PHOTO GALLERY

April 25, 2009

Bronx, N.Y. - On a beautiful spring day, the Fordham University football squad wrapped up its spring season with the annual Maroon-White Spring game on Murphy Field. Senior quarterback John Skelton threw for 146 yards and one score while Jason Caldwell caught seven passes for 96 yards and a touchdown to lead the White team to a 19-13 win.

"This was a great way to wrap up the spring practice season," said head coach Tom Masella. "I think we accomplished a lot this spring and it showed in this game as both the offense and the defense made some great plays."

The defense continued its torrid spring, forcing three turnovers (two interceptions, one fumble) over the 87-play scrimmage, two of which would have been returned for scores had not there been an early whistle.

The first series was a bit confusing for all involved as on the third play from scrimmage, Jamal Haruna stepped in front of a Skelton passed, picking it off and returning it 38 yards for a score. But Haruna, who was on defense, was wearing the white jersey of the offense and so the offense was giving another chance but Skelton's next pass fell incomplete.

The Maroon took over on its own 25 following a punt and quarterback Clayton Busch led the team down the field for six points, with Jamir Livingston covering the final four yards. Busch completed all six pass attempts on the drive, including a big 21-yard completion to Gerard Rizzo that put the ball on the White 25. After Livingston gained seven yards on two carries, Busch found Jason Weston with a pass that put the ball on the four. Livingston covered those four yards on the next play to give the Maroon team a 6-0 lead.

The White then went three-and-out, with Skelton being sacked on second (by Andre Delaire) and third down (by Clifton Stuckey), while the White defense did the same to the Maroon offense on the ensuing possession.

The White offense took over on its next possession on its own 42 and Skelton connected with Caldwell for an eleven yard gain on the first play but it appeared the drive would stall. On third down and ten from the Maroon 48, Skelton was flushed out of the pocket but was able to find Caldwell down the right sideline, leading Caldwell with a perfect pass that Caldwell turned into a 48-yard touchdown, giving the White squad a 7-6 lead.

After the Maroon team couldn't gain a first down, the white team took over on its own 15 and Skelton and Xavier Martin moved the team out to midfield. On second down, Skelton hit Caldwell for a ten-yard gain and, two plays later, Martin gained ten yards to put the ball on the White 40. Three plays later, facing third and one from the 49, Martin gained six to put the ball on the Maroon 45. But after an incomplete pass, Skelton was intercepted by James Crockett to end the drive.

The score would remain 7-6 until the first possession of the second half when the White side opened the half on its own 35. On the second play, Martin broke through the line and brought the ball across midfield and down to the Maroon 45. A 15-yard completion from Skelton to Jon Arnold moved the ball to the 30 and two plays later, Skelton gained 15 yards on a keeper to place the ball on the Maroon 11. A ten-yard completion to Caldwell followed and then Martin covered the final yard to put the White team up 13-6.

The defense stepped up on each of the next two possessions as on the second play of the next drive, a fumbled handoff was picked up by the White team's Michael Hickman, who brought it to the end zone.

The Maroon defense answered three plays later when Isa Abdul El-Quddus intercepted a Skelton pass and brought it 40 yards to the end zone. However, neither play counted as a score.

The Maroon offense got back on track on the next possession when Busch led the squad on a seven-play, 25-yard drive. The big play was a Busch eight-yard carry on fourth-and-two from the 17. Three plays later, Nnamdi Onyeabor took it to the end zone from the six to knot the game at 13.

On the final possession of the game, the White squad was able to break the tie, moving 55-yards on eight plays with John Skelton capping the drive by finding his brother, Stephen Skelton, in the end zone with a four-yard scoring strike. The white squad did most of its damage on the ground on the drive, gaining 46 of the 55 yards on six carries by five different backs, including a seven-yard gain by David Moore on third down. Later in the drive, Moore picked up 16 yards to bring the ball down to the eight and two plays later, it was Skelton-to-Skelton for the score.

"Today's effort sums up the spring season for us," said Crockett, who on Friday night was elected a team captain for the second straight year. "It showed that the hard work in the weight room this winter has paid off. We've just got to put last season behind us and get ready for 2009."

"I think the team really came together this spring," said John Skelton, who like Crockett, was named a team captain for the second consecutive season. "We lost some seniors and some of the new guys were able to step up and show that they can contribute."

Skelton led the White team, completing 13 of his 24 passes for 146 yards and one touchdown with Caldwell catching a game-high seven of those for 96 yards and a score.

Martin led the White team with 54 yards on nine rushes with one score while Moore finished with three carries for 25 yards. Thomas Lloyd paced the White team defense with five total tackles, including three sacks, while Hickman made four total tackles, including one for loss, and he recovered a fumble.

For the Maroon squad, Busch completed eight of his nine passes for 57 yards while Weston led the Maroon receivers with four catches for 21 yards.

Defensively, Stuckey finished with four tackles, including a sack, while Crockett added four stops and intercepted a pass.

Fordham Spring Game
April 25, 2009 - Murphy Field

White Team

Rushing (Attempts-Yards):
Xavier Martin 9-54, David Moore 3-25, John Skelton 5-12, Darryl Robinson 3-12, Jason Caldwell 2-9, Stephen Skelton 1-4, Darryl Whiting 1-2.

Passing (Completion-Attempts-Interceptions-Yards):
John Skelton 13-24-1-146.

Receiving (Receptions-Yards):
Jason Caldwell 7-96, Jon Arnold 2-24, Darryl Robinson 2-14, David Moore 1-8, Stephen Skelton 1-4.

Tackles (TT-For Loss-Sack-Int.):
Thomas Lloyd 5-0-3-0, Michael Hickman 4-1-1-0, Patrick McGee 3-0-0-0, Ahmed Haruna 1-0-0-0, Frank Rizzo 1-0-0-0, Jay Jackson 5-0-0-0, Bryson Wilson 1-0-0-0, David Mendez 1-0-0-0, Rodney Mann 1-0-0-0, William Quan 1-0-0-0.

Maroon Team

Rushing (Attempts-Yards):
Jamir Livingston 11-8, Mark Harvey 3-8, Nnamdi Onyeabor 1-6, Clayton Busch 4-(-1), Douglas Papy 1-(-6).

Passing (Completion-Attempts-Interceptions-Yards):
Clayton Busch 8-9-0-57, Douglas Papy 1-3-0-8.

Receiving (Receptions-Yards):
Jason Weston 4-21, Nnamdi Onyeabor 3-21, Gerard Rizzo 1-21, Brandon Brown 1-16.

Tackles (TT-For Loss-Sack-PBU):
Clifton Stuckey 4-0-1-0, James Crockett 4-0-0-1, Andre Delaire 2-0-1-0, Isaiah Leake 2-1-0-0, Ryan Darcey 2-0-0-0, Adnan Van Dyck 2-0-0-0, Andy Okonkwo 1-0-0-0, Bryson Wilson 1-0-0-0, Isiejah Allen 1-0-0-0, Isa Abdul El-Quddus 1-0-0-1.