Jan. 25, 2010

Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham University senior quarterback John Skelton made the most of his time at the 2010 East-West Shrine Game on Saturday, completing seven of ten passes for 63 yards, as East squad defeated the West, 13-10, at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

Skelton ran the East offense on its first possession of the third quarter, completing his first pass attempt to Michigan State's Blair White for a gain of seven yards before the drive stalled. On the East's next possession, Skelton completed the first two passes of the drive, both to Buffalo's Naaman Roosevelt, picking up 15 yards, and later in the drive, connected with White for a 23-yard gain to put the ball on the West 45. Skelton would get the East offense to the West 30 but an illegal block penalty moved the East back to the 40 where the drive ended.

Skelton will now gear up for the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine which will be held from February 24th through March 2nd in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Skelton wrapped up a record-shattering career for the Rams this fall, closing out the year completing 284 of 441 passes (64.4%) for 3,708 yards and 26 touchdowns. He set new school marks for completions and passing yards, breaking Kevin Eakin's former school records of 247 completions for 3,072 yards set in 2003 as well as breaking Steve O'Hare's completion percentage record of 63.1% set in 1997. Skelton led the NCAA FCS in passing yards/game (337.09) and was ranked second in total offense (348.18 yards/game), fourth in completions per game (25.82) and total passing yards and tenth in passing efficiency (149.95).

Skelton threw for over 300 yards eight times in eleven games this year, including four 400-yard games. He completed 20 of 27 passes for 420 yards and five touchdowns against Cornell on October 17th, breaking the school record of 413 passing yards set by Joe Moorhead in 1995 and coming up one shy of the school record for scoring passes of six, set by Kevin Eakin in 2003. Skelton then broke his own record two weeks later, completing 43 of 67 passes for 427 yards, all school records, against Holy Cross on October 31st. He finished one passing attempt shy of the NCAA FCS record for most pass attempts in a game without an interception, just missing the national mark of 68 set by Marshall's Tony Petersen against Western Carolina in 1987 (Peterson completed 34). Skelton surpassed his own school record of 420 passing yards in a game while breaking Matt Georgia's 1999 records of 36 completions and 65 attempts.

Over his career, Skelton completed 802 passes for 9,923 yards and 69 touchdowns, all school marks. He shattered Joe Moorhead's career completions record of 518 while also surpassing Eakin's career marks for passing yards (6,112) and touchdowns (45).