December 12, 2013

Elon University Director of Athletics Dave Blank introduced Rich Skrosky as the new Phoenix head football coach today, Dec. 12. Skrosky becomes the 21st head football coach in school history and will guide Elon as it moves to the Colonial Athletic Association for the 2014 season.

This evening, fans of the Phoenix program are encouraged to come out and meet Skrosky at Grill 584 on Huffman Mill Road in Burlington during a casual meet and greet beginning at 5:30 p.m.

"We are very excited to have Rich Skrosky return to Elon University as our head football coach," Blank said. "Rich has seen what it takes to win at Elon and has the experience needed to build a successful program that achieves both academic and athletic excellence. We are excited about his enthusiasm and we are confident that he is the right coach to guide our football program as we transition into the Colonial Athletic Association."

"I am extremely humbled to be named the head football coach at Elon," Skrosky said. "I am returning to a place that is very special to Suzanne and me. I grew professionally, but more importantly, I grew as a person because of the community and people at Elon. I look forward to working with the talented student-athletes on the team, the entire athletics staff, our loyal fans and everyone associated with Phoenix athletics to achieve excellence and be a source of pride for the entire Elon community."

Skrosky, who has 26 years of collegiate coaching experience, will be making a return to Elon where he served as the team's offensive line coach (2006-08) as well as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2009-10). For the past three seasons, Skrosky served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ball State University.

While at Ball State, Skrosky helped quarterback Keith Wenning to complete a school-record 313 passes in 2012. Skrosky's offense also churned out the third-best single-season rushing performance in Ball State history as Jahwan Edwards ran for 1,410 yards in 2012. The 2012 team went 9-4, including a 34-27 win against 25th-ranked Toledo, and appeared in the Beef O'Brady's Bowl.

This season, the Cardinals' offense has averaged 486.3 yards per game as the program has posted a 10-2 overall record that includes a victory over Virginia. The 2013 Ball State team will play in the GoDaddy Bowl. This year, the team's 40.1 points per game ranks second in the MAC and 13th in the country. The Cardinals either lead or rank second in the MAC in first downs, passing offense, yards per completion, passing efficiency, total offense, red zone offense and completion percentage. Following its final regular season game of the 2013 season, the Cardinals had matched a school record by scoring at least 40 points in six games and established a new program mark by scoring 50 or more points in three contests. Six Ball State players have been named to watch lists for national awards this season – quarterback Keith Wenning, wide receiver Jamill Smith, wide receiver Willie Snead, wide receiver Jordan Williams, running back Jahwan Edwards and tight end Zane Fakes.

In each of the past two seasons, Skrosky was a nominee for the Broyles Award that is presented to the nation's top assistant coach. In that same span, Skrosky's Ball State offense developed 16 All-MAC selections. The Cardinals' offense compiled the top two seasons in both average yards per game (486.3 in 2013 and 457.2 in 2012) and points per game (40.1 in 2013 and 36.4 in 2012) in program history. The team's 55 touchdowns so far this season are the second-most ever scored by a Ball State team, while the 52 TDs scored a year ago were the third-most.

In Skrosky's first season as Elon's offensive coordinator, the Phoenix led the Southern Conference and ranked sixth in the country with 291.50 passing yards per game in 2009. Elon also ranked among the top-20 nationally in passing efficiency and total offense as the maroon and gold made its first-ever FCS Playoff appearance. That year, Elon finished ranked ninth in the nation in The Sports Network's FCS Poll and 10th nationally in the FCS Coaches Poll with a 9-3 record. In 2009, Elon had five offensive players earn All-SoCon accolades and two – wide receiver Terrell Hudgins and offensive lineman David Harrison – collected all-America honors.

The following year, Elon rated eighth in the nation in total offense, putting up 435.18 yards per game. The team averaged 31.9 points per game that year to rate 14th in the nation and the passing game put up the second-most yards through the air in the country at 322.36 yards per outing. In 2010, wide receiver Aaron Mellette, quarterback Scott Riddle and offensive lineman Rodney Austin all earned all-America honors.

In Skrosky's offensive system, Hudgins would amass 5,250 receiving yards on 395 receptions, both NCAA Division I records. The wide out would establish 19 records, 10 of which were NCAA marks, and was named to 14 different All-America teams. He was the first NCAA Division I player to ever post four 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Riddle would pass for 13,264 career yards, the most ever by an Elon or SoCon player, and set a total of 41 NCAA, SoCon or Elon records. In his two seasons as Elon's offensive coordinator, the Phoenix had 10 players earn all-league honors.

Skrosky first came to Elon after serving as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Columbia University for five seasons (2001-05) where he had 11 All-Ivy League selections and two all-Americans. Previously, he served eight seasons as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Monmouth University where he helped the squad capture two conference titles and coached 14 all-league picks.

Skrosky has previous head coaching experience as well, having served as the head coach at Ramapo College during the 1992 campaign after serving as that program's offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and tight ends coach during the 1990 and 1991 seasons. While Skrosky was at Ramapo he coached 17 all-league honorees.

He also turned in stints as the tight ends coach at Rutgers University for two seasons (1988-89) and as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Lodi (N.J.) High School for three seasons (1985-87). Skrosky was the defensive backs coach at St. Peter's Prep High School in Jersey City, N.J. in 1984.

The Lodi, N.J., native was an All-Bergen County defensive back at Lodi High and a safety on Ramapo's football squad. He graduated from Ramapo with a bachelor's degree in political science.

Skrosky is married to Suzanne Quentz.