EDINBORO — These are the Trevor Harris years in Edinboro University football.

But it may be Junior Jabbie's time.

The Fighting Scots (2-1) host Slippery Rock (3-0) in a PSAC West opener at 6 p.m. Saturday at Sox Harrison Stadium sporting one of the most prolific offenses in the conference.

"Everyone knows what Trevor Harris can do," Rock coach George Mihalik said of the PSAC's leading passer. "He lit us up last year and he's one of the best quarterbacks in the conference.

"The curious thing is he only threw the ball (a career-low) 18 times last week. They've added another dimension."

That other dimension is Jabbie.

The leading rusher for the University of Delaware last year and a former Notre Dame running back, Jabbie missed the Scots' first two games with an ankle injury. He returned last week to carry 30 times for 138 yards in a 31-23 win over C.W. Post.

"He's a nice back and he gives us more depth in the running game," Edinboro coach Scott Browning said. "But we've still got David Bostic back there and he'll get his share of carries."

Edinboro already has had 13 players catch passes this year. Six have scored touchdowns.

Despite throwing only 18 passes last week, Harris moved into fifth place on the PSAC all-time passing yardage list with 9,457 yards.

Harris threw for 378 yards and five touchdowns in Edinboro's 35-14 win at The Rock last year. In the teams' last meeting at Sox Harrison Stadium in 2007, SRU erupted for a 59-34 triumph.

"We had a high-powered offense that year," Mihalik recalled. "We don't want to get into a track meet against these guys this time.

"Our goal is to keep it close in the fourth quarter and find a way to pull out a win."

The Rock used two critical fourth-quarter takeaways to claim a 27-24 victory at Kutztown last Saturday.

Harris has thrown five interceptions to go with his five touchdown passes.

"Turnovers will be a key element in this game," Mihalik said. "If we can take the ball away a couple times, we've got a shot.

"Defensively, you can't go at a guy like Harris one way all the time. If you blitz him and play man, he'll get rid of the ball quickly. If you sit back, he'll pick you apart. We have to mix things up and disguise what we're doing on defense."

Linebacker Kyle Smedi and defensive back Brandon Watters were injured last week, as was right guard Mike Tomaino. The status of all three for Saturday is questionable.

If Tomaino can't go, junior J.D. Skebo will fill in up front.

Browning is 24-12 and in his fourth season at Edinboro. His team was 9-2 in 2008 and is projected to battle California for the PSAC West title.

"Everyone figures we'll be good because of Harris, but he's one player and this is a team game," Browning said. "We're young in a lot of areas."

The Scots rank 14th in the 16-team PSAC in total defense, allowing 391.7 yards and 25.7 points per game.

"We haven't put together a total game yet on defense," Browning allowed. "We've allowed some big plays.

"Slippery Rock is coming up here at 3-0 and doing a lot of things well. That team has some experience up front and they can run the football."

While Harris leads the PSAC with 862 yards passing through three games, SRU's SayQuan Scott-Mitchell is fifth in the circuit with 286 yards rushing, despite being held to 43 yards by Kutztown.

SRU ranks only 14th in the PSAC in passing offense with 389 yards.

"We've been inconsistent on offense and they've allowed some points," Mihalik said. "Hopefully, we can break through there, but their defense has a lot of speed. Those guys can run.

"Our passing attack needs to have a break-out game. Maybe it will be Saturday."

Notes: Mihalik said Knoch graduate and defensive end Bill Elliott might return to the lineup within three weeks. ... Knoch graduate and Edinboro freshman lineman Henry Cypher is being redshirted this year