Bothered by a strained lower back, Steve Fullerton reports to football practice every day at Slippery Rock University.

He's come to appreciate the ability to get on the field.

The senior tight end and Seneca Valley graduate is one of only six seniors on the team this year and has come back from injuries much worse than a sore back.

"Steve's determined to go out with a strong finish," SRU coach George Mihalik said. "He's fought through a lot of adversity and a lot of injuries.

"Most players who went through what he has would have given it up a while ago."

Fullerton missed much of 2002 - his red-shirt freshman season - with a broken leg. He missed spring workouts the following year with a broken hand.

"It was just football stuff," Fullerton said. "I broke my leg when an offensive tackle blocked an end who happened to land on the back of my leg.

"I broke my hand on a defensive end's helmet … It happens."

Geared up for the spring game in 2004, Fullerton was sidelined again, this time by a pulled hamstring.

"That was two practices before the spring game," Fullerton said. "I turned to catch a pass and there it went.

"It was frustrating. You want to go out there and perform at the best level you can. Going through that stuff made me appreciate being healthy, being on the football field and feeling no pain."

That's where Fullerton was last year. He started all 11 games for The Rock and had nine catches for 74 yards. He was also a key blocker for the 1,183-yard rushing season enjoyed by Josh Kniess.

"There were a number of times last year when Steve was wide open and we couldn't get the ball to him," Mihalik said. "We definitely want to get the tight end more involved in the offense."

Most tight ends would be thrilled to hear such a statement from the head coach.

Fullerton just plans to take what comes.

"I'll just do my job and do whatever they want me to do, whether it's blocking or catching passes," he said.

He'll be prepared to do either at any time with elusive quarterback Nate Crookshank behind center.

Crookshank has the ability to scramble outside the pocket and make plays - which requires the tight end to adjust on the fly at times.

"Steve will have to make himself an outlet receiver at times and he'll have to hustle into position to throw Nate a block at times," Rock tight end coach Harry Jones said. "That's where a veteran player comes in handy.

"When a guy's been on the field for two or three years at this level … It makes my job easier," Jones added.

When it comes to playing tight end, however, Jones made no secret as to what is most important.

"Blocking comes first," he said. "If we don't block, nothing else happens. And tight end is a blocking position.

"I do expect our offense to be more versatile, though, and we'll be asking a lot out of Steve Fullerton."

Regardless of his own numbers, Fullerton said SRU's offense should be more productive this fall.

"The talent is here for us to have a winning season," Fullerton said. "We have a lot of young kids and we'll find out which ones will step up and play and which ones won't."

Fullerton is part of a Rock senior class that has not experienced a winning season since its freshman year at SRU - the first such senior class at The Rock since 1991.

SRU has not had three successive losing seasons since 1979-81.

"I want to have a winning season not only for me and the other seniors, but for the younger guys, too," Fullerton said. "You can't take winning for granted because you never know when it's gonna come.

"I remember making the playoffs at Seneca Valley. It's a second season, there's so much excitement around school … It's a great feeling and I want that feeling back. I want it back for all of us."

As one of few seniors, Fullerton will be one of those players leading the way in bringing it back.

"Steve's a good competitor who loves playing football," Mihalik said. "He's succeeded in the face of adversity.

"He's the type of young man we want representing Rock football."