Maybe it was when Peyton Manning made him look at route-running differently. Or when Eli Manning discussed the mindset of third-and-long or second-and-short.

There were a number of “eureka” moments for Justin Sliwoski when he attended the exclusive Manning Passing Academy in June at Nicholls State in Louisiana.

The rising redshirt junior quarterback at St. Francis (Pa.) filled his notebook during Q&A sessions with the Super Bowl-winning brothers. The awe-inspiring camp gave him perspective and, among other things, a sense of belonging.

When he looked to his left, he saw stud quarterbacks. To his right, more gifted signal callers.

“I learned so much. It was the best week of my life,” said Sliwoski, a Hempfield graduate. “I’m there talking with SEC quarterbacks and first-round draft picks, the Mannings, picking their brains and asking questions. We had throwing sessions, and they would critique us. The preparation they had was amazing. I remember Payton saying how even route running can be productive. Instead of just going out and throwing the ball all over the place, maybe focus on two or three routes and get them right. Then, you can move on to something else.”

In shape physically and mentally — armed with the mental degree he earned at the Manning School of Omaha — Sliwoski is set to take the reins full time under center in Loretto, where he has two more years of athletic eligibility.

A cerebral leader with a strong arm, accuracy and sneaky quickness, Sliwoski (6-foot, 200 pounds) is primed for a career year. After all, this is the season he has longed for since he left high school.

This will be his fifth year of college but fourth football season. The 21-year-old transferred from Pitt, where he was a walk-on — in the same QB room with Kenny Pickett — and became a starter for St. Francis last season. His sophomore year blown up by the pandemic, he returned to lead the Northeast Conference in pass efficiency (159.6) and was second in completion percentage (63.8).

He threw for 1,253 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception.

He played in nine games and started six of them.

“With expectations, there is responsibility,” he said. “But, yeah, this is it. This is the year I have been preparing for. I’m ready.”

Sliwoski also rushed for 109 yards on 43 attempts last year. Tell him he’s slow, and he might run right past you.

“They say I have sneaky athleticism,” he said. “Hey, I had a couple big runs against Duquesne. I can move if I need to. I know I will be under center, not in shotgun, like a lot of teams in the spread, and I like that. We’ll have a balance attack.”

“I know my job is to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers,” Sliwoski said. “I want them to trust in me.”

Sliwoski is working toward a master’s degree in the medical field. He expects to be working in a doctor’s office as a physician’s assistant soon — maybe while he finishes his playing career.

“Football is my life, and I love it,” he said. “I want to play as long as I can. I know there will be some late nights this fall, but that is all right. It’s all going to be worth it.”

For his part, Norwin alum Jack Salopek was in the running to start at quarterback for Western Michigan heading into training camp, where has been taking first-team reps.

The redshirt freshman filled in against Pitt last year — before 40,000 at then-Heinz Field — when starter Kaleb Eleby was ill.

Salopek made a couple of first-down throws to another WPIAL product, Skyy Moore, now a rookie wideout for the Kansas City Chiefs. But then Eleby returned to the game, and the Broncos scored a 44-41 upset over the Kenny Pickett-led Panthers.

With Eleby gone, Salopek could be the man behind center.

“I was just excited getting to play in front of my hometown team,” Salopek told mlive.com. “I had a lot of family and friends there, and luckily, I was able to throw the ball around a little bit and did pretty well, so it was a great day.”

The 6-1, 185-pound Salopek had a cool-under-pressure mentality at Norwin, even when the jaws of the defense were closing in around him and he had to take off for yardage.

“I think I learned just to be calm while I’m out there,” he said. “Surprisingly, after the first play, I wasn’t too nervous. I thought I would be, but that’s the biggest thing. We’ll be at Michigan State with 80,000 people Week 1, so I just want to stay calm while I’m out there.”

Another redshirt freshman, Mareyohn Hrabowski (6-2, 230) also was competing for the starting spot.

Alabama transfer Stone Hollenbach and freshman Treyson Bourget are giving chase.

“Jack is a little bit ahead right now,” offensive coordinator Jeff Thorne said.

Local college football players to watch this season

NCAA Division I

Marcus Barnes, DB, Jr., William & Mary (Jeannette)

Hayden Baron, OL, Jr., Robert Morris (Belle Vernon)

Joe Blahovec, DB, Fr., Youngstown State (Greensburg Central Catholic)

Braden Brose, TE, R-Sr., Delaware (Hempfield)

Fintan Brose, OL, Jr., Delaware (Hempfield)

Ethan Carr, WR, R-Fr., Villanova (Penn-Trafford)

Mason Frye, DB, R-Fr., St. Francis (Pa.) (Penn-Trafford)

Nate Frye, DB, R-Fr., St. Francis (Pa.) (Penn-Trafford)

Anthony Giansante, OL, R-Fr., Western Carolina (Norwin)

Cole Graham, OL, So., St. Francis (Pa.) (Hempfield)

Logan Hawkins, DL, R-Jr., Akron (Penn-Trafford)

Trent Holler, OL, RS-So., Marshall (Latrobe)

Scott Houseman, OL, Sr., Albany (Yough)

Christian Jablonski, OL, Jr., Lehigh (Ligonier Valley)

Anthony Johnson, DL, So., Youngstown State (Jeannette)

Robert Kennedy, DB, RS-Jr., Old Dominion (Jeannette)

Tucker Knupp, So., LB, Lehigh (Latrobe)

Ben Lacarte, DB, So., Duquesne (Greensburg Central Catholic)

Nick Leopold, WR, So., Duquesne (Franklin Regional)

Matt Metrosky, OL, R-Fr., Pitt (Greensburg Central Catholic)

Declan Ochendowski, OL, Fr. Cornell (Penn-Trafford)

Michael Petrof, OL, Jr., Navy (Ligonier Valley)

Jackson Pruitt, DB, R-Fr., Youngstown State (Jeannette)

Gianni Rizzo, LB, So., Duquesne (Norwin)

Jack Salopek, QB, R-Fr., Western Michigan (Norwin)

Gio Vonne Sanders, DB, 5th year, Western Michigan (Jeannette)

Daniel Sierk, DL, Fr., Bucknell (Hempfield)

Justin Sliwoski, QB, R-Jr., St. Francis (Pa.) (Hempfield)

Caden Smith, WR, Fr., Pitt (Franklin Regional)

Wylie Spiker, OL, So., St. Francis (Pa.) (Ligonier Valley)

Aaron Stasko, LS, Fr., Duquesne (Greensburg Central Catholic)

Jayvon Thrift, DB, So., Youngstown State (Norwin)

Aaron Tutino, WR, R-So., St. Francis (Pa.) (Ligonier Valley)

Devin Whitlock, WR, Fr., Pitt (Belle Vernon)

Cade Yacamelli, DB, Fr., Wisconsin (Penn-Trafford)

Blake Zubovic, OL, R-Sr., Pitt (Belle Vernon)

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