2011 HIGHLIGHTS: GENERAL: Played in all 16 games and in Wild Card playoff ... Had 34 tackles on defense, including a shared sack, and had a forced fumble ... Had two QB pressures and one tackle for loss ... Supported effort for Bengals defense to finish season ranked seventh in NFL in fewest yards allowed per game (316.3), 10th in fewest rushing yards allowed (104.7), fourth in fewest yards allowed per offensive play (5.0), eighth in fewest yards per rushing play (3.9) and fifth in total sacks (45).
2011 GAME-BY-GAME: One special teams tackle Sept. 11 at Cleveland … One tackle on defense and one on special teams Sept. 18 at Denver … Logged four tackles on defense Sept. 25 vs. San Francisco, including a shared sack of Alex Smith … Also vs. San Francisco, had a forced fumble against TE Vernon Davis (49ers retained possession as ball went out of bounds) … Credited with a QB pressure Oct. 9 at Jacksonville … Started at MLB Oct. 16 vs. Indianapolis as injury replacement for MLB Rey Maualuga, logging seven tackles … Three tackles Oct. 30 at Seattle … Tied for team lead in tackles (nine) at Tennessee ... Had two tackles on just five defensive snaps Nov. 13 vs. Pittsburgh, as well as one special teams tackle … One tackle Nov. 20 at Baltimore … Second on team Nov. 27 vs. Cleveland with three special teams tackles … Two tackles Dec. 4 at Pittsburgh, briefly replacing Maualuga who was out of game with an ankle strain … One tackle on defense Dec. 11 vs. Houston, along with two special teams stops … One tackle on defense Dec. 18 at St. Louis, as well as one tackle on special teams … Two special teams tackles Dec. 24 vs. Arizona ... On Jan. 1 vs. Baltimore, had three tackles on defense and one on special teams ... Played in all four preseason games and led the team in tackles on defense (18).
Skuta has contributed significantly since his 2009 signing by Bengals as a college free agent from NCAA Division II ranks ... Opened 2011 in reserve LB role, but started Games 6-8 as injury replacement before returning to reserve role ... Tied for second on special teams in tackles (13) ... Led special teams in tackles (16) in 2010.
2011 HIGHLIGHTS: GENERAL: Played in all 16 games and in Wild Card playoff ... Had 34 tackles on defense, including a shared sack, and had a forced fumble ... Had two QB pressures and one tackle for loss ... Supported effort for Bengals defense to finish season ranked seventh in NFL in fewest yards allowed per game (316.3), 10th in fewest rushing yards allowed (104.7), fourth in fewest yards allowed per offensive play (5.0), eighth in fewest yards per rushing play (3.9) and fifth in total sacks (45).
2011 GAME-BY-GAME: One special teams tackle Sept. 11 at Cleveland … One tackle on defense and one on special teams Sept. 18 at Denver … Logged four tackles on defense Sept. 25 vs. San Francisco, including a shared sack of Alex Smith … Also vs. San Francisco, had a forced fumble against TE Vernon Davis (49ers retained possession as ball went out of bounds) … Credited with a QB pressure Oct. 9 at Jacksonville … Started at MLB Oct. 16 vs. Indianapolis as injury replacement for MLB Rey Maualuga, logging seven tackles … Three tackles Oct. 30 at Seattle … Tied for team lead in tackles (nine) at Tennessee ... Had two tackles on just five defensive snaps Nov. 13 vs. Pittsburgh, as well as one special teams tackle … One tackle Nov. 20 at Baltimore … Second on team Nov. 27 vs. Cleveland with three special teams tackles … Two tackles Dec. 4 at Pittsburgh, briefly replacing Maualuga who was out of game with an ankle strain … One tackle on defense Dec. 11 vs. Houston, along with two special teams stops … One tackle on defense Dec. 18 at St. Louis, as well as one tackle on special teams … Two special teams tackles Dec. 24 vs. Arizona ... On Jan. 1 vs. Baltimore, had three tackles on defense and one on special teams ... Played in all four preseason games and led the team in tackles on defense (18).
PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2010 - Forced a fumble by Jalen Parmele on kickoff coverage Sept. 19 vs. Baltimore (Ravens recovered) … Tied for team lead with two special teams tackles Oct. 10 vs. Tampa Bay … Led team Oct. 24 at Atlanta with three special teams tackles … Tied for team lead with two special teams tackles Nov. 14 at Indianapolis … Led team with three special teams tackles Dec. 5 vs. New Orleans … Recorded his first two tackles of the year on defense in win Dec. 26 vs. San Diego.
2009 - Signed by Cincinnati on April 30 as college free agent … Played in all four preseason games and had four tackles on defense, including a shared sack … Waived Sept. 5, and signed Sept. 6 to Bengals practice squad … Signed Oct. 8 to 53-player roster … Played in eight games (Games 5-6, 9-11 and 14-16), and in that time rose to fifth-place finish on team with 10 special-teams tackles … Inactive for Games 7-8 and 12-13 … Made regular-season NFL debut on Oct. 11 at Baltimore, with one special-teams tackle … Had two special-teams stops Nov. 15 at Pittsburgh, plus key block on Bernard Scott’s 96-yard kickoff return for TD … Had team-leading three special-teams tackles Nov. 22 at Oakland, and also led team with three special-teams stops Dec. 20 at San Diego.
COLLEGE: Played defensive line and linebacker during four seasons (2005-08) at Grand Valley State … His 33.5 career sacks ranked third in NCAA Division II history, and he posted that total despite limited opportunities, as GVSU’s team dominance led starting players to sit out much of the second half in lopsided games … In nearly half his career games (25 of 53), GVSU won by 24 or more points … GVSU was 40-0 in his first 40 games, going 13-0, 15-0 and 12-0 before losing in the 2007 playoffs to finish 12-1.
PERSONAL: Hometown is Flint, Mich. … Attended Carman-Ainsworth High School, where as a two-way senior he tallied 116 tackles while rushing for 1092 yards and 20 TDs … Also played baseball in high school … Hobbies include fishing, snowmobiling, hunting and dirt bike riding … Last name is pronounced “SKOO-tuh.
