SLIPPERY ROCK — Austin Miele did a lot of great things with a football in his hands.

Now the Mars graduate is trying to keep the football out of other people’s hands.

A second-year safety with Slippery Rock University, Miele is tied for the team lead with 14 tackles, leads the squad with three tackles for loss, has a quarterback sack — and one very huge hit.

Shippensburg’s best receiver, Trevor Harman, went looking to catch a pass over the middle Saturday night, paid the price and was helped off the field.

“I had him lined up and you have to deliver the blow,” Miele said. “I just went right through him ... then I got up looking for the flag, wondering if I was going to be suspended.

“Thankfully, there wasn’t one.”

Miele’s early-season play is delivering a red flag to opponents. Stay away.

“Last year, he was getting used to a new system and learning our defense,” SRU coach George Mihhalik said. “He was thinking back there instead of just playing football.

“This year, he knows the schemes, knows the assignments. He’s a lot more comfortable back there and he’s reacting to plays instinctively.”

All of last year, Miele had 24 total tackles, 14 solos, with two interceptions and three pass break-ups. He already has two pass break-ups — and nearly two interceptions — in this his junior season.

Two footballs sailed through his hands at the goal line against Shippensburg.

“Austin is putting himself in position to make those picks now,” Mihalik said. “The next step in his development is securing the ball. And that step is coming.”

Having a football in his hands again will be a welcome feeling for Miele when that time does come.

He graduated from Mars as the Planets’ second-leading rusher all-time. He put together three successive 1,000-yard seasons, 4,168 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns in high school.

Miele ran for a WPIAL playoff-record 448 yards against Hollidaysburg during his senior season of 2010.

“I do miss running the ball a little bit,” Miele admitted. “It’d be nice getting the chance to run an interception back.”

Miele also played safety at Mars and went on to start at safety as a freshman at St. Francis University in Loretto before transferring to The Rock. He had 77 tackles (third on the team) and paced the Red Flash with three interceptions as a freshman.

“I don’t have any individual goals here,” Miele said of SRU. “I consider myself more of a run-stuffing safety. I can use my speed to come up and make tackles.”

Mihalik agreed.

“In our dime package, we move Austin up to outside linebacker,” the coach said. “He has a nose for the football and he’s made a number of plays from that spot on the field.”

Playing safety against the number of spread offenses SRU will face this season is a challenge to Miele.

“It gives me a chance to make an impact back there,” he said. “I have to improve on dirty reads and double moves. That’s what I’m working on.

“Our defense is a family. If something breaks down, I have the back end of it.”

And Miele’s goals are team-oriented.

“It’s been a while since this program has made the (NCAA) playoffs. I’ll settle for nothing less,” Miele said. “We’re good enough to contend for a national championship. I sincerely believe that.”