SLIPPERY ROCK — Each time John Schademan lines up at wide receiver for Slippery Rock University, he sees a single defender in front of him.

He must smile at his good fortune.

The 6-foot-0, 195-pound senior from Bethel Park has been running amuck in opposing secondaries this year like few Rock receivers before him.

Through four games in 2013, Schademan has amassed 28 catches, 569 yards and seven touchdowns. He has at least 100 receiving yards in each contest.

Schademan had 21 catches for 410 yards and four touchdowns all of last season. He caught 30 balls for 351 yards as a sophomore, but never found the end zone.

“I'm not targeting him, but it probably seems that way,” SRU quarterback Nigel Barksdale said. “The guy just knows how to get open.”

When asked if Schademan is open on every play, Barksdale smiled and said: “I'll plead the fifth on that.”

Schademan's 229 yards receiving last Saturday against Mercyhurst broke the school's single-game record of 225, set by Devin Goda in 2011.

Schademan is on pace to snap Greg Hopkins' seemingly unbreakable single-season SRU marks of 83 receptions, 1,283 yards and 12 touchdowns, set in 1994.

“We still have a lot of football left to play yet,” Rock coach George Mihalik cautioned.

And Schademan has plenty of footballs still to catch. He does not anticipate facing double-coverage anytime soon.

“No way ... not with receivers like Ken Amos and Jaimire Dutrieuille out there,” Schademan said. “I'm nowhere near the fastest guy out on the field in our offense.

“Teams start doubling me and those guys are going to break loose.”

Mihalik described Schademan as a natural receiver.

“He has a knack for reading the coverage and finding the open area,” the coach said. “He's productive once he catches the ball and if you throw the ball anywhere near him, he's gonna catch it.”

Schademan has had big years before. He had double-digit pass reception games and 1,255 yards receiving his senior year at Bethel Park as the team reached the PIAA championship game.

From there, he went to Colgate University and started as a freshman, catching seven passes for 130 yards and returning punts and kickoffs.

“Academically, that was a tough school for me,” Schademan said. “Even with football, the fit just wasn't there.”

When The Rock caught wind of that, SRU's coaches were in his living room.

“We recruited him in high school, but a lot of kids want to go Division I and John was one of them,” Mihalik said. “When that didn't work out, we aggressively pursued him again.'

That effort wasn't lost on Schademan.

“They showed they really wanted me ... and I wanted them,” Schademan said. “Coming to Slippery Rock was the best decision I've ever made.”

The only goal Schademan has for himself is to “become the best football player I can be.”

He stays after every practice with Barksdale. The two work on timing patterns and play pitch and catch.

“Coach has to run us off the field after a while,” Barksdale said, laughing.

With this his senior season, Schademan is unsure whether he will play again.

“I'll look at any opportunity out there to keep on playing, but this game does beat up your body,” he admitted. “I'll stay in football somehow, though, through coaching or whatever.

“I'm all about football all the time. I love this game and everything about it. Whether it's throwing a block, running a 3-yard hitch or a post pattern, I'm here to do a job for this team.”

And he's doing it well.

“He works as hard in practice as he does in games,” Mihalik said. “You want all of your players to be that way. You can't keep this guy off the field.”