SLIPPERY ROCK — The football season — and career — of Wes Hills are far from over.

Slippery Rock University's record-setting senior running back further stated his case as a viable NFL prospect Saturday by being named MVP of the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

“It's exciting to win an MVP at an all-star game whether you're a Division I, II, III player, whatever,” Hills said, “If you can 'ball, you can 'ball.”

Hills carried 10 times for 78 yards and his team's lone score as the National team dropped a 10-7 decision to the American team.

“Wes was the talk of that game,” SRU football coach Shawn Lutz said. “It seemed like half of the broadcast was spent on him. He stole the show and I'm so happy for him.”

During the week of practice leading up to the game, Hills received an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl this Saturday in Mobile, Ala.

“It was his work ethic and practice and the ability he showed catching the football that earned him that invitation,” Lutz said.

Hills becomes only the second SRU football player to receive a Senior Bowl invitation. The other was Seneca Valley graduate Brandon Fusco, who played in the game in 2011 and is now the starting right guard for the Atlanta Falcons.

Lutz said he won't be surprised if Hills winds up in the NFL next year.

“Brandon played in the Senior Bowl and was selected in the NFL draft,” Lutz said. “Now Wes is being projected as an NFL draft pick.

“You can't coach 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, a running back who can run over people. When he's hit, he never falls backward. He's always moving forward. And in open space, he can run away from people and becomes very difficult to tackle.”

Lutz added that National team head coach Mike Tice — former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings — compared Hills to Robert Smith, a former Ohio State and Viking standout back.

Hills isn't concerned about his NFL chances just yet.

“These are just opportunities to showcase my abilities and I'm trying to take advantage of that,” he said. “I'm just keeping my head down and flying as best I can.

“I won't look up and assess everything until all of this stuff is over.”

That “stuff” includes the Senior Bowl.

“It's all so surreal,” Hills said. “I'm catching flights, attending meetings, going to practice. I'm doing what I have to do.”

Fox Sports reporter Bruce Feldman commented during the Collegiate Bowl broadcast that “Hills has been by far the breakout star here this week.”

Hills will be further challenged at the Senior Bowl. He will be playing on the South roster with more than 20 players from the Southeastern Conference. He is the only Division II player on the South team and will be one of only three D-II players in the game.

The South team will be coached by the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff. The game will be aired live on NFL Network at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

“This has been tremendous publicity for our football program and Slippery Rock University,” Lutz said. “We're in the heart of recruiting season and this is definitely helping us.

“The players come here for an education, of course, but if they believe they can get (to pro football), it's been proven that can happen anywhere. It's the brand that Division II football and the PSAC, what it's become.”

Hills rushed for 1,849 yards and 14 touchdowns in an injury-plagued career at Delaware before coming to The Rock for his final year of eligibility. He rushed for a school-record 1,714 yards and scored 17 touchdowns this season.

He is from Wildwood, N.J.

Among his achievements this season were three consecutive 200-yard games along with a total of 509 yards and five touchdowns in SRU's three playoff games in 2018.

“After our game with Indiana this year, he just took off,” Lutz said. “NFL scouts wanted to see if he could stay healthy and he certainly did that.”