By: Lenny Megliola, Special to the News

When Matt Silva was playing three sports at Dracut High, he knew that wouldn't be possible in college. So how about two?

He could put his talented right arm in motion as a quarterback in the fall and baseball in the spring.

"I was always considered a better baseball player," said Silva. Several college recruiters saw it that way too. Still, he didn't want to give up football.

That was solved when Framingham State University assistant coach Aynsley Rosenbaum went to one of Silva's basketball games.

"He was the first football coach to contact me," said Silva, who explained his two-sport wishes to the stranger. "He seemed like a genuine guy. He opened up my eyes that I could try out for both football and baseball."

It was music to Silva's ears. He took a recruiting trip to FSU, had lunch, watched a Rams' basketball game, and finished the busy day by meeting head coach Tom Kelley for the first time, in his office. Like Rosenbaum, Kelley was all straight talk.

"They weren't going to try and trick you," said Silva. By all means, play baseball too.

Four games into his freshman year of football, Silva, playing quarterback, suffered a Lisfranc (foot) injury.

"It ended my season abruptly," said Silva. He had surgery. The injury also washed away his spring dream. The foot hadn't healed by the time the baseball team had tryouts.

Silva was awarded a redshirt football season. He was a one-sport athlete now. It's worked out just fine.

Silva is now a fifth-year senior, and having a sensational season for the 6-1 Rams. He's 168-for-256 passing (292 yards per game, 12.2 yards per completion) with 26 touchdowns.

"He's such a competitor, and a very good athlete," said Kelley, who is also FSU's athletic director "He's gotten better every year. The thing he does best is the back shoulder throw. You don't see a lot of that in Division III. He's only had five interceptions. That's amazing for a guy who throws that much."

"We're a blue-collar team," said Silva. "That stems from Coach Kelley. Nothing's going to be given to us. We just keep working hard."

Every athlete remembers an unforgettable game, for better or worse. Silva had that game, and it was the first one he ever got to play in for the Rams. "It was my first year. We opened the season at Endicott. I didn't start the game, but got in about the third series when we were backed up to our own end zone."

He made the wrong read on a play, and sort of, well, panicked. Then he ad-libbed. Result: a 60-yard run for his life, down the left sideline. Kelley took him out. "I don't really run the ball now," said Silva.

The next year "we had a very good defensive team and I got more involved with the running game," said Silva. The game plan was to hand off to pre-season All-American Melikke van Alstyne. It worked. Silva still threw some, but his job now was to just manage the game.

Even with van Alstyne to rely on in the 2013 season, "I started making strides as a passer," said Silva. In the opener, he threw four TDs against Endicott.

The good times kept rolling last season. With just one loss, Framingham State was hoping for an automatic NCAA postseason bid. It never came. "We were devastated," said Silva. They did get a Div. III bowl game against RPI, which the Rams won "in thrilling fashion," said Silva. FSU scored late in the fourth quarter to force overtime, then won it as Silva ran it into the end zone on a keeper.

"We've got high expectations this season. The sky's the limit," said Silva. "I knew we were going to be more of an offensive team (over 3.000 yards)."

The only loss so far this season was to Cortland State, a Div. III powerhouse from upstate New York. It came in the season home opener at Bowditch Field. The final was 61-49 (hoops, anyone?). Silva had a monster game, passing for five TDs and running for one. He captured his third Gold Helmet award given weekly by the New England football writers.

Silva, a criminology major, will graduate after this semester. He has just one course to complete, so he's got more down time now. Not that he does anything exciting. "I'm always wrapped in sports, relaxing on the couch, watching football."

Waiting for the next Saturday explosion, when he takes center stage.