Football is nearly over for Austin Miele — and he wants to make his final season count.

That's why the Mars graduate and Slippery Rock University senior is voluntarily moving from safety to outside linebacker this year.

“It's what the team needs,” Miele said. “We graduated our front seven on defense from last year. I can bring some experience up there and we've got three other experienced safeties on this team.

“I want to get one more ring before I'm done playing. If this helps us get there, so be it.”

The 6-foot, 200-pound Miele hasn't played linebacker since high school. He blossomed as a safety in SRU's defense last year, leading the team with 90 tackles, including 45 solos, 8.5 tackles for loss, an interception and 1.5 quarterback sacks.

He was one of the key cogs in The Rock's run to the PSAC Western Division championship.

As a sophomore — his first year with The Rock — Miele managed only 24 tackles in nine games, one tackle for loss.

“He was getting acclimated to our system that year,” SRU coach George Mihalik said. “Last year, he was a first team all-conference player as a safety.

“To give up a position he'd been so successful at says a lot about Austin Miele as a true team player.”

Of course, Miele had given up things on the football field before.

He compiled three successive 1,000-yard rushing seasons at Mars — amassing 4,168 yards on the ground — and ran for a WPIAL playoff record 448 yards in a postseason win over Hollidaysburg in 2010.

“I really thought I'd be carrying the football all through college,” Miele admitted.

But when he moved on to St. Francis University, Miele found himself at strong safety. He finished third on the team with 77 tackles and had three interceptions.

Then came the transfer to The Rock — and now more transition.

“I don't think he will have any kind of problem with it,” Mihalik said. “In a lot of our sets last year, we'd line Austin up as if he was an outside linebacker anyway.

“He's always been great at run support. Now he'll be closer to the line of scrimmage.”

Playing strong side outside linebacker, Miele will be on the field all of the time.

“I'll still be in pass coverage, too, given all of the spread formations and multiple wide receiver sets that are out there,” Miele said.

“I played at about 195 pounds last season. This year, I want to play at 210 or 215. I need to keep my speed, but I need to be physically stronger. Finding that balance will be a challenge.”

Miele knows how important it will be to find that balance.

“After 10 years of football, this will be it, I'm hanging up the cleats,” he said. “I've had a heck of a run and I'm proud of it.”

Miele plans to enter graduate school for physical therapy next year.