Oct. 20, 2009

Center Valley, Pa. - After receiving honors from the Patriot League earlier in the day, Fordham senior quarterback John Skelton and junior defensive back Isa Abdul El-Quddus quickly earned national acclaim in the Football Championship Subdivision with awards from College Sporting News and The Sports Network, respectively, on Monday. They were also both honored as ECAC players of the week on Tuesday.

Skelton was named one of College Sporting News' National All-Stars after claiming the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week award. He was the only offensive player among the four honored. El-Quddus was selected as The Sports Network Co-Defensive Player of the Week after he received the Patriot League's Defensive Player of the Week award. Skelton earned the Offensive Player of the Week award and El-Quddus the Defensive honor from the ECAC.

Skelton threw for a school-record 420 yards and tossed five touchdown passes while running for another in Fordham's 39-27 win at Cornell on Saturday. He completed 20-of-27 passes in the game and threw four touchdown passes of 50 yards or more. Skelton threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone. He tied a Patriot League record for longest scoring pass with a 98-yarder to Asa Lucas in the second quarter, and connected nine times for 245 yards and four touchdowns with Jason Caldwell. It was Skelton's second-career 400-yard game, and he is up to at least seventh in Patriot League history in completions, yards, touchdowns, attempts, total offense and touchdowns responsible for. Skelton is second in the country to only Holy Cross' Dominic Randolph in passing yards and total offense per game this season, and directs a Fordham offense that leads the FCS in total offense per game.

El-Quddus tied the Fordham record with three interceptions and also shared for the team lead with six tackles in the Rams' 39-27 victory at Cornell on Saturday. He totaled 81 return yards on the three interceptions, including a 37-yard run back on his final pick that set up Fordham's last touchdown. El-Quddus had five solo stops and a pass breakup in the game.

The Patriot League has now received four national honors from either College Sporting News or The Sports Network. The previous pair came in the first two weeks of the season, as Holy Cross senior quarterback Dominic Randolph was named Sports Network Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Georgetown in the season opener on Sept. 5 and Bucknell senior running back/return specialist A.J. Kizekai was a College Sporting News National All-Star after his outing against Robert Morris on Sept. 12. In addition, the Patriot League has received five regional awards from the ECAC, with Skelton winning the Offensive award from the organization in two of the past three weeks. Patriot League student-athletes have claimed four of the six ECAC Offensive Player of the Week awards this season, with Colgate's Greg Sullivan and Jordan McCord also being honored.

Three Patriot League games are on the slate for Saturday, with No. 17 Colgate at No. 22 Holy Cross, Fordham at Lafayette and Lehigh going to Bucknell.