April 16, 2010
Bronx, N.Y. -
Photo Gallery of the Wide Receivers and Tight Ends at 2010 Spring Football Practice
Throughout the spring practice season, we will attempt to post a positional breakdown of the Rams during the 2010 spring season. Today we look at the receivers and tight ends.
The last installment of the Fordham football spring preview focused on who was going to be throwing the ball for the Rams in 2010. This installment will feature the players who will be catching the ball, the wide receiver and tight ends.
The bad news with the quarterbacks was that only one player had any previous varsity experience,. Well the opposite is true for the receivers. Fordham returns four of its top five receivers from 2009, led by All-American Jason Caldwell and Stephen Skelton.
Caldwell, who returns after receiving a redshirt from his freshman year when he missed the season with an injury, received NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America accolades from The Sports Network (Second Team), the Associated Press (Third Team) and the College Sporting News (Honorable Mention) as well as earning ECAC FCS All-Star Team and First Team All-Patriot League honors.
Caldwell turned in one of the most productive season for a Fordham wide receiver last fall, catching 79 passes for 1,252 yards and nine touchdowns. The 79 receptions and 1,252 receiving yards were both second best single season totals in school history while his nine touchdown catches tied him for third. Caldwell led the Patriot League in receptions per game (7.2) and receiving yards/game (113.8). He was third in the NCAA FCS in total receiving yards and receiving yards/game, tied for tenth in receptions/game and 27th in all-purpose yards/game.
On the year, Caldwell recorded seven 100-yard receiving games, including a nine-catch, 254-yard, four-touchdown game at Cornell on October 17th, tying Javarus Dudley's single-game mark for touchdown receptions in a game and finishing one shy of Dudley's school mark for receiving yards in a game.
Skelton, who received First Team All-Patriot League honors last fall, enjoyed a thriving junior campaign, teaming up with his brother John, to haul in 63 passes for 634 yards and six touchdowns. The 63 receptions were the most all-time for a Fordham tight end and the fifth best total in school history. Skelton had two 100-yard receiving games last fall, a ten-reception, career-high 138-yard game against Old Dominion on October 3rd and a career-high 13-catch, 102 yard contest against Holy Cross on October 31st. Skelton ranked fourth in the Patriot League in receptions per game (5.7), 34th in the NCAA FCS, and ninth in receiving yards per game (57.6)
Over his career, Stephen Skelton has 85 receptions for 870 yards and seven touchdowns.
Others returnees from last year's squad include Brad Pierre, Patrick Miller, Namdi Onyeabor and Darryl Robinson.
Here is a look at the receivers and tight ends competing at 2010 Spring practice:
Brandon Anderson (Jr., 6-2, 190): Played in four games last year... Also appeared with the junior varsity, catching two passes for 16 yards in a game against Columbia... Appeared in ten games in his first year with the team, starting five... caught seven passes for 97 yards and one touchdown... hauled in two passes for 47 yards at Holy Cross.
Jon Arnold (Sr., 6-0, 185): Missed the 2009 season with an injury... Appeared in seven games as a sophomore (2008)... Caught 18 passes for 108 yards and one score... also returned one punt for ten yards and one kickoff for 20 yards... Made seven catches for 51 yards and one touchdown (26 yards) in the Georgetown win... Had five receptions for 27 yards in the win over Yale.
Jason Caldwell (Rs-Sr., 5-11, 180): Named NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America by The Sports Network (Second Team), the Associated Press (Third Team) and the College Sporting News (Honorable Mention)... Also earned ECAC FCS All-Star Team accolades and First Team All-Patriot League honors... Caught 79 passes for 1,252 yards and nine touchdowns in 2009... The 79 receptions and 1,252 receiving yards were both second best single season totals in school history while his nine touchdown catches tied him for third... Led the Patriot League in receptions per game (7.2) and receiving yards/game (113.8)... Was third in the NCAA FCS in total receiving yards and receiving yards/game, tied for tenth in receptions/game and 27th in all-purpose yards/game... Recorded seven 100-yard receiving games, including a nine-catch, 254-yard, four-touchdown game at Cornell on October 17th, tying Javarus Dudley's single-game mark for touchdown receptions in a game and finishing one shy of Dudley's school mark for receiving yards in a game.
Mark Harvey (Jr., 5-10, 170): Moves to wide receiver after lining up as a running back the past two years... Appeared in one game as a sophomore, gaining two yards on a rush in the Bryant game... Also appeared with the junior varsity squad the past two years... Picked up 26 yards on six rushes against the Columbia JV and seven yards on four carries in a win over Wager JV in 2009... Gained five yards on three carries in a junior varsity win over Columbia in 2008... Had seven carries for 28 yards in a 2008 junior varsity game against Nassau Community College.
Aaron Mays (Jr., 5-9, 172): Did not see varsity action in 2009... A transfer from Chaffey Community College in Rancho Cucamonga, California where he was a two-year starter... Southern California Football Association (SCFA) All-Conference at wide receiver and punt returner... Recorded 42 receptions and 13 touchdowns in 2008... A graduate of Riverside High School in Riverside, California... An All-League selection in track at Riverside.
Patrick Miller (Sr., 5-11, 171): Appeared in all eleven games as a junior... Caught five passes for 58 yards (11.6 yards/reception)... Appeared in four games as a sophomore... caught two passes for 29 yards and one score... Both receptions came in the Marist win, including a 14-yard scoring strike.
David Moore (Sr., 5-11, 189): Has 93 career receptions for 1,179 yards and ten touchdowns, all among the top ten in school history... Appeared in all eleven games as a junior, starting six... Finished season with 51 catches for 670 yards and seven touchdowns... Second on team in receiving yards and touchdowns and third in receptions... Had three 100-yard receiving games... Made a career-high ten catches for 67 yards in the Holy Cross game... Hauled in nine passes for a career-best 141 yards
and three touchdowns (19, 30 and 15 yards) against Lehigh... Finished with six catches for 132 yards and one score (36 yards) in the win over Old Dominion... Hauled in five balls for 114 yards and two touchdowns (22 and 43 yards) in the season final win at Georgetown... Made seven catches for 43 yards at Lafayette... Recorded four receptions in both the Columbia (46 yards) and Bryant (53 yards and one touchdown) games... Also rushed twice for five yards in 2009... caught 18 passes for 240 yards (13.3 yards/reception) as a sophomore and caught 24 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman.
Namdi Onyeabor (Sr., 5-8, 194): Moved to wide receiver from running back last fall... Appeared in ten games as a junior, catching one pass for nine yards in the win at Georgetown... Also played with the junior varsity in 2009... Had six receptions for 60 yards with the JV... Five catches for 53 yards in a win over the Wagner JV... Appeared in ten games as a sophomore... rushed 15 times for 26 yards (1.7 yards/carry) and caught 15 passes for 124 yards (8.3 yards/reception) and one touchdown
Daniel Parker (So., 6-3, 228): A transfer from Maine who sat out last year at Fordham... Did not play at Maine as a freshman in 2008... Can see time at either receiver or tight end... Played wide receiver, safety, linebacker, running back and returned kicks for coach Dan O'Dea at Cheshire Academy in 2007... Also played several of those positions for coach Dave Coratti at Trinity-Pawling... Helped lead Trinity-Pawling to a 9-0 record in 2005 and the New England Class A championship... Lettered in football all four years ... Won the team's Blue Hammer Award for the hardest hit in a game ... Also competed on the basketball and track & field teams at Trinity-Pawling ... Helped lead his basketball team to the 2005 New England Class B championship... Won the Coaches Award in track and served as captain in the sport... Was a member of his high school's honor roll.
Brad Pierre (Jr., 6-2, 221): Appeared in ten games at tight end as a sophomore for the Rams... Caught 17 passes for 172 yards... Fifth on team in receptions and receiving yards... Hauled in four passes for 28 yards in the win over Bucknell... Had three receptions for 15 yards in the season-opener at Rhode Island... Also caught three passes for 212 yards against Holy Cross... Recorded two catches for 26 yards in the win at Georgetown.
Gerard Rizzo (Sr., 6-1, 231): Appeared in two games at tight end for the Rams last fall... Also played with the junior varsity, catching two passes for 40 yards in a win over Wagner... Saw limited varsity action over his first two years at Fordham.
Darryl Robinson (Sr., 6-0, 195): A converted running back who appeared in nine games as a junior... Caught one pass for four yards and a touchdown... Appeared in six games as a sophomore... Also appeared with the junior varsity in 2008, catching two passes for 18 yards in a game at Columbia... Appeared in ten games for the Rams as a freshman... Rushed 24 times for 55 yards and one touchdown.
Stephen Skelton (Sr., 6-5, 244): A two-year starter... Started all eleven games at tight end for the Rams as a junior... Hauled in 63 passes for 634 yards and six touchdowns... The 63 receptions were the most all-time for a Fordham tight end and the fifth best total in school history... Had two 100-yard receiving games last fall, a ten-reception, career-high 138-yard game against Old Dominion on October 3rd and a career-high 13-catch, 102 yard contest against Holy Cross on October 31st... Caught seven passes for 90 yards in the season opener at Rhode Island... Hauled in six passes for 65 yards and one touchdown (9 yards) against Bucknell... Made five receptions for 52 yards in the win at Cornell... Ranked fourth in the Patriot League in receptions per game (5.7), 34th in the NCAA FCS, and ninth in receiving yards per game (57.6)... Appeared in all eleven games as a sophomore, starting ten... caught 22 passes for 236 yards (10.7 yards/reception) and one touchdown... Has 85 receptions for 870 yards and seven touchdowns.
Nicholas Talbot (So., 6-3, 230): A transfer from Hofstra where he appeared in all eleven games in 2009, catching one four-yard scoring pass... A graduate of Weaver High School in Hartford, Connecticut... Named 2007 All-State, All-League and team MVP... Tallied 11 receptions for 192 yards and two touchdowns as a senior... Added 48 solo tackles, 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles as a senior... Also a member of the basketball and track and field programs at Weaver ... Earned All-Conference and All-State honors in basketball and track... Attended Loomis Chaffee Prep School in 2008... Named to All-Founders League and All-New England teams in 2008... Recorded 38 receptions for 502 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 251 yards on 25 carries... Notched 61 tackles, four pass deflections and two interceptions on defense... Also played basketball at Loomis Chaffee, averaging 18 ppg and 12 rpg for the Pelicans.
