Nov. 29, 2011
Bronx, N.Y -
Tad Kornegay Interview Following Grey Cup Win | Article on Isa Abdul-Quddus' hit on Hakeem Hicks
Three Fordham University football alumni are enjoying success in the professional ranks with Tad Kornegay winning his second Canadian Football League (CFL) Grey Cup championships last Sunday and John Skelton and Isa Abdul-Quddus representing the Rams in the NFL.
Kornegay, who plays for the British Columbia Lions, won the cup, his second, as his squad defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 34-23, in Vancouver, on Sunday.
Kornegay joined the Lions on July 30th, when British Columbia was struggling with a 0-5 record. After he joined the team, the Lions went 10-2 and took first place in the West Division with an 11-7 record. He finished the year with 36 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
After starting his CFL career as a free agent signee with Hamilton in 2005, Kornegay played for the Tigers Cats in 2005 and 2006 before being traded to the Saskatchewan Rough Riders in 2007. He appeared in 15 regular season games his first year in Saskatchewan, starting nine games in the secondary, and dressed as backup a defensive back in West Final and Grey Cup championship as the Rough Riders won the 2007 title. He also appeared in Grey Cup finals in 2009 and 2010 with Saskatchewan.
Kornegay was a standout with the Rams from 2001-04, capping his career by winning the 2005 Vincent T. Lombardi Award as Fordham's Male Athlete of the Year.
In the National Football League, quarterback John Skelton and defensive back Isa Abdul-Quddus are spreading the Fordham name with the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints, respectively. Skelton, who took over as the Cardinals starter on November 6th after Kevin Kolb went down with an injury, has led the team to wins in three of his four starts. His biggest game came against the Philadelphia Eagles where he completed 21 of 40 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner, a five-yarder to Early Doucet with 1:52 remaining in the game.
Skelton was the Cardinals' fifth-round draft pick in 2010, becoming the first Fordham football player to be drafted by an NFL team since 1968. A 2009 Second Team All-Patriot League selection, he wrapped up a record-shattering career for the Rams that 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 was also a Lombardi Award winner at Fordham, taking home the trophy following his senior year in 2010.
Abdul-Quddus, who signed a free agent contract with the Saints in July, has been working his way into the defensive secondary rotation. He made a pair of solo tackles in New Orleans' 49-24 win over the New York Giants on Monday night and also had a highlight hit on the Giants' Hakeem Nicks.
On the year, Abdul-Quddus has seven tackles and he has forced two fumbles for the 8-3 Saints, who sit in first place in the NFC South.
Abdul-Quddus, who was named Second Team Preseason All-Patriot League by Phil Steele's College Football Preview, closed out his Fordham career leading the 2010 squad with 78 tackles, 56 of those solo, and he recorded six pass breakups and forced three fumbles. He tied for the Patriot League lead in forced fumbles/game (0.27) and was eleventh in the League in tackles/game (7.1). He opened season with a career-high 14 total tackles, ten solo, while also forcing a fumble at Bryant.
Over his career, Abdul-Quddus, who was a two-year starter in the defensive backfield, had 193 total tackles, 134 solo, including 12 for loss and three sacks. He also amassed ten pass deflections and three interceptions. Abdul-Quddus tied a school record with three interceptions in a game at Cornell in 2009.
