Last week, Slippery Rock edged Edinboro, 38-31, in overtime. Here’s a video interview with Rock head coach George Mihalik after the game.
The Scots (3-4, 2-3) play PSAC West rival Mercyhurst (6-2, 4-1) Saturday at noon while Slippery Rock (4-4, 3-2) plays at No. 13-ranked California (Pa.) (7-1, 5-0).
It’s as plain as day.
To remind its players the importance of beating Slippery Rock, Edinboro has been placing a sizable rock painted green on display in its football office for years.
Slippery Rock’s school colors are green and white.
The Scots face this PSAC West rival Saturday at 2 p.m. at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in Slippery Rock.
Wonder if the Rock have some sort of symbol in their football office to remind their players how big this game is?
“We don’t have any symbol,” Rock coach George Mihalik said. “It’s tough to put a person dressed as a Scot in your office.”
To Mihalik, Edinboro itself is enough motivation.
“We don’t need a reminder,” he said. “All we know is it’s Edinboro. That’s enough of a reminder. We better show up and be ready to play. We know year in and year out it’s a physical game and it’s a four-quarter game.”
– Duane Rankin
Paris Bruner rated Vladmir Rock's 41-yard pass to him at "10," but would RGIII, Cam Newton or Michael Vick have thrown it better? Odds say yes./Photo by Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News
Cam. RGIII. Vick. Vlad.
Vlad? If only he was taller.
Junior receiver Vladmir Rock was the hit of Mercyhurst’s 38-23 PSAC West win last week against Slippery Rock for completing a 41-yard pass to Paris Bruner on a trick play.
“I give it a 10,” said Bruner, a senior. “It was a good throw. He made me looked good.”
Rock, who is listed as 5 feet, 8 inches, has told teammates he’d be right up there with Cam Newton, Michael Vick or Robert Griffin III if he was 6 feet, 4 inches tall.
“Vlad always says the same thing to me,” Mercyhurst junior quarterback Anthony Vendemia said. “If he was 6-4, no one would have heard of Cam Newton, Mike Vick or Robert Griffin III. He said, ‘If I was 6-4, no one would have ever heard of them.’ It’s my favorite line he’s ever said.”
From Coconut Creek, Fla., Rock hadn’t thrown a pass at Mercyhurst before last week’s heave that lead to a touchdown that put the Lakers up 21-0 in the first quarter.
“If I was 6-4, I’d be making millions,” Rock said. “Everybody would be saying Vlad Rock.”
Vendemia gave the pass high marks, too.
“If you really look on film, it was perfectly faded toward the sideline,” Vendemia said. “If he would have put it out in front a little bit, maybe he could have got under it and ran for a touchdown, but it did look very nice.”
Got a hunch it would have looked nicer if Newton, Vick or Griffin III had thrown the pass.
Akeem Satterfield played his final college game in his hometown last Saturday as Slippery Rock lost at Mercyhurst, 38-23./Photo by Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News
Mercyhurst’s 38-23 PSAC West win against Slippery Rock was more than just a homecoming win for the Lakers.
It was Akeem Satterfield’s his final college game in his hometown.
An Erie native, Satterfield ran for 90 yards for the Rock in the loss. Satterfield, who played for Cathedral Prep, is one of four players from Erie playing for Slippery Rock this season.
“It’s bittersweet. man,” Satterfield said. “Bittersweet. Played a good game, but we didn’t win. So that’s just it. Wish it would have turned out the other way, but it didn’t.”
To add insult to injury, no pun intended, Satterfield also hurt his shoulder in the first half, but returned to the game.
“Oh man, I had a real bad stinger,” he said. “I couldn’t feel anything. I thought my shoulder was dislocated, but it was just a stinger.”
This season, Satterfield is eighth in the PSAC in rushing with 361 yards and two touchdowns. He is sixth in career touchdowns at Slippery Rock with 33, eighth in scoring with 198 points and 10th all-time in rushing with 2,575 yards.
The Rock also have three players out of Strong Vincent High in junior receiver Bobby Joyce, senior defensive back Marquis Knight and sophomore defensive back Kevin Green, a transfer from Edinboro.
In Saturday’s loss, Joyce had two catches for 25 yards and Knight had eight total tackles. According to the participation chart, Green didn’t play.
Riding a two-game winning streak, Mercyhurst takes on Slippery Rock in an PSAC West game Saturday at 1 p.m. at Tullio Field.
The Lakers (2-1, 1-0) lost 28-21 to the Rock (2-1, 1-0) last season.
Edinboro University head coach Scott Browning and seniors Branden Williams and Kenny Pettis talk about the Scots being picked to finish fourth in the PSAC West at today’s PSAC West media day in Slippery Rock.
Chad Noce/SRU
In a continuing series of Q&As with local players who are playing area college football, Duane Rankin caught up with Slippery Rock senior tight end Chad Noce to talk about several topics.
Noce and the No. 24-ranked Rock (8-2, 6-1 PSAC West) are preparing for Saturday’s PSAC title game at Kutztown against the No. 8 Golden Bears (9-1, 6-1 PSAC East). Noce, who played defense his year at Slippery Rock in 2008, is known for his run blocking ability at tight end.
A McDowell High graduate, Noce has just two career catches for 10 yards. Both grabs came last season against Gannon, which ironically upset the Rock last week, 33-27, in Erie. With the Rock trying to rebound from that loss, Rankin caught up with Noce to talk about their playoff hopes and the chance to win a championship.
You’re coming off a tough loss, but can make amends in the PSAC championship game. How are you guys feeling right now heading into that game? We’re feeling good. We know we made a mistake. I feel like we overlooked Gannon a little bit. I feel like we were looking toward the next week. We had the Gannon game. We knew we were in the PSAC championship already so I think that played a little part in that loss. Underestimating them a little bit, we’re feeling good. We should be ready to go.”
If Akeem Satterfield and Slippery Rock lose Saturday, they will have three loses and most likely won't make the playoffs./Photo by Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News
This is the deal.
The winner of Saturday’s PSAC title game between Slippery Rock (8-2) and Kutztown (9-1) will likely make the NCAA Division II playoffs.
The loser? Uh oh.
In the past three years since the PSAC reinstated the championship game, the winner and loser has made it to the playoffs, but the odds of the loser getting in this time aren’t high.
Now both coaches – Slippery Rock’s George Mihalik and Kutztown’s Raymond Monica – are both griping about the loser not getting in.
Focus should solely be on winning, but I see their point and so does the PSAC.
Commissioner Steve Murray said he’ll look into the game if the loser doesn’t make the playoffs, but doesn’t plan on making a knee jerk reaction and cancel the game.
Still, looks like Murray better find some magnifying glasses.
Senior Bryan Kelly and the Gannon defense did the job in helping the Knights shock No. 14-ranked Slippery Rock, 33-27, at Gannon University Field./Photo by Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News
What a day of college football in the PSAC. Here are some highlights from the games.
Biggest upset: Gannon stuns No. 14-ranked Slippery Rock, 33-27. The Knights had just three wins, but got four touchdown passes from redshift freshman Daniel Tapscott and forced five turnovers to knock off the Rock (8-2, 6-1). The Rock will still play in next week’s PSAC title game, but Gannon sent them into it on negative momentum.
Biggest comeback: Mercyhurst College rallied from a 24-point, third-quarter deficit to win at Clarion, 42-38. Anthony Vendemia picked up his first win as a starter to end Mercyhurst’s five-game losing skid. Richie Sanders’ 1-yard run with 32 seconds left put the Lakers up for good.
Two-minute rally: Down 20 points late in the fourth quarter, Edinboro scored two touchdowns and was an onside kick conversion away from having a chance to beat No. 22 California (Pa.). Instead the Vulcans recovered the onside kick and edged Edinboro, 34-28.
Biggest beatdown: In a battle of Top 25 teams, No. 13 Kutztown destroyed No. 12 Bloomsburg, 52-14, to earn a spot in next week’s PSAC championship game. Kevin Morton threw three touchdowns, no interceptions and ran for another score to lead the Golden Bears to victory.
It’s official.
After barreling over No. 12 Bloomsburg (8-2, 5-2 PSAC East) by a 52-14 score today, No. 13 Kutztown (9-1, 6-1 PSAC East) has reached the PSAC title game.
The Golden Bears will play host to No. 14 Slippery Rock (8-2, 6-1 PSAC West) in next week’s conference championship game. Since Gannon was scheduled to play Kutztown in the regular-season finale, the Knights will play the team Slippery Rock was scheduled to play.
So Gannon (4-6, 3-4 PSAC West) will play at C.W. Post (6-4, 6-1 PSAC East), which won 42-27 today against Cheyney.
