Jimmy Garoppolo delivered a pass to wide receiver Erik Lora in the back corner of the end zone — directly above Lora’s head — sprawling out for the touchdown.

Lora said Garoppolo placed the ball in the only possible spot that he could catch it, as the senior quarterback was doing all game in Eastern’s 57-24 win against Illinois State Saturday.

That pass put Eastern ahead 57-17 with 13:55 remaining in the fourth quarter.

It was Garoppolo’s seventh touchdown pass of the night, setting a new program record, as he already tied the previous record of six in the first half.

Eastern head coach Dino Babers said Garoppolo’s accuracy was like a laser beam the entire game, putting the football in the exact spot it needed to be.

“If I could take the ball, walk and place it in somebody’s hands , and then move that guy 35 yards away and say, ‘Throw it to that point,’ that’s what he was doing,” Babers said.

Meanwhile, Jeff Christensen, the previous record holder, sent Garoppolo a text message from 178 miles away in Lockport, that read: “You just threw your 7th.. Let me be the first to tell you how proud I am of you, son….7….Awesome!”

Garoppolo and Christensen share more than just their names solidified in the Eastern record books. Garoppolo credits not only his accuracy, but also an endless list of mechanics, to Christensen.

Ever since his sophomore year of high school, Garoppolo has been training with Christensen every summer and winter, perfecting his technique and developing a father-son bond, as Christensen would refer to it as.

After enduring his first three years at Eastern with Christensen teasing Garoppolo about the record — throwing four touchdowns in a game his freshman year, and a five twice last year — Garoppolo is happy to finally put an end to his coach’s bragging, as he now has the edge in their friendly rivalry.

“To tie his record in the first half and then break it in the second half, it’s really neat to have that over his head,” Garoppolo said. “We like to talk a little trash here and there. We have a really good relationship. I wouldn’t be here without him. It’s astonishing what he has done for me.”

In 1983, Christensen was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round at pick No. 137 overall out of Eastern. He spent seven years in the NFL, before dedicating his life to coaching at Throw It Deep quarterback and wide receiver training academy in Lombard.

Garoppolo, who did not begin playing football until the sixth grade, was a running back until he met Christensen through his high school coach at Rolling Meadows High School.

Garoppolo said he initially had the delivery of a baseball player until Christensen tuned his mechanics, focusing more on his shoulders and fingers, as opposed to his arm.

Since the two first began working together seven years ago, Christensen said he has not come across another quarterback with intangibles comparable to Garoppolo’s in his 20 years of studying the position.

“He has one of the most pure passing motions I have ever seen,” Christensen said.

He has coached and mentored more than 50 starting college quarterbacks, including Northern Illinois’ Jordan Lynch, Alabama alumnus Greg McElroy, Northwestern alumnus Mike Kafka and Central Michigan alumnus Dan LeFevour.

But Christensen said none of the past 25,000-plus quarterbacks he has coached, from 10 years old to NCAA Division I, have had what Garoppolo has, especially his poise and mobility around the pocket.

Christensen was, however, quick to compare that aspect of his game to NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, a Super Bowl champion and Most Valuable Player.

“Tape Aaron Rodgers and tape Jimmy Garoppolo,” Christensen said. “Compare their footwork; it’s almost identical. I know that’s a bold claim, but it’s true.”

Scouts of all 32 NFL teams have made their way to Charleston to witness No. 10 in person, including the San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at the 102nd Mid-America Classic.

Christensen said he expects Garoppolo to be drafted anywhere between the third and fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

And it is not just Christensen who believes that. NFL.com’s Gil Brandt rated Garoppolo as the No. 7 best senior quarterback in all of college football.

Brandt praises the 6-foot-3, 222-pound quarterback’s arm strength and athletic ability, as he possess a 40-yard dash time of 4.8.

“He’s going to get drafted,” Babers said. “Hell, I’d try to date him if I was a girl.”

That came immediately after Garoppolo’s record-setting performance against Illinois State in which he also threw for 480 yards to compliment the seven touchdowns.

Though the student broke the master’s record in this situation, Christensen said he could not think of a more deserved person to see take his place among the Eastern record books.

“I love him like a son,” Christensen said.

Garoppolo said he could only think of words such as gracious and humble as he was reading all of the eight text messages Christensen sent him, seeing has he has idolized him for years.

But the one text that resonated with Garoppolo the most, because it illustrates their relationship perfectly, was one that read: “I just lit a cigar for us!”

Anthony Catezone can be reached at 581-2812 or ajcatezone@eiu.edu.