Shrine Game Website / Photo at right by Mark Campbell

HOUSTON -- University of Delaware senior quarterback Joe Flacco, who earned All-American honors in leading the Blue Hens to the NCAA national championship football game last month, has been selected to play in the annual East-West Shrine Game Saturday, Jan. 19 at the University of Houston’s Robertson Stadium.

The 83rd annual all-star game, which began in 1925, matches the top senior football players in the country in an East-West All-Star format. Proceeds from the game benefit the Shriners Hospital for Children.

Flacco (at right), a senior quarterback from Audubon, NJ (Audubon High School), is the third Delaware player to appear in the game in the last four seasons. Tight end Ben Patrick, now a member of the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals, played in the game last season at Reliant Stadium in Houston while cornerback and kick returner Sidney Haugabrook took part in the 2005 game at Palo Alto, CA.

Flacco is among three quarterbacks on the East roster, joining Matt Flynn of LSU and Anthony Morelli of Penn State. The East team, which will be coached by former NFL head coach Dick Vermeil, features just five players from NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision schools, including Flacco, fullback Jerome Felton of Furman, wide receivers Dexter Jackson of Appalachian State and Jerome Simpson of Coastal Carolina, and defensive lineman Kendall Langford of Hampton.

The West team, coached by former NFL and college head coach Mike White, features quarterbacks Josh Johnson of San Diego, Sam Keller of Nebraska, and Kevin O’Connell of San Diego State and just three players from the FCS level.

The 6-6, 230 lb. Flacco enjoyed an outstanding senior season for the Blue Hens, leading the team to an 11-4 record and a berth in the NCAA Division I FCS national championship game while earning Colonial Athletic Association Co-Offensive Player of the Year and third team The Sports Network All-American honors.

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, he posted a record of 16-10 as a starter and established 20 University of 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 over 200 yards 21 times and for over 300 yards 11 times, including a career-best 434 yards in a 59-52 win over Navy in October.