Flacco, a senior from Audubon, N.J., had originally agreed to play in the Shrine Game to be played Saturday, Jan. 19, in Houston. However, he received an invitation to take part in the 59th annual Senior Bowl, which will be played at 4 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 26, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala., and decided to accept that invitation. The game, as well as the week's festivities, will be televised live on the NFL Network.
The game, which includes some of the nation's top senior players, is considered the premier college football all-star game. Flacco will play for the North team and will be joined by fellow quarterbacks Chad Henne of the University of Michigan and John David Booty of the University of Southern California. Oakland Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff will lead the North team. Complete rosters will be announced Sunday.
Flacco, who earned All-America honors in leading the Fightin' Blue Hens to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision national title game last month, becomes the third player in UD history to be selected for the Senior Bowl game, joining defensive tackle Dennis Johnson in 1973 and tight end Ben Patrick last season. Johnson, who died in 1997, went on to play for the Washington Redskins and the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League. Patrick spent this season with the Arizona Cardinals.
Flacco enjoyed an outstanding senior season for the Blue Hens, leading the team to an 11-4 record and a berth in national championship game, which the Hens lost to Appalachian State. He was named the Colonial Athletic Association co-offensive player of the year and third team All-American by the Sports Network.
He completed 331 of 521 passes for 4,263 yards and 23 touchdowns with just five interceptions during the 2007 season, as he ranked No. 6 in the nation in passing yardage per game (284.2), No. 10 in total offense per game (285.7) and No. 18 in passing efficiency (144.91).
A two-year starter after transferring from the University of Pittsburgh, Flacco posted a record of 16-10 as a starter and established 20 Delaware records, including season marks for completions, attempts, passing yards and total offense, and a career mark for completions. In 26 career games, he threw for more than 200 yards 21 times and for more than 300 yards 11 times, including a career-best 434 yards in a 59-52 win over Navy in October.
For more information on UD athletics, see [www.udel.edu/sportsinfo].
