2008 Woodie Awards
Spring football begins with goal set on winning
By Greg Reedy
Rocket Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 4/1/05 Section: Sports
Two straight seasons, the Slippery Rock University football team finished with a 4-7 overall record. Coach George Mihalik doesn't plan for a third.
"The entire off-season focused on losing seasons not being acceptable," Mihalik said. "All off-season activities focused on that."
The Rock football team has started its spring practice, which will culminate in the annual Green and White game on April 22 at 7 p.m. at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium. The 2005 regular season begins on Aug. 27 at Bloomsburg and opens at home on Sept. 10 against Shepherd.
"The entire program is excited for spring practice to start," Mihalik said.
The SRU coaching staff thus far is excited with the improved speed of the team.
"They increased not only their bulk but our running times; they were our best in probably five years," Mihalik said.
Mihalik said the coaches mainly measure speed by the particular player's time in the 40-yard dash and doesn't expect their spring time to be as fast as their time in the fall.
"Overall, we've been in the 4.5 to 4.6 times so far," Mihalik said. "Usually those translate into 4.4s and 4.5s in the fall."
SRU brought in 12 recruits during the off-season, eight of them on defense. Mihalik said he thinks the team improved with the additions.
"We're confident we addressed some needs with wide receivers and quarterbacks," Mihalik said. "They're a good group of recruits."
The Rock offensive backfield includes quarterback Nate Crookshank, who returns for his second season with the team. In 2004, Crookshank had a 51.7 completion percentage, throwing for 1,535 yards, 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
"As you look at it, since 2000, this will be the first season we've had a repeat quarterback," Mihalik said.
Mihalik said he expects redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Ryan Hart and Jonathan Molnar to be strong contributors to spring practice and give good competition at the position.
Mihalik said Crookshank's biggest improvement came from experience.
"The entire off-season focused on losing seasons not being acceptable," Mihalik said. "All off-season activities focused on that."
The Rock football team has started its spring practice, which will culminate in the annual Green and White game on April 22 at 7 p.m. at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium. The 2005 regular season begins on Aug. 27 at Bloomsburg and opens at home on Sept. 10 against Shepherd.
"The entire program is excited for spring practice to start," Mihalik said.
The SRU coaching staff thus far is excited with the improved speed of the team.
"They increased not only their bulk but our running times; they were our best in probably five years," Mihalik said.
Mihalik said the coaches mainly measure speed by the particular player's time in the 40-yard dash and doesn't expect their spring time to be as fast as their time in the fall.
"Overall, we've been in the 4.5 to 4.6 times so far," Mihalik said. "Usually those translate into 4.4s and 4.5s in the fall."
SRU brought in 12 recruits during the off-season, eight of them on defense. Mihalik said he thinks the team improved with the additions.
"We're confident we addressed some needs with wide receivers and quarterbacks," Mihalik said. "They're a good group of recruits."
The Rock offensive backfield includes quarterback Nate Crookshank, who returns for his second season with the team. In 2004, Crookshank had a 51.7 completion percentage, throwing for 1,535 yards, 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
"As you look at it, since 2000, this will be the first season we've had a repeat quarterback," Mihalik said.
Mihalik said he expects redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Ryan Hart and Jonathan Molnar to be strong contributors to spring practice and give good competition at the position.
Mihalik said Crookshank's biggest improvement came from experience.
