SLIPPERY ROCK — Before leaving to become quarterbacks coach at Northern Iowa this year, former Slippery Rock University offensive coordinator Justin Roper left a nice parting gift.

Roland Rivers III.

The Rock's record-setting quarterback continues to add exclamation points to an incredible two-year run at SRU, throwing for 416 yards and four touchdowns, rushing for 33 and a score in Saturday's 51-30 NCAA Division II playoff win over Shepherd.

“He was third-string when he got here last year ... He actually got to camp late,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz recalled. “But once he got in there, the rest is history.”

And how.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Rivers III was starting quarterback at Valdosta State (Ga.) in 2016 when he suffered a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. The injury caused him to miss the Division II playoffs that year and he medically red-shirted the 2017 season.

“I felt like I needed a change at that point, a fresh start,” Rivers III said. “Justin Roper was my quarterback coach at Valdosta before he came up here (to Slippery Rock) to be offensive coordinator.

“I liked the thought of playing for him again, so I decided to transfer.”

But when he got to The Rock, he found himself sitting behind a pair of 6-4 sophomore signal-callers in Andrew Koester and Taylor King.

“I knew I had to wait my turn,” Rivers III admitted. “But if my opportunity came, I wasn't gonna let it slip by.”

Koester and King were sidelined by injuries early in the 2018 season. Rivers III joined the starting lineup in Week 3 at Millersville last year.

He's never left it.

Rivers III is 22-2 as SRU's starting quarterback. That includes a 14-0 mark against PSAC West competition.

He ranks third on The Rock's all-time list with 7,767 offensive yards, 6,546 passing yards and 72 touchdown passes. Rivers III trails only Nate Crookshank and Randy McKavish in those categories and they were both four-year starters.

“The biggest difference in Roland this year is his decision-making,” Lutz said. “He has made very few bad plays.”

Rivers III has thrown 44 touchdown passes and only six interceptions this season. He's completing 72 percent of his passes and has rushed for 622 yards and seven scores.

“The guy is a leader, a true playmaker,” receiver Jermaine Wynn Jr said. “He makes all of our jobs easier the way he can extend plays.”

Running back Charles Snorweah agreed.

“Our best play seems to be the scramble drill,” Snorweah said. “Roland escapes the pocket, runs around, looks around ... He finds us. He never panics. He just produces.”

Consider the following:

- Rivers III was the only Division II player in the nation to produce 4,000 offensive yards in the regular season. Only four other quarterbacks at all levels of NCAA football have done so. Three of them are Heisman Trophy contenders Jalen Hurts of Oklahoma, Joe Burrow of LSU and Anthony Gordon of Washington State.

Division III quarterbback Gavin Zimmerman of Aurora has also hit the 4,000-yard mark.

- Rivers III has 91 career touchdown passes, at least 18 more than any other active Div. II quarterback.

- He is one of only two active Div. II quarterbacks with more than 7,000 career passing yards and 1,500 rushing yards.

Rivers III is one of 36 candidates for the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the top Division II player in the country. He has already been approached by 27 NFL teams.

“My dream since I was 9 years old has been to play in the NFL,” he said. “I believe I have what it takes and I believe I'll get the chance.

“I just want to bring a championship to Slippery Rock before I do.”