Alex Khvatov:  What are your measurements (height, weight and forty time)? 

John Skelton:  6’5”, 245 right now and my forty is 4.89.    
 

Alex Khvatov:  Coming out of Texas, what schools showed interest in you?

John Skelton:  There was a lot of interest from Texas Tech, SMU and UTEP.  But in the end none of them offered me a scholarship.  Fordham did.
 

Alex Khvatov:  What made you choose the University of Fordham?

John Skelton:  My uncle graduated from Columbia.  He had some coaching connections.  He helped me to check out Fordham, New Hampshire and Columbia.  I chose Fordham anf they offered me a scholarship.  It was a good fit.
 

Alex Khvatov:  How does it feel to be a small fish in a large pond?

John Skelton:  Yeah, it’s exciting.  I came here to Fordham and I got to play early.  I have been a starter here almost all four years.  You know I am a senior now who is getting a lot of attention from people like you.  Being a small fish in a large pond plays to my advantage.  
 

Alex Khvatov:  What are your strengths on the football field?

John Skelton:  I have good arm strength.  I am pretty accurate and I worked on that in the offseason.  My footwork is good.  I have all of the intangibles.
 

Alex Khvatov:  What areas of your game do you still need to improve upon? 

John Skelton:  I need to watch more film, break down defenses, the mental side of the game.  I need to learn not to force the ball as much.  I try to fit the ball into tight spots where I shouldn’t sometimes. 
 

Alex Khvatov:  What is the highlight of your football career up to this point?

John Skelton:  It was definitely two years ago when we beat Holy Cross.  We captured the Patriot League Championship with an 8-3 record.  We had everything clicking.  The whole season was a highlight.    
 

Alex Khvatov:  You are the all-time leader in passing yards at Fordham, do you plan to break any more records this fall?

John Skelton:  I think that I broke two more already, the completion record and the touchdown record at the school.  I don’t even look at that stuff.   
 

Alex Khvatov:  Your team is off to a tough start (0-3 record) during your senior year, what do you have to do to turn it around?

John Skelton:  I think that we had a lot of turnovers during the first two games.  We had a lot of yards, but we were turning the ball over.  This last game we didn’t have any turnovers, but we only had 12 points.  We need to be more consistent.  I think that receivers are doing a good job.  Occasionally, I don’t put them in the right spot.  Our offensive line is young, I need to put the weight on my shoulders and check the protection more often.  This offense can be good.  We can put up a lot of yards.  We have potential and we will get better.
 

Alex Khvatov:  Your brother is a junior tight end on the squad, how does it feel to play on the same team together? 

John Skelton:  It’s great.  We played three years together in high school.  He followed me here to Fordham.  It is good to have family close by.  He is 6’5”, he runs well and it is good to throw to him.  He is also a good blocker. 


Alex Khvatov:  What is your favorite NFL team?

John Skelton:  It is the Houston Texans.  My dad is from Oklahoma and he got sick of the Cowboys.  He made me hate them too.  When Houston came back as a franchise, I continued to root for them.  Also my uncle is a minority owner of the Texans.
 

Alex Khvatov:  Who is your favorite player?

John Skelton:  Right now, I am watching Peyton Manning.  He is a smart player.  He is the epitome of what it is being a QB.
 

Alex Khvatov:  Who is the toughest player that you have faced during your career?

John Skelton:  I don’t remember his name.  He was a DE from Rhode Island.  He made plays.  He was consistently in the backfield.  He got to the QB. 
 

Alex Khvatov:  Which underclassman on your team should we keep an eye on in the future?

John Skelton:  I would have to say that you should watch out for my brother, Stephen Skelton.  It is not because he is my brother.  He definitely has all of the tools for the NFL.  He is strong, fast and tough.  He should be a great prospect next year.


Alex Khvatov:  What does it take to be a leader?

John Skelton:  It is just being on the same page with everyone.  Right now guys aren’t too excited to come to practice because we are losing.  It is my job to motivate them and make them work harder. 
  

Alex Khvatov:  What do you enjoy most about playing football?

John Skelton:  I think competing.  I have played sports all of my life and I was born to compete.    
 

Alex Khvatov:  Is the NFL a dream or a reality at this point? 

John Skelton:  At this point, it is a reality.  It was a dream, but now people are calling me and noticing me.  It is definitely a reality.  It does get too much at times.  I take a step back and bring myself down to earth.
  

Alex Khvatov:  How important is education to you?

John Skelton:  It is definitely up there.  I need something to fall back on if the NFL doesn’t work out.  But without football, I wouldn’t be at Fordham.  I am getting a free education. 
 

Alex Khvatov:  What do you want to do after your football career is over?

John Skelton: One thing that I want to do down the road is go back and coach.  My dad is a coach and he loves his job.  I want to go back and coach high school football.  I want to teach kids on that level.    
 

Alex Khvatov:  What are your hobbies? 

John Skelton:  I am a sports guy.  I like to go to the batting cages, shoot some hoops.  I like to do anything that is sports related.   


Alex Khvatov:  Finish the sentence, John Skelton is …

John Skelton:  A great athlete.  He has great character.  He loves to play football.  He wants to show off his talent at the next level.