Dan Orlovsky
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| Detroit Lions — No. 6 | |
| Quarterback | |
| Date of birth: August 18, 1983 | |
| Place of birth: Shelton, Connecticut | |
| Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | Weight: 230 lb (100 kg) |
| National Football League debut | |
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| 2005 for the Detroit Lions | |
| Career history | |
| College: Connecticut | |
| NFL Draft: 2005 / Round: 5 / Pick: 145 | |
Teams:
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Selected NFL statistics (through Week 17 of the 2007 NFL season) |
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| TD-INT | 0-0 |
| Passing yards | 63 |
| QB Rating | 51.8 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Daniel John Orlovsky (born August 18, 1983 in Shelton, Connecticut) is a quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. The Lions drafted Orlovsky in the fifth round (145th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft after his successful career at the University of Connecticut.
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[edit] Early life
Born in the heart of Connecticut's "All-American Valley", Dan was exposed to the competitiveness of high school football at a young age. "When I was younger, I would have garbage cans set up all around the yard," Orlovsky recalled. "And I would have like 20 balls and just fire them into the cans. I really had nothing else to do back then."[1] His work ethic was evident since a young age. "I always had raw talent, I could throw hard and accurate, but I was real slow," Orlovsky said. "I was constantly working out. There were times I fainted or threw up. I would get up at 5 a.m. three days a week and run in the dark." .[2] Dan's work ethic has caused many to consider him the best football player to come out of UConn.
[edit] High school football career
Orlovsky attended Shelton (Conn.) High School, and was the starting QB for the team from his sophomore year on. He was coached by Joe Benanto, winning 28 of 32 at the helm. As a senior, he threw for 2,400 yards and 24 touchdowns as the Gaels went 12-0, winning the state championship, he earned All-American honors from Prep Football Report, SuperPrep and Prep Star, Added all-state, Class LL MVP, Connecticut Player of the Year (New Haven Register) and McHugh Award honors.
The Derby-Shelton Thanksgiving day game has been a staple of valley football for the last century. The winner gains bragging rights throughout the valley and the prestigious “Silver Turkey” award. In one of the most heated events in all of high school football. “ Dandy” Dan Orlovsky rose to the occasion and led the Gaels to back-to-back victories in 1999 and 2000. A feat that took him from average starting quarterback to a place in Connecticut high school football lore.
Despite offers from national powers Purdue and Michigan State, Orlovsky verbally committed to play at Connecticut, where he wanted the challenge of elevating the Huskies from Division I-A weakling to Big East contender.
[edit] College football career
He was thrust into the starting lineup as a true freshman when Keron Henry suffered a hip injury, and Orlovsky proceeded to throw for 1,379 yards and nine touchdowns on 128 of 269 passing (47.6 percent) while being picked off 11 times.
Starting every game as a sophomore, Orlovsky hit on 221 of 366 attempts (60.4 percent), with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His 2,488 yards passing rank fourth on the school's season-record list.
As a junior, he ranked seventh in the nation in passing, hitting on 279 of 475 passes (58.7 percent) for 3,485 yards, 33 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His 33 scoring tosses ranked fifth in the NCAA Division I-A ranks.
Although much more seasoned, Orlovsky did not match his 2003 figures as a senior, but guided the team to victory in its inaugural bowl appearance. He gained 3,354 yards with 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions on 288 of 456 throws (63.0 percent) in 2004.
Orlovsky owns the school records for most pass completions (916), pass attempts (1,567), yards passing (10,706), touchdown passes (84), interceptions (51), total plays (1,710) and total yards (10,421).
[edit] NFL career
When Jeff Garcia went down with an injury in the '05 preseason, Orlovsky emerged as the Lions' primary backup. He played in two regular season contests in 2005, including the nationally-televised Thanksgiving Day debacle against the Atlanta Falcons. In the two contests combined, Orlovsky completed 7-of-17 passes for 63 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. Prior to the 2006 season the Lions traded Joey Harrington and released Jeff Garcia, and signed Jon Kitna and Josh McCown. Orlovsky spent the 2006 season as the third-string QB. Orlovsky is projected to be the second-string quarterback in 2007 because Drew Stanton, who was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft, was placed on injured reserve.
[edit] Trivia
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Orlovsky led UConn to a 39-10 win over Toledo in the 2005 Motor City Bowl at Ford Field, making Orlovsky one of the few players in football history to play his final college game in the same stadium as his pro debut.
Orlovsky was a two-time Walter Camp Football Foundation Connecticut Player of the Year.
He was recently reunited with his biological mother after they had been separated for 22 years.
Orlovsky showed up to the Lions offseason program and found his locker surrounded by packing boxes.
Orlovsky was told he'd been traded to the Indianapolis Colts. "I was kind of upset," he said. "The Colts are really good. But Peyton Manning's probably going to play another 20 years." Orlovsky then checked the calendar. He was the victim of Jon Kitna's April Fool's Day joke. [3]
