From playoff team to first-year team, Clay Kohlmeyer is preparing for the transition.

Moniteau's graduating quarterback will continue his academic and football careers at Seton Hill College in Greensburg - a school that won't field its first football team until 2005.

"I'm excited about it," Kohlmeyer said. "It's a great opportunity, trying to build a program and tradition from the ground floor."

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Kohlmeyer completed 74 of 145 passes for 1,204 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall in leading Moniteau to the District 9 playoffs and the program's first winning season since 1986.

Grove City College and Bethany (W.Va.) College were interested in Kohlmeyer, who decided to play for coach Chris Snyder at Bethany.

When Snyder decided to take on the challenge of forming Seton Hill's football program, Kohlmeyer decided to go with him.

"He talked me into it," Kohlmeyer said. "I hit it off with Coach Snyder when he recruited me at Bethany. He sold me on the idea of taking a year to adjust to college and keep my grades up before we start playing football."

Kohlmeyer won't be the only recruited football player on Seton Hill's campus this fall. Snyder has 21 players signed - including quarterbacks Lou Massimiani of Shaler, Landon Heath of Salem (Ohio) and Chad Davies of Beaver.

Massimiani is a speedy quarterback who excelled in running the option at Shaler. Kohlmeyer is strictly a drop-back passer.

"Lou and Clay are two totally different types of quarterback," Snyder said. "I plan to run a pro-style offense that's pretty balanced, but I'll be looming for intangibles in my quarterback.

"With a first-year program, leadership qualities and the ability to take control of an offense will be critical to us."

Snyder said Bill Horsman, a teacher at Moniteau and a former coach there who is the running backs coach for Slippery Rock University, told him about Kohlmeyer.

"He called me and said Clay had some skills I needed to take a look at," Snyder said. "And he was right."

Kohlmeyer said Snyder prefers the option and is prepared to "win him over."

"I know I have to improve my foot speed," Kohlmeyer said. "I have to be able to pull the ball down and run with it if nobody's open. Last year, I just threw the ball away.

"Coach (former Clarion University quarterback Chris) Weibel worked with me on reading defenses and now he's working with me on how college defenses disguise things.

"Coach Weibel taught me how to hold and throw a football the right way. I owe him a lot," Kohlmeyer added.

Moniteau coach Steve Wilson said Kohlmeyer worked on speed drills all winter.

"He's a competitor and he's up for this challenge," Wilson said. "Clay believes this is his best chance to play. The financial package and academics all worked out the best as well."

Kohlmeyer plans to major in elementary and special education.

Seton Hill will be an NAIA program and has been accepted into the 15-team Mid-States Football Association in 2005. Geneva, Malone (Ohio), Urbana (Ohio), Walsh (Ohio) and Iowa Wesleyan are prime football programs in the league.

Snyder has been on the job at Seton Hill for two months. He was 4-16 in two years as head coach at Bethany.

"I'm finishing up the schedule for our first season," he said. "It's important that we have a corps of 25 players who are here a year early, doing classroom work, studying film and being involved with our weight program.

"We'll bring in another 75 players around this time next year and get ready to play football. All of these kids will have the rare chance to compete for a starting job while having four years of eligibility."

Kohlmeyer will be among them.

"I'm going to have to step up and stand out if I'm going to play," he said. "That's just the way I want it."