Wildcats enter first title game confident
12/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
It???s been a long wait for the Villanova football team.?? After 106 years, the Wildcats are in the FCS National Championship for the first time and they are motivated to win.
???Absolutely we want to win the National Championship,??? Coach Andy Talley said.?? ???It takes a lot of luck and you???ve got to have a really good team and have that home seed three times.?? We were able to do that so it all worked out great.???
Talley, who is 178-102 in 25 seasons at Villanova, said his team???s lack of experience in Chattanooga should not be a disadvantage.
???I don???t think that???s a big deal for us,??? Talley said.?? ???Once you play the schedule we play week in and week out, you step into a game like this and it???s just another really big game.???
With wins over defending FCS champion Richmond and FBS bowl-eligible Temple, Talley said Villanova???s 13-1 record this season is a result of a complete team effort.
???The balance across the offense, defense, and special teams has really helped us,??? Talley said.?? ???We have pretty good players on all three of those levels.???
Leading the offense and special teams is junior wide receiver Matt Szczur.?????? The Associated Press All-American is a two-sport athlete at Villanova, playing baseball in the spring. ??
???Matt Szczur is the guy who is probably the best player we have had since Brain Westbrook,??? Talley said.
Szczur, the offensive player of the year in the Colonial Athletic Association, has scored touchdowns in every way possible this season.?? He has caught four, rushed for eight, thrown for two, and returned one kickoff. ??
Talley said Szczur???s ability to get the ball in the end zone creates excitement for the team.
???He was instrumental in carrying us on his back and getting us here,??? Talley added.?? ???He is an awfully good wide receiver and runs the ???Wildcat??? formation for us at quarterback.???
Though Szczur is an individual standout, he said he couldn???t do it without his teammates.
???I don???t put much pressure on myself,??? Szczur said.?? ???I know if I don???t get the job done we???ve got other guys that will.???
Junior quarterback Chris Whitney is another player that stands out for the Wildcats on offense.
Whitney has passed for 1,794 yards and thrown 17 touchdowns this season.?? ???Chris Whitney is an awesome player and he???s going to get the job done in and out,??? Szczur said of the 6-2 quarterback. ??
Villanova???s offense, lead by Szczur and Whitney, will be tested against Montana???s hard-hitting defense.
???Their defense is very good,??? Szczur said.?? ???Probably the best we will ever see.?? We???ve got to focus and we got to operate our offense how it???s supposed to be operated.???
???We know we will have our hands full,??? Szczur added.
Montana???s offense will also have its hands full against a Villanova defense that allows just 13 points a game.
???We have two great defenses on the field, Montana and Villanova,??? Talley said.?? ???When those two unmovable forces happen, usually it can be a big-time collision.?? Either one team or the other explodes.?? I???m hoping it???s us.???
Talley said handling Montana???s offense means breaking through a big offensive line.
???They have three or four guys that are 6-7 340 to 350,??? Talley said.?? ???And they are going to lean on you all day.???
Despite the size of Montana???s offensive line, Talley said he is confident in Villanova???s defense.
???We bend but don???t break and haven???t given up a ton of yards,??? Talley said.?? ???Montana is the highest scoring team in the country right now.?? We have a great challenge.???
Part of that challenge will be containing junior running back Chase Reynolds, who rushed for two touchdowns in last week???s semifinal game against Appalachian State.
???Chase Reynolds has great, great vision and he is a cut-back runner,??? Talley said.?? ???He makes you stay disciplined.???
???A lot of people think he???s fast, but he can run and gain some yards too,??? Talley added.
Facing the undefeated Grizzlies, who are playing for their third national championship, has made Villanova even more focused. ??
???If there is a team to go against, it would be nice to go against Montana,??? junior offensive lineman Ben Ijalana said.?? ???As far as the story lines they were here in our same spot this year.???
???They are going to come hungry,??? Ijalana added.?? ???They???re going to try and hit us in the mouth early.???
Villanova will meet Montana in Chattanooga, Tenn., for the FCS national championship Friday at 6:03 p.m. on ESPN 2.?? Szczur said the Wildcats will not let the opportunity slip away.
???We believe no matter what the circumstances we are not going to give up and we are going to win the game,??? Szczur said.
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???Absolutely we want to win the National Championship,??? Coach Andy Talley said.?? ???It takes a lot of luck and you???ve got to have a really good team and have that home seed three times.?? We were able to do that so it all worked out great.???
Talley, who is 178-102 in 25 seasons at Villanova, said his team???s lack of experience in Chattanooga should not be a disadvantage.
???I don???t think that???s a big deal for us,??? Talley said.?? ???Once you play the schedule we play week in and week out, you step into a game like this and it???s just another really big game.???
With wins over defending FCS champion Richmond and FBS bowl-eligible Temple, Talley said Villanova???s 13-1 record this season is a result of a complete team effort.
???The balance across the offense, defense, and special teams has really helped us,??? Talley said.?? ???We have pretty good players on all three of those levels.???
Leading the offense and special teams is junior wide receiver Matt Szczur.?????? The Associated Press All-American is a two-sport athlete at Villanova, playing baseball in the spring. ??
???Matt Szczur is the guy who is probably the best player we have had since Brain Westbrook,??? Talley said.
Szczur, the offensive player of the year in the Colonial Athletic Association, has scored touchdowns in every way possible this season.?? He has caught four, rushed for eight, thrown for two, and returned one kickoff. ??
Talley said Szczur???s ability to get the ball in the end zone creates excitement for the team.
???He was instrumental in carrying us on his back and getting us here,??? Talley added.?? ???He is an awfully good wide receiver and runs the ???Wildcat??? formation for us at quarterback.???
Though Szczur is an individual standout, he said he couldn???t do it without his teammates.
???I don???t put much pressure on myself,??? Szczur said.?? ???I know if I don???t get the job done we???ve got other guys that will.???
Junior quarterback Chris Whitney is another player that stands out for the Wildcats on offense.
Whitney has passed for 1,794 yards and thrown 17 touchdowns this season.?? ???Chris Whitney is an awesome player and he???s going to get the job done in and out,??? Szczur said of the 6-2 quarterback. ??
Villanova???s offense, lead by Szczur and Whitney, will be tested against Montana???s hard-hitting defense.
???Their defense is very good,??? Szczur said.?? ???Probably the best we will ever see.?? We???ve got to focus and we got to operate our offense how it???s supposed to be operated.???
???We know we will have our hands full,??? Szczur added.
Montana???s offense will also have its hands full against a Villanova defense that allows just 13 points a game.
???We have two great defenses on the field, Montana and Villanova,??? Talley said.?? ???When those two unmovable forces happen, usually it can be a big-time collision.?? Either one team or the other explodes.?? I???m hoping it???s us.???
Talley said handling Montana???s offense means breaking through a big offensive line.
???They have three or four guys that are 6-7 340 to 350,??? Talley said.?? ???And they are going to lean on you all day.???
Despite the size of Montana???s offensive line, Talley said he is confident in Villanova???s defense.
???We bend but don???t break and haven???t given up a ton of yards,??? Talley said.?? ???Montana is the highest scoring team in the country right now.?? We have a great challenge.???
Part of that challenge will be containing junior running back Chase Reynolds, who rushed for two touchdowns in last week???s semifinal game against Appalachian State.
???Chase Reynolds has great, great vision and he is a cut-back runner,??? Talley said.?? ???He makes you stay disciplined.???
???A lot of people think he???s fast, but he can run and gain some yards too,??? Talley added.
Facing the undefeated Grizzlies, who are playing for their third national championship, has made Villanova even more focused. ??
???If there is a team to go against, it would be nice to go against Montana,??? junior offensive lineman Ben Ijalana said.?? ???As far as the story lines they were here in our same spot this year.???
???They are going to come hungry,??? Ijalana added.?? ???They???re going to try and hit us in the mouth early.???
Villanova will meet Montana in Chattanooga, Tenn., for the FCS national championship Friday at 6:03 p.m. on ESPN 2.?? Szczur said the Wildcats will not let the opportunity slip away.
???We believe no matter what the circumstances we are not going to give up and we are going to win the game,??? Szczur said.
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