Slippery Rock football returns to Big House
When Paul Lueken took over as athletic director at Slippery Rock in 1994, one the first items on his agenda was to bring back the Big House Battle.
The Rock's football team took part in games at Michigan Stadium in 1979 and '81, with the 1979 game setting a Division II attendance record of 61,143. The game grew out of a long love affair Michigan fans had with SRU football.
The story goes that during a game in 1959, Michigan's public address announcer saw the name “Slippery Rock” on the sports wire ticker and found it amusing. In an attempt to inject life into an otherwise dull game, the announcer read the Slippery Rock score to the crowd.
The fans loved it. SRU scores have been read during Michigan home games since, and a cult following has endured around Ann Arbor.
But the Big House Battle remained on hiatus for decades.
“We were close several times throughout the last 20 years,” Lueken said, “and it seemed like every time we would get there, there would be a change in leadership at Michigan, and we'd be kind of starting over again.”
Four years ago, Dave Brandon, who played football for the Wolverines under coach Bo Schembechler, took over as Michigan's athletic director. Looking to stoke some of the Wolverines' football traditions, he reached out to Lueken with the hope of bringing back The Rock. The logistics finally fell into place and, on the 35th anniversary of the first Big House Battle, Slippery Rock will “host” PSAC West foe Mercyhurst at 1 p.m. Saturday at Michigan Stadium.
“Dave has really put an emphasis on this tradition,” said Hunter Lochmann, director of marketing for Michigan athletics. “He remembers when Slippery Rock came and definitely made it a goal to bring them back at some point.”
Rick Allen played in both previous Big House Battles and remembers the atmosphere vividly.
“For a guy like me playing Division II football … we don't get that opportunity to play in front of crowds more than (5,000), (6,000), 7,000,” said Allen, a linebacker in his playing days. “When we came out of that tunnel onto the field … the crowd was just unbelievable.”
Lueken also got a first-hand taste of Ann Arbor's affinity for SRU. Three years ago, Brandon invited Lueken and a handful of university administrators and football personnel to a game, and the contingent was introduced to the crowd during the first quarter.
“Probably the one time in my life I'll ever feel like a rock star,” said Lueken. “The place went nuts.”
Neither Lueken nor Lochmann is anticipating another record crowd Saturday. Both are confident that, with cooperative weather, attendance can approach 30,000. Michigan is off this week.
Mercyhurst, meanwhile, isn't planning to be a sideshow.
“Coach (Marty) Schaetzle told us that Michigan has a lot of ties with Slippery Rock, and all the people at Michigan love Slippery Rock,” said Lakers tight end R.J. Miller, a North Hills grad who is tied for the team lead in receptions with 21. “But we're going up there with the mindset that we're the underdog, and we have to prove ourselves.
“We're coming off two huge wins, so we have a lot of confidence going into this game.”
The scene likely will be overwhelming to some of the players. Allen, who will attend the game with his sons, had some practical advice.
“You're there to win the football game,” he said. “It doesn't matter if you're playing in front of 1,000 people or 100,000 people. Enjoy the pregame, and enjoy all the trappings that go along with playing in Michigan. But when that whistle blows, you're there to play. It isn't an exhibition game.”
Chuck Curti is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at ccurti@tribweb.com.
