Another SRU-IUP gem could be on tap
SLIPPERY ROCK — Paying customers have gotten their money's worth at recent Slippery Rock-Indiana (Pa.) college football matchups.
The Rock (3-2, 1-1) travels to IUP (3-1, 1-1) for a 2:35 p.m. kickoff Saturday hoping to forget about last week's 34-10 loss at Mercyhurst.
"We could have played a lot better in that game and everyone on our team knows that,"SRU coach George Mihalik said. "But I don't have to give any speeches or pep talks to get these guys ready for IUP.
"They know the rivalry. They know the history. They'll be ready to play."
Under Mihalik, The Rock has dropped 17 of its 21 games against the Crimson Hawks. But the visiting team has won the last two meetings, with both games coming down to the final play and costing both home teams Division IIplayoff berths.
Matt McNelis booted a 28-yard field goal on the final play last year to give IUP a 34-31 win at SRU. In 2007, an Andrew Krewatch pass from The Rock's 2-yard line fell incomplete as SRUheld on for a 21-17 triumph at Miller Stadium.
That nationally televised victory gave Mihalik SRU's all-time lead in football coaching wins.
Coach Lou Tepper has won 20 of 26 games since taking over the IUPprogram three years ago. His team led Division IIwith 49 points per game before suffering a 21-19 loss at California (Pa.) last week.
"That was a tough one to take, but California has an exceptional team,"Tepper said. "A year ago, our backs were hurt all year and we had to rely on our passing game. This year, we've had balance."
The Crimson Hawks rank second in the PSAC with 224.2 yards rushing per game and third with 228.8 yards passing per contest.
Sophomore Tobias Robinson leads IUPwith 460 yards rushing and six touchdowns. He was limited to six yards on 10 carries by California, but Pitt transfer Shane Brooks had 12 carries for 113 yards.
A third back, North Carolina transfer Justin Warren, has contributed 16 carries for 166 yards and three touchdowns.
"They have speed and athleticism, as usual,"Mihalik said. "You can't key on any one area when trying to defend that offense."
Krewatch, a North Allegheny graduate, has thrown for 885 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions. He has been sacked only once. Ken Witter leads the team with 17 catches for 327 yards and five TDs.
The Rock's run defense is allowing 205.4 yards per game to rank 13th in the 16-team PSAC. SRU's once-vaunted ground attack is producing only 124 yards per game, which ranks 11th in the conference.
"Our run defense is a result of the number of missed tackles we've had,"Mihalik said. "In our last three games, we have somewhere between 18 and 25 missed tackles. That's way too many.
"Tackling is an attitude. You have to put everything you have into it. Our defensive line, linebackers, secondary — all three phases need to shore up in that area."
Corey Manfull, SRU's 1,300-yard rusher of a year ago, practiced this week and is expected to return to action Saturday. Manfull has been in on only a handful of plays this season while battling knee and ankle injuries.
Ryan Lehmeier has rushed for 425 yards and a conference-best seven touchdowns in his absence.
IUP, ranked 12th in the AFCA Division IIpoll before last week's loss, is led defensively by senior linebacker Terrence Jackson (33 tackles, 6 tackles for loss) and sophomore defensive back Andre Henderson (30 tackles, 2 interceptions).
"George has had a lot of holes to fill after losing so many seniors from last year,"Tepper said. "But they're 1-1 in the league and so are we. The loser of this game is out of the picture."
