How Shawn Lutz, Chris Conrad have built Slippery Rock University’s football program through recruiting
For Shawn Lutz, playing EA Sports’ college football video game would be like a career criminal kicking back by firing up “Grand Theft Auto.”
“All my players do. I’m not a big gamer,” the Slippery Rock University football coach said when asked if he indulges in the virtual gridiron. “But I heard we have the new one out, 2026, and that’s really cool. ... Our players know that stuff inside and out, but I don’t.”
It could just be that Lutz doesn’t have the time. Instead of trying to pluck auto-generated recruits on a video game, he works tirelessly to annually improve his roster.
“It’s not just, ‘You can start (recruiting) at the end of your season,’” Lutz said. “We’re already identifying kids through our camps, through Division I camps we go to. You’ve got to evaluate, you’ve got to sell yourself, you’ve got to know who you’re dealing with. You’ve got to know high school coaches.
“It’s got to be nonstop because, let’s face it, we could be great coaches, but you’ve got to have great players to win.”
How is it, year after year, The Rock is in the mix to add hardware to its trophy case? Here’s a deep dive into SRU’s recruiting approach.
Lutz’ program is capable of developing under-the-radar prospects and even walk-ons, but it focuses on bigger fish first and foremost.
“We get the kids that think right now they’re going Division I,” Lutz said. “The kids that want to come to Slippery Rock right now, as we speak, in high school, I don’t know if they’re good enough to play for us. We want the kids that think they’re going Division I and then it doesn’t happen.”
Slippery Rock doesn’t wave the white flag on a recruit until a Power Four Division I school enters the conversation and, even then, it waits until a player turns it down.
“We’re going to continue to (recruit) until they tell us no,” said Chris Conrad, Lutz’s associate head coach, offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. “Things don’t turn us away with all the Division I schools that are within the area.”
While film doesn’t lie, neither does in-person scouting. The Rock hosts on-campus prospect identification camps and 7-on-7 camps, which are key in helping the coaches evaluate possible additions. Players showcasing themselves on social media also helps the staff come across talent.
“There’s nothing better than seeing a guy live,” Lutz said. “And it’s not always about running a 40(-yard dash), doing a shuttle. It’s actually seeing them do one-on-ones.”
The value of competition isn’t lost on Lutz and his crew. He operates with a view of roster-building that has helped SRU stay within the top of the pack.
“You never want to hand the keys over to anybody,” Conrad said. “You want to make sure you’re covered. ... When I’m doing the exit meetings with my guys, that’s where I talk to everybody before they go on break and tell them about our recruiting, what we’re planning on doing.
“(I say,) ‘Hey, you may have been a starter this year. And you may have been an All-American, and congratulations, but my job is to try to replace you. I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t try to out-recruit you.’”
Lutz prides himself on his persistence to form a relationship with the players he’s courting. He’s not shy when it comes to ringing a player’s phone off the metaphorical hook.
“These kids like to feel important, they like the attention,” Lutz said. “I am relentless on being the head coach that will communicate with them, will call them, more than any other head coaches ever do. They’re going to hear from me more than anybody. ... I know sometimes I drive them nuts.”
Lutz said he’ll call a recruit each day if necessary. He doesn’t rehearse what he’s going to say before he dials the number, but rather shoots the breeze. He revealed the continuous lines of chitchat have been the secret to The Rock’s success.
“I’ll call a kid (sometimes) and he’s like, ‘Well, I just got off the phone with Coach Lutz,’” Conrad said.
Lutz tries to relate to players three decades younger than him. He shows he’s able to joke around to break the ice. Even if hesitantly, he’s eaten his fair share of home-cooked meals on home visits, which he said give a recruit a Division I feel.
“This one family, I had to eat Indian food,” Lutz said. “I never had that before. Like, these beans. I didn’t know what it was. And I tried to say I already ate, but just tried a little bit to make them happy.”
Slippery Rock’s coaching staff combs mainly through Pennsylvania and its neighboring states for recruits. They cover all the bases in the Keystone State, with in-state tuition being helpful. Winning is still a factor, as well, even during a time in which larger programs are dangling NIL in front of players.
“They know that we’re gonna play more than 11 games,” Lutz said. “Got a chance to go to the national playoffs, get recognized, win championships, get rings. That still means stuff to kids.”
Had The Rock clung to a fourth-quarter lead against Ferris State in the NCAA Division II semifinals last December, it would’ve played for a national title.
SRU has been a model of consistency, reaching each of the past six national playoffs. It’s played in three of the last six PSAC title games.
Conrad organizes the specifics for recruiting visits, such as hotel room reservations and food situations, to “put on a show” for recruits. The game day atmosphere, Lutz said, is one that they’re impressed by, especially under the lights.
During its open windows, the transfer portal doesn’t sleep. Flip on social media notifications from national recruiting services to see for yourself.
Aside from the NCAA’s transfer portal database, Slippery Rock uses a tool called AthLinkd to sift through the transfer portal. Lutz feels previous in-game experience is the most important attribute when considering transfers.
The Rock has brought in key contributors such as defensive lineman Todd Hill, the 2024 PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-American, formerly of Duquesne and Pitt.
This offseason, SRU lost its top three receivers from last go-round to the portal.
“We’ve been lucky,” Lutz said. “We haven’t lost a lot of guys, then we took this hit. My philosophy is, ‘If they go in the portal, I’m not letting them come back.’ ... I think that shows a poor example of your football team because then other guys say, ‘Why can’t we do it.’”
Logan Ramper joined Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia, while Mike Solomon and Kylon Wilson headed down the road to Youngstown State.
One of Slippery Rock’s outgoing transfers, Lutz said, is making $150,000 in NIL for his relocation.
“It’s flattering that you’ve got the Big 12 and the SEC and all these teams that are interested in our guys, that are calling them and recruiting them,” Conrad said. “That comes with success. ... We lose all-Americans and all-conference kids, it seems like, every year. And the crazy part is, we get more and more every other year, too.”
