Villanova Univeristy Athletics

A standout tackle who helped Villanova lead the country in pass defense his junior year, Don Luzzi went on to a Hall of Fame career in the Canadian Football League following his collegiate career. He played for the Wildcats varsity squad from 1955-57 and graduated from Villanova in 1958. Luzzi was inducted to the Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1978.
 
Known for his speed and blocking abilities, Luzzi was described before his senior year as “specializes in breaking up plays before they get started.” Over his final two collegiate seasons Luzzi helped the Wildcats defense give up just 10.4 points per game and post four shutouts while holding nine of 18 opponents to seven or fewer points.
 
Villanova went 5-4 in Luzzi’s junior season in 1956 and tallied shutout wins over Dayton, The Citadel and Iowa State while outscoring the opposition by nearly a touchdown per game on the year. Luzzi was named to several All-East and the Wildcats were the nation’s top-ranked team in passing defense. Other notable victories that season were road wins at Detroit and Boston University.
 
The momentum of the 1956 campaign carried over into Luzzi’s senior year. Despite going 3-6 on the year, Villanova nevertheless outscored its opponents by a 109-96 margin and gave up just 10.7 points per contest. The defense gave up just 13 total points in the three wins, which came against Furman (20-0), Florida State (21-7) and Wichita State (24-6).
 
A native of North Branford, Conn., Luzzi would spend his professional career in Canada and become a star for the Calgary Stampeders. He played in Calgary from 1958-69 and was inducted to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1986. He was a three-time All-Canadian defensive tackle and garnered seven career All-Western mentions, including five as a defensive tackle and two as an offensive tackle.
 
One of Luzzi’s best pro seasons was his rookie year in 1958 when he was the winner of the Scott-Mamini Trophy presented by the Calgary Booster Club to the top male athlete in the city. Luzzi earned All-Western acclaim as both an offensive tackle and a defensive tackle in his first pro season. He won the Schenley Award for most outstanding lineman and was the DeMarco-Becket Memorial Trophy winner which is given to the top lineman from teams in the CFL western division.
 
Luzzi’s presence on the field was particularly noticed in his rookie season when his return from an injury snapped a four-game Stampeders losing streak. Later in his career Luzzi would be selected as an All-Canadian defensive tackle in 1962, 1963 and 1966. Among his career highlights was his play in the 1964 conference semifinals when Calgary defeated Saskatchewan, as well as the 1969 playoffs when Luzzi made outstanding contributions in his final professional season. One year earlier, he had led the Stampeders to the Grey Cup game where Calgary lost a close game against the Ottawa Rough Riders.
 
Following his playing career Luzzi was involved in provincial politics in Alberta. He passed away in Calgary in 2005 at the age of 70.