Golden Bears’ Mason McElroy eager for return following painful loss

Mason McElroy was ready to walk away from football a year ago at this time.

He saw his senior season at Kutztown University canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak and thought that was it. He figured he’d graduate the following spring, put his communications degree to work and earn a few bucks.

“I didn’t want to play football anymore,” the Wilson grad said.

A few months later, after absorbing the biggest hit of his life, he knew he had to get back on the field.

His brother Bailey, 22, died in October of a drug overdose and Mason’s world was rocked.

“Me and him loved football growing up,” said McElroy, who was a year behind Bailey at Wilson. “I literally did everything with Bailey. His friends were my friends; my friends were his friends.”

Mason was devastated, but not defeated.

And not finished with football, it turns out. When the NCAA granted student-athletes another year of eligibility due to the COVID disruptions he decided to take advantage of it.

“I figured I had to play one more season,” McElroy said. “I’m playing this season for Bailey, and I can’t wait. I’m gonna have a helluva season, and I know he’s gonna be watching.”

For a guy who barely got noticed in high school McElroy has made a big impact at Kutztown. He averaged 17.4 yards on his 29 receptions in 2019, helping the Golden Bears in a breakout season that saw them win the PSAC East championship and reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He also handled all their punt returns.

It was his special teams ability at Wilson that got McElroy noticed. He was a good receiver but far from the No. 1 option in the Bulldogs’ offense. Quarterback Connor Uhrig had an array of great targets at his disposal, what with Justin Weller, Alex Twifford, Brian Wright and Foday Jalloh all in the same lineup. (Those guys went on to play at Penn State, Bucknell, Delaware Valley and Central Connecticut State, respectively.)

“I didn’t feel overshadowed,” said McElroy, who was fourth on the team in receptions as a senior. “I just felt whenever it was my time to make a play, I’d make a play.”

Kutztown receivers coach Steve Heck initially went out to watch Weller play; something about McElroy intrigued him. He saw upside.

“Mason didn’t leap out at me, but I made note of him,” said Heck.

Heck liked the athleticism McElroy displayed in the return game but also the fact that he was competing with so many top-flight athletes at his position. He considered him a potential diamond in the rough.

Rough would accurately describe McElroy’s season with the Golden Bears. He was undersized, not particularly fast and initially overwhelmed by the complexity of the offense.

“I’ll tell you what, the playbook is hard,” he said. “(And) it was my first time being hit by a D-linemen like that. I remember calling my parents, saying: ‘I don’t know if this is for me.’ ”

“He was a minute away from quitting,” Heck recalled. “It was very difficult for him.”

McElroy’s father, Andrew, helped steady him.

“My dad said: ‘Listen, this is what you want to do, you just don’t know it yet,’ ” McElroy recalled. “My dad told me I’d hate myself for the rest of my life (if I quit), and I’m glad he did. I’m glad I stuck it out.”

McElroy has been even more successful off the field than on it. He’s a dean’s list student who was named a semifinalist for the 2020 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the best football scholar-athletes in the nation. Academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership are weighed.

He was one of just 20 semifinalists at the Division II level, and one of just two in the Pennsylvania Conference.

He’ll begin work on an MBA when classes resume at KU.

It takes discipline to effectively handle both sides of the student-athlete equation; McElroy has it.

“You’ve gotta say no to some of the fun things,” McElroy said. “Some people like to go out Tuesday through Sunday, but you can’t do that; you’ve got to prioritize what’s important. Get your work done, hand in everything on time, that’s what I tell recruits all the time.”

And study that playbook; he reminds them of that, too.

“If you want to play, the first thing you have to do is keep your head in the book,” he said. “If you don’t, you’re not reliable. If you’re not reliable on the field how can you be trusted?”

McElroy has become a trusted part of the Golden Bears’ offense. He has good hands, knows how to square up against corners and gets valuable yards after the catch.

“Mason’s never going to be (fast),” Heck said. “But he’s very shifty; he has shake. He’s deceptive and quick with his feet.”

The knock on him, of course, is speed. He addressed that this spring by working with Brandon Byrd at

Byrd’s Sports Performance in Allentown. McElroy believes he has shaved a couple tenths off his 4.8 time in the 40.

It’s been noticeable, Heck said, during summer pass-game workouts.

“I can see that his straight-line takeoff is more explosive,” Heck said.

McElroy is eager to show that when camp opens Sunday.

“He has gotten me fast,” he said of Byrd, “and I can’t wait to display what he has taught me. I’ve been working my butt off. I’m gonna try this football thing one more time, for Bailey.”