Who is Matt Szczur? And how do you even say his last name?

The Dukes head to Pennsylvania this Saturday to take on the No. 6 ranked, reigning FCS champions, Villanova Wildcats. The biggest surprise in the CAA behind our triumphant Virginia Tech win has to be when the William & Mary Tribe upset the then No. 1 Wildcats, 31-24 on Oct. 2.

Perhaps some of the reason the Wildcats fell to the Tribe was the loss of their star, and reigning CAA Player of the Year, senior wide receiver Matt Szczur, who had been dealing with two sprained ankles. He has since healed and Villanova coach Andy Talley says he will remain a gametime decision against JMU. 

With JMU's heart of the defense, Ronnell Brown, out on injury, Dukes' fans are most likely keeping their fingers crossed Szczur sits this one out. After doing some research, I found JMU football beat writer Mike Barber, from our local Daily News-Record, wrote a good piece on what to expect from this young man if he does return.

HARRISONBURG - So what changes when you take the most dynamic football player out of one of the league's top offenses? Not much, apparently.

Villanova coach Andy Talley said this week that reigning Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year Matt Szczur will be a game-time decision for Saturday's meeting with James Madison because of Szczur's two sprained ankles. He was injured very early in the Wildcats' 22-10 win over No. 24 Penn on Sept. 25, and sat out the next two games, a loss to William & Mary and Saturday's win over Maine.

But Talley said the defending Division I-AA national champions' offense will look largely the same with or without Szczur (pronounced "Cee-zer"), a senior wide receiver who plays "Wildcat" quarterback (the formation, not the nickname) and returns kicks and punts for Villanova.

"We're running the same stuff," Talley said. "It's not like you're not preparing for what Villanova does offensively."

Last year, Szczur led the CAA in all-purpose yardage, accounting for 149.3 yards per game. He had 813 yards rushing, 610 receiving and 810 in kick returns. He led the league with 15 total touchdowns.

Villanova - ranked No. 6 in I-AA - said Szczur was not available for interviews this week.

Talley was hopeful Szczur would play last week at Maine. But when the teams took the field for pre-game warm-ups, it quickly became apparent Villanova would be Szczur-less again.

"We thought we'd have him right up till game time," Talley said. "Then he got out there and just didn't feel well. He has two high ankle sprains. It's not just dealing with one."

Teammate Angelo Babbaro, who has filled in for Szczur as the quarterback in Villanova's Wildcat package and as the team's main kick returner, expects Szczur to play against No. 11 JMU (4-2, 1-2).

"With how big of game this is for us, and how big of a competitor Matt is, if he's able to play, he will," Babbaro said Tuesday.

And if not, Babbaro has been doing a more-than-adequate job filing in for his close friend.

Villanova quarterback Chris Whitney described Babbaro the way opposing coaches often talk about Szczur.

"He's probably the fastest guy on our team, probably the fastest guy I've ever played with," Whitney said Tuesday. "And a tough kid. He'll juke people, but he'll also lower his shoulder. He does everything. He's a tremendous athlete."

Babbaro surpassed Szczur as the team's season leader in all-purpose yards after the Maine game. The 5-foot-9, 195-pounder has accounted for 619 yards. (Szczur had 453 before injured.)

Last spring, it was unclear whether Villanova would have Szczur's services at all in their title defense. Also a star for the school's baseball team, Szczur was drafted in the fifth round by the Chicago Cubs. He spent his summer in the minor leagues, then joined Villanova's football team for the 2010 season. (NCAA rules permit athletes to turn professional in one sport while finishing their eligibility in another.)

Talley acknowledged Szczur's situation is extra dicey because he has already signed his professional baseball contract and would not want to risk an injury that could derail his career on the diamond.

"For sure," Talley said. "This will be four weeks coming in, so we're not rushing him, that's for sure. You want to make sure he's right because he does have a future in pro baseball."

Whether it's Szczur or Babbaro lining up as the Wildcat quarterback Saturday, JMU coach Mickey Matthews said he's more concerned with Villanova's traditional quarterback, Whitney, who is averaging 216.8 yards per game of total offense, the second-highest total in the CAA.

"The guy that's changed their program has been the quarterback," Matthews said this week. "He's an old wishbone guy that's big, strong, hard to tackle. He keeps a lot of drives open. He's a physically tough person that I think has brought a different attitude to their whole football program."

Saturday against Maine, Whitney had perhaps his best day throwing the football. He went 20-for-25 for 322 yards and three scores in the 48-18 road rout. Not bad for a team missing its offensive star.

Whether it's with Szczur or without him, Babbaro said Villanova is still trying to erase the sting of its early CAA loss.

"I know a lot of people are doubting us now after what we did at William & Mary," Babbaro said. "We have to prove that we're still here, still a contender."

For more on the Dukes attempt at another upset, check back after this weekend. My prediction is 28-14 in favor of the Wildcats. It's not that I don't have school spirit, I am just a realist.


-CH