SLIPPERY ROCK — One season does not a football player make.

In Jade Burka's case, it's a good enough start.

The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Butler senior never played a down of organized football before last fall. Now he's headed to Slippery Rock University on a football scholarship.

Between the scholarship and other financial aid packages, Burka won't have to pay a dime for his college education.

"This works out well,"he said. "I was planning on going to Slippery Rock anyway to pursue basketball."

SRU basketball coach John Marhefka has been recruiting Burka for the past year.

But for now, basketball's out. And football's in.

"We're still very interested in Jade Burka playing basketball for us,"Marhefka said. "We're fine with him playing both sports and so are the football coaches.

"That decision is up to the young man. Playing two sports in college is a lot to handle along with academics."

Burka was a two-year starter for Butler's basketball team. He averaged eight points and five rebounds as a junior before averaging 12.5 points and 11 rebounds his senior season.

"He's just now only scratching the surface as an athlete,"said Butler boys basketball coach Joe Lewandowski.

Before last spring, playing football was never a consideration for that athlete.

"I was always focused on basketball,"Burka said. "I always saw myself as a basketball player. I believed in my abilities.

"I never wanted to give that up."

That's why Burka kept coming back, despite being cut from the seventh- and eighth-grade teams in consecutive years.

He made the freshman team at Butler, but he didn't get a lot of playing time. Then, he started for the junior varsity as a sophomore and became a varsity starter his junior season.

"All of my friends played football and everybody was asking me to go out for the team,"Burka said. "It was my senior year and I figured I had to do it once."

The Golden Tornado started Burka out at strong safety, then moved him to linebacker while trying to see where he'd fit in best.

None of it mattered to Burka.

"I was just having fun," he said. "I never expected to play much. I never figured I'd start a game."

That all changed during a preseason scrimmage with Gateway. Burka started at defensive line and sacked the quarterback four times.

He's been a starting defensive lineman ever since.

"We lined him up in a three-point stance during our second week of (summer) practice and liked what we saw,"Butler football coach Garry Cathell said. "Jade is a strong, aggressive kid. As his fundamentals improved, he improved."

Burka wound up starting at nose guard for the Tornado and recorded nine solo tackles, 24 assists, three sacks and three forced fumbles.

"Those are solid numbers for any high school nose tackle, let alone a kid who never played football before,"Cathell said.

SRU's coaching staff agreed.

"His potential is unlimited,"SRU head coach George Mihalik said. "You look at Jade's size and athleticism, coupled with his commitment to the weight room. ... It's scary to think what kind of player he'll be once he completely learns the game and has the fundamentals down."

Shawn Lutz, The Rock's recruiting coordinator and new defensive coordinator, said his team is fortunate Burka didn't play football before this year.

"If he played as a sophomore and junior, he's a Division I prospect and we're not even talking to him,"Lutz said. "I can see this kid being another Brian Minehart."

Minehart is a Butler graduate who went on to play at the University of Pittsburgh before transferring to SRU and becoming an all-conference center.

Burka prefers to play defensive line and The Rock's coaches will look at him on that side of the ball first.

Lutz said he won't be surprised if Burka winds up on the offensive side of the ball.

"Jade reminds me a lot of Reggie Wells,"Lutz said. "Wells was mainly a basketball player in high school who got a late start in football. He wound up going to Clarion (University), became an all-conference player and is playing for the Arizona Cardinals now."

Mihalik plans to redshirt Burka, but Burqa's plans are different.

"My challenge is to convince them to put me on the field right away,"Burka said. "The athletic talent of Division IIfootball is great, but I don't want to sit for a year.

"If guys are better than me, I'll accept it and keep working. But my goal is to play and play now. I really enjoy this game."

Burka hasn't forgotten about basketball and won't rule out hitting the hardwood for The Rock one day.

That day is likely a couple of years away, however.

"I need to concentrate on football and my studies right now,"said Burka, who plans to major in education.

"It's tough that first year to play both sports,"Lutz said. "But Jade could help our basketball team because he's big and powerful.

"We're encouraging him to keep that option open because we can make it work."

Marhefka only hopes so.

"Besides the size, he's athletic, has soft hands and a good touch around the basket,"Marhefka said. "And the college game would allow him to use his physicality more.

"Two-sport athletes are rare in college because it's tough for a kid to maintain that intensity level. Jade Burka could be a very good basketball player here, but it's easier said than done.

"If and when he's ready, he's welcome,"Marhefka added.