Mike Szlauko has always enjoyed playing in a football backfield. When he was growing up, he spent time there as a running back.

Now, as a linebacker for Arizona, he's there while he attempts to plow over quarterbacks.

"Getting into a quarterback's face is a big thrill. It's the home run ball," Szlauko said.

For Szlauko (pronounced SLOH-koh), who grew up playing more than half of his life as a tailback, finding himself as the sack leader on the Arizona defense is definitely a change of pace.

"It's a different feeling, a different experience to play on the defensive side of the ball," Szlauko said. "But I cannot say which I really prefer. I'm just happy when I'm playing football."

Szlauko began his career as a Spitfire. It was his Phoenix-area Pop Warner team's name, but also aptly described the 65-pound running back. He continued playing in the backfield through junior high and high school. But it was his senior season at Washingt on High in Phoenix that his coach gave him double duty at tailback and linebacker.

In his only season on that side of the ball, Szlauko became Arizona's 4-A defensive player of the year and earned first-team All-Metro honors. Still, Szlauko found it strange to leave his "natural" position.

"When I first came to Arizona, I guess I still thought of myself as a running back," Szlauko said. "They even gave me a shot to play there."

But in 1993, when Szlauko joined Arizona, the Wildcats were loaded with talent at tailback. The Wildcats had Chuck Levy, Ontiwaun Carter and Gary Taylor in the backfield. That's when Szlauko began his permanent shift to defense. He redshirted that year to learn what it meant to play defense in a college football program.

"I had a lot to learn early, and I still have a lot to learn," he said. "I've worked hard to do whatever my coaches have asked of me. I trust their judgment and if they say I'll be a great defensive player, I believe I will be."

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Szlauko has a long way to go and some big shoes to fill. Arizona's better known defenders and sack leaders, like Tedy Bruschi and Rob Waldrop, have graduated.

For a defense that relies so much on its front four and pass rush, Szlauko's ability to get to the quarterback may make or break some games in the future. He may have only three career sacks - two coming against Iowa last week - but high hopes have been p inned on him.

"Szlauko looks like he's the guy who can get pressure on the quarterback," UA coach Dick Tomey said. "He's the guy who seems to get in the backfield the most often."

Szlauko has been slowed by injuries in his stint with the Wildcats. In 1994 he injured his neck, keeping him out until the sixth game of the season. That followed a back injury during his redshirt year.

And again, this season, four weeks before Camp Cochise was to begin, Szlauko tore his hamstring. During the early part of the season, he has been working to rehabilitate it and hasn't been participating in all the full contact drills.

"It's really a precautionary measure at this time," Szlauko said. "I just want to make sure I'm ready to go on Saturday."

If Szlauko stays healthy, he may be one of the Wildcats' key players. He plays both defensive lineman and inside linebacker - strong enough to play on the line and mobile enough to play linebacker.

"I think my speed and athletic ability are my real assets," Szlauko said. "Now I just need to improve on my technique and decision-making ability."

A communications major, Szlauko said he would like to coach after his career at the UA is over.

As for this season, he said while the team may not have the stars on defense it did in the past, it still is a force to be reckoned with.

"We still play very strong as a unit," Szlauko said. "We may not have the big names at the beginning of the season, but we will by the end."

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