The Slippery Rock University football team has been selected to finish third in the PSAC-West in 2017 in the annual pre-season coaches poll released today. IUP is picked to finish first followed by California. West Chester is expected to be the best in the PSAC-East followed by Kutztown, Shippensburg and Bloomsburg.
The Rock will be rebuilding a defense under second-year head coach Shawn Lutz. The Rock has 12 returning starters, but just two on defense. One, Kyle Hall, started just three games in 2016. The other is All-American defensive lineman Marcus Martin, who already has the SRU and PSAC all-time sack records, and has a chance to break the all-time national mark on all levels.
After three consecutive PSAC-West titles and three straight trips to the NCAA playoffs, The Rock went 7-4 last season in Lutz’s first year as head coach.