Slippery Rock is still in the learning stage

The Rock's quarterbacks have just one game of college experience under their belt.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Slippery Rock University football team will be making its ninth trip to Stambaugh Stadium on Thursday to battle Youngstown State in a 7:30 p.m. contest.
The Division II Rock is still looking for its first victory against the Division I-AA Penguins.
Slippery Rock opened its season last Friday and battled three-time defending Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern champions Bloomsburg to the wire before falling 20-17 in the final two minutes of play.
The Rock, which suffered a 45-12 decision a year ago to the Penguins, are a very young football team. Coach Dr. George Mihalik, in his 17th season, feels that patience is the key with his young group.
Not an excuse
"We are not going to used our youthfulness as an excuse, but we have to be realistic. You can't teach experience, it's something you have to gain," Mihalik said.
"Obviously, you want to win every game, and enjoying success early in terms of wins and losses would help with our development," Mihalik said. "But I think it's important that, with so many young players on the team, we maintain confidence, play our best each week and then build on that week to week."
"Patience will be an important virtue for us to maintain as our young talent develops," Mihalik said.
Slippery Rock returns four players on the offense, but one of them is junior running back Josh Kniess (5-9, 180), who gained 627 yards last season with five touchdowns.
In the season opener against Bloomsburg, Kniess gained 176 yards on 30 carries and scored once.
Quarterback could be a problem since the team doesn't have a player with any college experience on the roster.
Freshman transfer Nate Crookshank (5-10, 190) from Georgia Southern, started the opener and was 11 of 19 for 151 yards and a touchdown. He also threw three interceptions.
The Rock's defense is led by two-time first-team All-PSAC nose guard Brian Godfrey. The 6-3, 300-pounder had only three tackles in the season opener.
Senior defensive back Kevin Johnston (5-11, 205) led the team in tackles against Bloomsburg with seven while sophomore cornerback Aaron Berarducci (5-9, 175) was second with five stops.
Freshman defensive back James Rockymore (5-10, 180) came up with the team's only interception in the opener.
Rock's kicker
Slippery Rock also lost its kicker, John Katsaouni, who led the team in scoring last season. Freshman redshirt Ryan Daniel is filling his spot this season and booted a 47-yard field goal and two extra points in the opener.
Last season, The Rock finished 4-7, but had four losses by a combined margin of 10 points.
"Last year, it was frustrating watching us find ways to lose games in the final three minutes and not making big plays when we had the opportunity to do so," Mihalik said.
"We know we are going to have our hands full this week," Mihalik said. "Youngstown State is a much better football team than Bloomsburg."
mollica@vindy.com