Sept. 18, 1999

Great quarterbacks don't come along every day, they come along once every decade. Only a select few were born with the arm of gold and the ability to lead their team on to the field of battle every Saturday afternoon. Villanova senior quarterback Chris Boden is one of the chosen few. Boden wasn't always the superstar he is today, however. This transformation occurred when he was finally given what he always wanted, a chance.

Growing up in San Clemente, Calif., Boden's mother, Linn, didn't allow Chris to play organized football until he was in ninth grade because she feared he would get hurt. Instead, Boden went down the street to the church parking lot where they used to have pick-up games every afternoon. Organized league or no organized league, there was one element that remained a constant- Chris Boden at quarterback.

"I always played quarterback," said Boden. "It is one of the toughest positions in all of sports to play, but that's why I like it. I love the challenge. Playing receiver is fun, but I like the challenge of having to make the perfect pass even more. The whole game can depend on you."

Boden played varsity football as a junior, but it wasn't until his senior season that he finally became the starting quarterback. Even then the job was not handed over to him. Boden had to go out and win the job in summer practice. He got the starting nod and went on to prove throughout his senior season that the decision on head coach Mark McElroy's part to start him was the right one. Boden threw for 2,592 yards and 22 touchdowns in his first year as San Clemente's starter, and broke 11 offensive school records. Even with such a tremendous senior campaign, however, the colleges didn't come calling at first. In December of 1995, Villanova finally called his name and gave Boden his first and only scholarship offer.

"In high school, I didn't know what level I would be able to play and succeed on," said Boden. "Coach McElroy told me before the season that if you don't start for two or three years in high school, that Division I-AA teams don't look at you."

Boden defied the odds, however, and proved that theory wrong. His first season on the Main Line was another learning experience for the young quarterback. Boden threw only 66 passes as a freshman behind senior starter Clint Park. More important than his limited statistics, however, was the experience he got from the coaches and older players.

"My freshman year was a great learning experience," said Boden. "Sometimes I wish I had redshirted so I would have that extra year of eligibility, but if I had I might not be the starting quarterback right now."

Even with Park gone after the 1996 season, Boden didn't walk into a starting role. Like he did as a senior in high school, he had to go battle it out for the job. So during spring and summer practice, Boden went head-to-head with fellow Wildcat Chris Gicking.

"In our first practice we had a seven-on-seven scrimmage," said Boden. "(Chris) Gicking and I were really competitive. For three straight days, I don't think one ball hit the ground. We both completed every ball we threw."

With an outstanding spring and summer, Boden was named Villanova's opening day starter versus West Chester in 1997. In his first game behind the center, he completed eight-of-11 passes for 175 yards and four touchdowns. So much for first game jitters.

"I was actually very nervous before the West Chester game," said Boden. "During warm-ups, I couldn't throw a spiral. The best thing for me was starting off that first game with a screen pass that went for a touchdown. From there, everything just seemed to go right."

As Boden continued to roll, so did the Wildcats. Villanova made its way to the No. 1 ranking, where they stayed for the final six weeks of the season. Helped by the strong right arm of Boden, the 'Cats recorded their first ever undefeated, untied regular season at 11-0. He ended the season completing 281-of-419 passes, for 3,707 yards, 42 touchdowns and only five interceptions. Setting 14 school records, Boden was named to the Walter Camp All-America Team, the Associated Press and ESPN/Sportsticker All-America second team and The Sports Network All-America third team.

"During the season, I realized that this was a really special year," said Boden. "We had such great leadership from the seniors and I wanted to go out and play for them. We were a really close knit group."

In Boden's second season as a starter in 1998, he put up outstanding numbers yet again. The Wildcats struggled at times, however, and finished the season with a 6-5 record. Despite recording his second straight 3,000-yard season to go along with 31 touchdowns, the season was not complete for Boden.

"Last year was a learning experience," said Boden. "We've been at both ends of the spectrum. We had a 12-1 season and then 6-5 last year. A 6-5 record is technically not a losing season, but after the year before it was a let down. We realized how special it was to be winning and how badly we want to get back there. I would trade any of my stats for the chance to go to the playoffs and have a shot to win the championship."

Even without a playoff appearance in 1998, however, Boden's efforts did not go unnoticed. Twice he was named the Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week, and even notched ESPN-USA Today National Player of the Week honors for his play in a 34-31 overtime victory over Delaware. Following the season, Boden received the Ernie Davis Award, which is given to the NCAA Division I-AA player who overcame personal, athletic or academic adversity and performs in an exemplary manner.

Heading into his final season on the Main Line, Boden is just 219 completions and 2,588 yards away from setting two more school records. When he walks off the field after his final game as a Wildcat at the end of this season, he will be considered by many as the best quarterback to ever wear the Villanova blue and white. Before he ends his Wildcat career, however, Boden hopes he has a few more magic tricks up his sleeve.

"Individually first and foremost, I want to be a good leader on the field," said Boden. "Basically I have the same goals every year?to not turn the ball over and to be a good leader. Numbers wise, I really don't get into all of that. I set really high standards for myself. I'm very competitive. I feel like I should go out and complete every pass. As a team, we want to make the playoffs and take one game at a time after that. That's our number one goal."

Boden has only been a starting quarterback for three years of his short football career, but he has come a very long way in very short time. He will walk away from Villanova one day with nearly every passing record in the Wildcat record books. Even greater would be the idea of one day getting the chance to see his name and number hanging on the Wall of Fame overlooking Villanova Stadium.

"I always try to take one game and one season at a time," said Boden. "As a junior in high school, I didn't even want to play football anymore because I wasn't starting. My mom talked me into keep playing though. Now I just take things one at a time. As for the records and the thought of maybe one day seeing my number hanging in the stadium, that hasn't kicked in. Maybe 10 years down the line it will."

Boden begins his senior season looking not towards records, but towards the possibility of one last playoff berth and a shot at the title. One last chance for him and his closest friends, his fellow Wildcat players, to play their hearts out on the football field not for individual honors, but for each other.