Sudden Impact

Brian Finneran’s college career has been nothing less than eventful. There have been NFL scouts, records, a national No. 1 ranking, awards . . .

Together, they have provided quite a landscape for Finneran, 21, a wide receiver from Santa Margarita High.

Finneran has established himself as one of the nation’s best receivers despite playing in Division I-AA. At Villanova, outside Philadelphia, Finneran is the man.

So too, in his personal life, where a wife and two children made him grow up quickly.

“He has been almost forced into the responsibilities and done a great job of taking the responsibilities on,” said Finneran’s twin brother, Brad, also a receiver at Villanova and sometimes the family’s baby sitter.

“He’s definitely matured as a father and a husband. If you knew him three years ago, you’d be surprised what he’s doing now. He was going to parties, he was even the life of the party, hanging out. He’s settled down a lot.”

As a 6-foot-5, 195-pound receiver, Finneran is certainly an impact player on the field for top-seeded Villanova, which hosts a first-round Division I-AA playoff game Saturday against 16th-ranked Colgate (7-4).

He is sixth in the nation in scoring (112 points), seventh in receiving yards per game (104.6), and ninth in receptions per game with 75 in 11 games. He is averaging 15.3 yards per catch.

Finneran is one of 10 players on the ballot for the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the nation’s top I-AA player. He was named the Atlantic 10 Conference’s offensive player of the year Tuesday.

He is Villanova’s all-time leader in receptions (244) and receiving yards (3,623) and needs two touchdowns to reach Mike Siani’s record (34, 1969-71). Finneran holds 15 school records, including touchdowns in a season (17 and counting).

He also has been an impact player off the field by the way he has dealt with his circumstances.

“At first, it was a little bit embarrassing,” Finneran said of having a baby before he was married. “We knew what we did and both of us had some responsibilities we had to deal with.

“Fatherhood has come fairly easy to me. I guess I just had a knack for it. We couldn’t ask for two more well-behaved children, and Erin is great.”

He and high school sweetheart Erin Fallon, whom Finneran had dated on and off since Valentine’s Day, 1991, had a son, Conor, three years ago. They were married Dec. 30, 1995, and five months later they moved into their current home in Wayne, Pa. They also have a daughter, Brynn, who is 20 months.

Erin works at a microbrewery three nights a week. On nights she doesn’t work, Brian has classes. When she does work, he hustles home after practice ends at 6 p.m., arriving about 7 p.m. Occasionally, they use a baby sitter. In a pinch, she will leave the kids with Brian at practice and one of the team managers will baby-sit. When they need a night together, brother Brad and a teammate might look after the kids.

“I can’t fathom trying to do what [Brian] does,” said Bryan Luxembourger, Brad Finneran’s roommate and a linebacker for the Wildcats from Costa Mesa High. “He’s very responsible. He works hard in practice, in classes, and then I see him go home and take care of his kids.”

Villanova Coach Andy Talley has made a few adjustments to accommodate Finneran. The scholarship endowment for his room and meals is given to him in cash, and he is allowed to live off campus.

“Everyone really respects the work ethic he has, because he’s in our business school and it’s a demanding program,” Talley said. “There aren’t any Mickey Mouse courses. He’s got his hands full.”

Finneran said he and Erin couldn’t have done it without the support of their parents.

Though Finneran might be a struggling family man right now, that might not be the case after this season. Talley said 24 NFL teams have sent scouts to Villanova to catch Finneran on tape and in person at practice.

“From what I can tell, there’s no doubt in my mind Brian is going to get drafted,” Talley said.

Talley also said he wouldn’t be surprised if Brad is drafted too, just to see if the identical twins--born four minutes apart--don’t produce the same magic over the long haul.

“Over the years, Brian probably has been a little more consistent because he catches everything,” Talley said. “And maybe he jumps a little bit higher.”

It’s an opportunity Brian Finneran won’t let pass.

“I have to work on some things in the off-season as far as speed and strength are concerned, but I look forward to the opportunity to go to the combine and show what I can do,” Finneran said. “It would be huge for me to go to the NFL, especially with two kids and a wife to support. But even if the NFL doesn’t work, I have a Villanova education to fall back on.

“I’m not living and dying with football, but the opportunity is there and so I’m going to give it a shot.”