The do-everything, play-everywhere star of Villanova's 2009 I-AA national championship team is back playing football - ready to take on Temple on Friday night at Lincoln Financial Field in the opener for both schools - after a summer on the baseball field, playing minor-league ball for the Chicago Cubs organization.
At Villanova, they've grown accustomed to Szczur's multisport feats. Coach Andy Talley calls Szczur the most talented football player he's had since Brian Westbrook. The senior's a wide receiver and Wildcat-formation quarterback who ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns and caught four passes for 68 yards in Villanova's 23-21 title-game victory over Montana. He lined up all over the field and also was on the punt, punt-return, kick and
kick-return teams.
"A lot of it sounds made up; it's like Tim Tebow-type stuff, like, 'C'mon, that can't be true,' " said Villanova wide receivers coach Brian Flinn.
Like how Szczur hit in 21 straight games as an outfielder this summer in the Cubs organization, although he'd never used a wooden bat for a full season before.
"I broke probably six or seven bats my first three games," Szczur said. "They would throw inside and I would continue to get jammed. I broke three bats in one game. I had to learn how to hit the inside pitch."
When Szczur reported back to Villanova for the start of football camp, his coaches took it easy on him, mostly sitting him out for the second session of two-a-days.
"He comes back here, all that acclaim, he says, 'I need to be in football shape right now.' He's as gung-ho and full-bore as he ever was," Flinn said. "He wants to be on the kickoff team. He's adamant. He goes to our special-teams coach: 'Put me in the same spot. I came here to play football. That's what I do. I run down and make tackles on kickoffs.' "
Ready from the get-go
Szczur was born a little different.
