McDaniel safety Aaron Slaughter could have spent his collegiate career playing for a school just a few miles away from the Florida coastline, or he could have spent it playing for one of the top academic schools on the East Coast.
But to the former standout at Loyola High, it mattered little if he played for Florida A&M in Daytona Beach, Fla., or for Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa., if his family and friends couldn?t attend his game.
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So instead of playing for Football Championship Subdivision team, he and entered the world of Division III by heading to Westminster.
Two years later, the sophomore safety is convinced he made the right choice. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder enters this afternoon?s game against visiting Franklin & Marshall tied for the team lead in tackles with 46 and second on the team with three pass breakups.
“He?s a hard worker and he?s not a bad football player and is getting only better,” McDaniel coach Tim Keating said. “He?s a great young man, a ?Yes? Sir, No Sir,” type person.”
McDaniel (1-6, 1-4 Centennial Conference) will need Slaughter and the rest of the defense to continue to mature if the Green Terror will make Homecoming at Scott S. Blair Stadium against the Diplomats (1-6, 1-4) a joyous one. Franklin & Marshall enters the game averaging 302.4 yards of offense and have turned the ball over 15 times. But McDaniel?s defense has struggled in nearly every game, as it has allowed opponents to average 355 yards and 35.4 points per game.
“We are still fighting, still clawing, still scratching,” Slaughter said. “I think if we can stay focused and keep playing hard we can finish the season strong. I think we are coming together more each game.”
But Slaughter already has shown plenty of resiliency.
Last year, Slaughter was a starting cornerback, but he suffered a severe high-ankle sprain during the third game and did not play again the rest of the season. From September through March, he was unable to run before he earned a starting spot in preseason practice ? and now he rarely leaves the field.
“At one point last year where I was at the trainers everyday and I wasn?t sure if I would ever be the same like I used too,” Slaughter said. “But I am. I like move to safety, it?s fun. It?s a lot different than corner. I think if we can stay focused and keep playing hard we can finish the season strong.”
