Another horse has entered the Slippery Rock University quarterback derby.

Nate Crookshank, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound graduate of Bishop Carroll High School in Ebensburg, has transferred from Georgia Southern University to SRU.

Crookshank still has four years of college eligibility. He was the No. 3 quarterback on Georgia Southern's depth chart as a freshman last year - behind two juniors - but did not play a down.

"I just don't want to wait another full year before I get on the field again," Crookshank said of his decision to transfer.

Georgia Southern has won the Division I-AA national championship six times. The team was 7-4 last year as quarterbacks Chaz Williams and Trey Hunter combined to throw for 869 yards and run for 1,090.

SRU does not have a quarterback on its roster who has played a down behind center in a regular season game. Last year's quarterbacks, freshman Luke McCaffrey and senior Chad DeVore, have transferred to Washington & Jefferson and graduated, respectively.

Crookshank joins a handful of red-shirted quarterbacks and a crop of recruits who include Freeport senior Luke Westerman and Ambridge senior Shawn Besong.

"All of our quarterbacks have one thing in common - none of them know our offense," SRU coach George Mihalik said. "Nate has an edge because he's spent a year in a college system and is more than a year out of high school in terms of physical development.

"Like anyone else, though, he'll have to compete for and win the job."

Crookshank rushed for 4,000 yards and threw for 3,000 in Bishop Carroll's option-oriented offense. He led the Class A school to 38 wins in 44 games as a three-year starter.

Georgia Southern runs the triple option, which initially enticed Crookshank to go there.

"But they only throw the ball three to five times a game and that type of offense didn't suit me," Crookshank said. "Plus, my parents could only get down to a couple of games a year.

"Coach Mihalik is also a Bishop Carroll graduate. I feel comfortable going there. I was going to transfer to a Division II school so I wouldn't have to wait a year to play. And given the quarterback situation at Slippery Rock, I feel like I have a chance to win the job right away.

"There's no veteran quarterback there I have to beat out," Crookshank added.

Mihalik said his team might use the option more if Crookshank is the starting quarterback, but will not switch exclusively to it.

"His skills fit well into our offensive package," SRU offensive coordinator Vic Campagna said.

Crookshank runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and feels more comfortable passing while rolling out as opposed to dropping back.

"I know what it takes to win," he said. "I take pride in my leadership skills more than my playing skills. I know I have to prove myself as a passer, but I'm confident I'll do that."

"He'll pass more during two practice sessions with us than Georgia Southern throws in a whole season," Mihalik said.

Crookshank was also a four-year starter at free safety in high school. He compiled 19 interceptions - three for touchdowns - and more than 300 tackles at Bishop Carroll.

"We're not going to recruit the 6-foot-4 quarterback who drops back, stands there and throws it," Mihalik said. "We like the more athletic quarterback, someone who can hurt a defense by running as well as throwing.

"Besides, if an athletic kid doesn't make it at quarterback, he can start somewhere else on the field. Nate falls into that category."

But in Crookshank's mind, he's a quarterback.

"I want to play quarterback and I'm going there to win the job," he said of SRU. "But if it somehow didn't work out and I'd be better-suited to the team at another position, so be it."