucker said of his impending surgery. “It takes a couple of months and I’ll be as good as new.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how I can play with two healthy arms.”

Tucker is one of three juniors and three offensive linemen still in contention for the Upshaw Award. He is carrying a 3.25 grade point average.

Clarion senior defensive lineman Julian Howsare — two-time PSAC Defensive Player of the Year — is the other Upshaw finalist from Super Region One.

While Fusco wound up in the NFL, Tucker has no such aspirations.

“I came here for school,” he said. “If the opportunity (for pro football) comes, I’ll pursue it, but I’m not going to be crushed or anything if it doesn’t happen.

“My education comes first. That’s always been the plan.”

Tucker helped anchor a Rock offense that averaged 460 yards and 36 points per game this past season. Over the last two years, SRU produced more than 475 yards offensively in 16 games, 500 or more yards in 14 and 600 or more yards in seven games.

“All season, we were watching Cory on every play, hoping the play didn’t happen that would knock him out for the rest of the season,” Mihalik said. “He’d come to practice every day and if the shoulder went out, he’d sit out a few plays and come right back in.

“He’s got excellent feet, knows how to use his hands and he’s very athletic. And his field study is superb. Cory really studies his opponents. The good players watch hours and hours of film during the week and he’s one of them.

“To be named a finalist for the Upshaw after all he’s been through is pretty incredible,” Mihalik added.