Santos back in a big Way

[Nors]

Missed last 2 games to injury but jumps right back in Payton hunt. He needs to run season like this and win 1-A to get back to back Paytons. UNH defense is terrible though.


UNH WINS IN THE RAIN VS. URI, 49-36
10/27/2007
BOXSCORE
DURHAM, N.H. – Ricky Santos (Bellingham, Mass.) threw for five touchdowns and ran for another TD to lead the eighth-ranked University of New Hampshire football team to Saturday afternoon’s 49-36 CAA victory against the University of Rhode Island at Cowell Stadium.

UNH won its fourth consecutive game and remained undefeated at home this season (4-0) to improve to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the CAA. URI dropped its third straight game to fall to 1-7, 0-5. The teams combined for over 1,000 yards of offense as the Rams recorded a slight edge of 537-529.
Santos went 24 of 30 for 419 yards to ascend to No. 6 on the NCAA FCS career passing leaderboard with 12,189 yards. Santos now has 116 career TD passes, which ranks directly behind Steve McNair (119) at No. 4 overall. He also finished the game with 41 yards on eight carries.
Mike Boyle (Plymouth, N.H.) and Keith LeVan (Waltham,Mass.) were Santos’ top targets as both receivers had seven catches and a touchdown. Boyle had a game-high 116 receiving yards and LeVan compiled 93. Scott Sicko (Stillwater, N.Y.) had a 7-yard TD reception that opened the game scoring at 11:53 of the first quarter and a 10-yard TD reception at 1:21 of the second quarter as part of his four receptions for 56 yards. Chad Kackert (Simi Valley, Calif.) had a 52-yard TD pass reception and 52 rushing yards on 12 carries.
UNH’s defensive effort was led by Husain Karim (Burlington, Vt.), who led five Wildcats in double digit tackles with 21. Marvin Wright (Roxbury, Mass.) and Hugo Souza (Marshfield, Mass.) each tallied 16 tackles, followed by Jeff Pammer (Northampton, Pa.; 14) and Matt Parent (Long Beach, Calif.; 13). With the 14 tackles, Pammer ascended to No. 4 on UNH’s career tackles leaderboard with 305.
Rhode Island, which amassed 267 first-half rushing yards to build a 24-21 halftime lead, was led by Jimmy Hughes’ 168 rushing yards on 20 carries. His second-quarter 3-yard TD scamper gave URI a 10-7 lead and then he scored rushing touchdowns of 21 and 2 yards in the fourth quarter. Joe Casey also topped 100 yards on the ground with 105 yards on 23 carries. The visitors finished with 77 rushes for 430 yards.
With URI leading 10-7, both teams scored a pair of touchdowns in the last six minutes of the second quarter. Following a UNH turnover, a Jerrell Jones’ eight-yard TD run gave the Rams a 17-7 advantage at 5:45. Kackert then turned Santos’ pass in the left flat into a 52-yard scoring play down the left sideline at 4:07, which lifted the ‘Cats within 17-14. Rhode Island scored four plays later on a 37-yard run by Derek Cassidy at 2:58, then New Hampshire closed the first-half scoring with a seven-play, 78-yard drive that culminated in Sicko’s second TD of the half.
The Wildcats took a lead they would not relinquish, 28-24, on a 57-yard pass play from Santos to LeVan at 3:40. A two-yard run by Robert Simpson (Brockton, Mass.) extended UNH’s advantage to 35-24 with 31 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Another UNH turnover led to Hughes’ 21-yard scoring play that lifted the Rams within 35-30 at 13:11 of the fourth quarter. On the ensuing two-point conversion, backup quarterback D.J. Stefkovich rolled to the right but could not connect with Shawn Leonard (four catches, 57 yards) along the right side of the end zone.
Santos’ 1-yard scamper capped a six-play, 44-yard Wildlcats’ drive that made the score 42-30 with 11:04 to play. Santos then connected with Boyle on a 38-yard pass play that extended UNH’s lead to 49-30 at 5:00. Only 36 seconds remained on Hughes’ third score of the game.
New Hampshire returns to action Nov. 3 (12 p.m.) at home against Northeastern University. Tickets are available online at www.unhwildcats.com or by calling 866-WILDCAT. Fans will also be able to watch the game online at UNHwildcats.tv.

 

[tomson75]

Just to play devil's advocate here, because I know you love this guy, and because I want to ...

You do realize he's suffering from the same affliction as Troy Smith? He's under the 6'2" that he's typically listed at. Not good for NFL prospects. I know, I know, you'd bet Romo is under 6'2" too...and he very well may be, but how often does one of these short guys pan out? Wouldn't you rather have a project with some better measurables?

Your best argument here is his production, and while it is undeniably impressive, he is also benefiting from a spread formation in which he is almost always in the shotgun formation. These formations tend to inflate stats for college QB's in reference to their translation to the NFL. He's going to have a lot of adjusting to do in the pros.

Are you looking at him in the draft, or as an UDFA?

 

[Nors]

Just to play devil's advocate here, because I know you love this guy, and because I want to ...

You do realize he's suffering from the same affliction as Troy Smith? He's under the 6'2" that he's typically listed at. Not good for NFL prospects. I know, I know, you'd bet Romo is under 6'2" too...and he very well may be, but how often does one of these short guys pan out? Wouldn't you rather have a project with some better measurables?

Your best argument here is his production, and while it is undeniably impressive, he is also benefiting from a spread formation in which he is almost always in the shotgun formation. These formations tend to inflate stats for college QB's in reference to their translation to the NFL. He's going to have a lot of adjusting to do in the pros.

Are you looking at him in the draft, or as an UDFA?

He is as big as Tony Romo - same type player, Style.
Both can run to throw and Santos may be a better natural runner.

Small school ? will drive him down to mid late day 2 pick or UDFA, like Romo

 

[theogt]

Tony's official height at the Combine was exactly 6'2". Don't know why anyone would question that. He doesn't look smaller on the field.

 

[Nors]

Tony's official height at the Combine was exactly 6'2". Don't know why anyone would question that. He doesn't look smaller on the field.

I agree on Romo - he is 6-2
Ricky Santos is 6-2, 215

And will easily have 225 on frame in a few years.

 

[Nors]

Good Santos Read, I root for the Santos and Romo of the world. They are mentally more motivated and hungry, and have played a lot of football with production.


Ricky Santos
Cl.: Sr.
Hometown: Bellingham, Mass.
High School/Group: Bellingham
Ht.: 6-2
Wt.: 215
Pos.: QB
2007 Football Roster

Personal
The son of Richard and Debra Santos...born 4-26-84 in Norwood, Mass...a kinesiology/sports studies major. His cousin, Bobby Santos from Franklin, Mass., raced in the NASCAR Busch Series this year.

At UNH

2007
• Named a team co-captain for 2007.
• Reigning Walter Payton Award winner.
• Named a pre-season All-American on nearly every All-America squad.

2006
• Tied the all-time Atlantic 10 record for career TDs with 99.
• Winner of the prestigious Walter Payton Award as the top player in I- AA football.
• Named an All-American by several media outlets including The Sports Network and Walter Camp.
• Led UNH and the conference with 12 rushing TDs in regular season.
• Named the Atlantic 10's Co-Offensive Player of the Year.
• Named first-team All-Conference.
• Topped 10,000 career passing yardage mark.
• Completed 293-432 passes for 3,125 yds. his third straight season passing for over 3,000. He also completed 67.8 percent of his passes.
• He passed for 29 touchdowns in 2006.
• Passed for five TDs and 315 yards in NCAA win over Hampton.
• Broke UNH's record for completions in a game with 41 at NU.
• Broke UNH's record for pass attempts in a game with 66 at NU.
• Became UNH's all-time leader in completions vs. Richmond 10/7.
• Became UNH's all-time leading passer at Delaware 9/30.
• Named Sports Network National Player of the Week 10/1.
• Named Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week 9/30.
• Threw five TD passes at Dartmouth.
• Was responsible for five TDs in UNH's upset of I-A Northwestern.
• Named Sports Network National Player of the Week (9/11).
• Named Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week (9/10).
• Santos was named a preseason All-American by most media outlets and magazines, including “Lindy’s”, “Street & Smith’s”, “Any Given Saturday” and “The Sports Network”.

2005
• Ranked first at UNH in all-time touchdown passes with 70.
• Ranked third at UNH in career pass attempts with 854.
• Ranked third at UNH in career passing yds with 7,115.
• Ranked second at UNH with 573 career completions.
• Named a second-team All-American by “The Sports Network”.
• Named a “Walter Camp” All-American.
• Named an Associated Press third-team All-American.
• Named the Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year.
• Received the Bulger Lowe Award as the top I-AA player in NE.
• Led the Atlantic 10 in passing yards with 3,797.
• Ranked second in I-AA in points responsible for (22.0 ppg.).
• Ranked third in I-AA in total offense (330.5 ypg.).
• Ranked third in passing effieciency (170.3).
• Ranked third in I-AA in passing yards (3,797).
• Passed for a season-high 422 yards in a win at Towson.
• Rushed for over 100 yards in final three contests of 2005.
• Rushed for a career-high 165 yards in NCAA win over Colgate.
• Passed for a UNH record 39 touchdown passes in 2005.
• Passed for a UNH record 3,797 yards in 2005.
• Recorded the best completion percentage ever at UNH (70.2). • Posted the UNH mark for completions in a season with 301.
• Santos was named Sports Network National Player of the Week, A-10 Player of the Week and was a candidate for the USA Today National Player of the week for his outstanding efforts in UNH’s win over Maine.
• Santos completed 25 of 26 passes vs. Northeastern, good for an NCAA record completion percentage of .962 in one game. He completed 24 straight passes before finally misfiring.
• Named Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week in win vs. Villanova.
• Earned two Boston Globe Gold Helmet Awards and earned the Season Gold Helmet.

2004
• One of 16 finalists for the Walter Payton Award.
• Named second-team All-Atlantic 10.
• Received ECAC Rookie of the Year honors.
• Named the Atlantic 10 Co-Rookie of the Year.
• Ranked 12th in the nation in I-AA passing efficiency (148.9).
• Ranked 11th in the nation in I-AA total offense (277.0 ypg.).
• Ranked 10th in the nation in I-AA points responsible for (15.38 ppg.).
• Ranked 16th in the nation in passing with 20.29 completions/game.
• Defeated defending national champion Delaware (24-21) in his first career game for UNH after starter Mike Granieri was injured.
• Won at Division I-A Rutgers (35-24) in his first career start for UNH, throwing for 385 yards and five touchdown passes. Named the overall USA Today National Player of the Week, the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week and “The Sports Network” National Player of the Week.
• Broke the UNH record for touchdown passes in a season with 31, the UNH mark for passing yards in a season with 3,318 and the mark for completed passes with 272.
• Completed 64.0 percent of his passes (272-425), a UNH record.
• Broke the mark for TD passes in a game with six in a win at Villanova.
• Passed for UNH-record 538 yards at Villanova.
• Won the Gold Helmet Award, named “The Sports Network” National Player of the Week, Don Hansen’s National Offensive Player of the Week, CSTV National Player of the Week, and was added to the Walter Payton watch following the win over Villanova. • Completed a UNH-best 38 passes at Villanova.
• Passed for over 300 yards four times in 2004.
• Scored a rushing touchdown and caught a 21-yard TD pass vs. NU.
• Longest pass of the season was a 60-yarder at Villanova.
• He was the third-best rusher on the team with 125 carries for 283 yards.
• Best rushing game was at Maine with nine carries for 60 yards.
• Named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week four times in 2004. 2003
• Redshirted the season.

Before UNH
• One of the top quarterbacks in Massachusetts at Bellingham High School.
• Threw 35 touchdown passes in his senior season.
• Threw 77 touchdowns passes in his high school career as a four-year starter.
• Both touchdown totals were good for second-best in state history.
• Named Division 5 Player of the Year twice.
• Passed and rushed for over 1,000 yards twice.
• Passed for a career total of 5,750 yards at BHS.
• Carried the football 337 times for 2,842 yards.
• Named All-State as a senior.
• Named Metro West Player of the Year in his junior and senior seasons.
• Named the Tri-Valley League MVP in his junior and senior seasons.
• Lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track and field.
• Played on two Massachusetts Superbowl teams.

 

[Nors]

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9675&highlight=santos

This was 4 seasons ago when he was a freshman, a special player -

He needs a team to bring him in and get him 3 years of reps and ready ala Romo. This kid is that good. Just rewatched his NESN broadcast tonight - 5 td passes and a TD run.

 

[silverbear]

Missed last 2 games to injury but jumps right back in Payton hunt. He needs to run season like this and win 1-A to get back to back Paytons. UNH defense is terrible though.

With UNH already sitting on 2 losses, and having missed 2 games, Santos is (or should be) out of the running for the Payton Award...

It's a pipe dream to think he can get them to the national championship with that defense...

 

[Nors]

With UNH already sitting on 2 losses, and having missed 2 games, Santos is (or should be) out of the running for the Payton Award...

It's a pipe dream to think he can get them to the national championship with that defense...

Its award for best player,,,,,, and he won it last year and was a runner up the year before. I did say he needs to finish season with more 5 TD performances and his stats will be crazy again. Off top of my head he has completed 74% of his passes and 17 TD's to 2 interceptions. And Ran in 8 more TD's.

I agree, their defense is woefull and will be a problem in FCS playoffs eventually. I believe they are back in top 10 so I don't think by any means he's out of the Payton race. Game and a half lost to injury may haunt him more.

 

[tomson75]

Again, Santos is no way, no how, 6'2". He's barely 6'1".

This doesn't make him a bad player, but if you are going to use his height as an argument, you're making a poor case for yourself. He's got a lot going against him, height being one of them. Just saying.

 

[Nors]

Again, Santos is no way, no how, 6'2". He's barely 6'1".

This doesn't make him a bad player, but if you are going to use his height as an argument, you're making a poor case for yourself. He's got a lot going against him, height being one of them. Just saying.

Please post the link to him no way being 6-2

Thanks -

On film he looks all of 6-2 215+

 

[tomson75]

Please post the link to him no way being 6-2

Look, we both know that his "official" height is listed at 6'2". I'm sure you're also aware fo the common practice of inflating measurables for NFL prospects. Right? Did you think Troy Smith was really 6'1"? or even 6'2"?

...but here's a couple of links anyway. Not that it matters.

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profile.php?pyid=56381

http://nfl-prospects.blogspot.com/2007/09/top-small-school-prospects-for-2008-nfl.html

Thanks -

You're welcome.

On film he looks all of 6-2 215+

That's nice. He doesn't in person...and his arm strength didn't impress me either BTW.

I get that you've got a man crush on him that rivals that of your man crush on the Belichick and Brady, but you still haven't answered the real questions here...

Why, when there are clearly multiple candidates available, would you choose to lust after a player with measurables that have proven to be nearly impossible to overcome in the NFL? Do you really think that because we were lucky with Romo, that we should set a new prototype? Do you really think we'd get that lucky, twice? Do you realize this guy ran an offense that in no way resembles an NFL offense? You think he's good enough to overcome all of this?

I'm not against bringing him in if he goes undrafted, but I won't be expecting much. Maybe you'll get lucky and the Pats will draft him...then we both win.

 

[Nors]

Last call for Ricky Santos

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Photo by Daily News photo by Art Illman
Bellingham's Ricky Santos returns for his final season as the UNH quarterback this fall.
By Rick Smith/Daily News staff
GHS
Sat Sep 01, 2007, 09:27 PM EDT

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Story Tools: Email This | Print This
Durham, N.H. -
DURHAM, N.H. - The final chapter of the Ricky Santos saga is about to be penned at the University of New Hampshire this fall.

The fifth-year senior will step behind center next Saturday at James Madison to begin his final college season.

Santos' story to this point is a made-for-Hollywood, rags-to-riches tale of the quarterback from the small town of Bellingham who was ultimately passed over by the big schools and buried on the depth chart at UNH at the beginning of his redshirt freshman year.

However, one thing after another fell into place for Santos during that 2004 preseason until he was inserted into the starting lineup following All-America candidate Mike Granieri's knee injury in the opener. In that game against Delaware, Santos engineered an upset over the defending Division I-AA national champions.

And, as they say, the rest is history.

Santos, a team captain, comes into the 2007 season as the reigning winner of the Walter Payton Award, the Div. I-AA version of the Heisman Trophy. His career totals of 10,240 passing yards and 99 touchdown passes could reach utterly untouchable territory by the end of a strong senior year.

Wildcats coach Sean McDonnell is acutely aware that he has been privy to something very special the past four years.

"Someone like Ricky comes along once in a lifetime," said McDonnell. "He just has a knack. He has a great understanding of sports. The kids love him. He's so humble, they just love the way he handles himself."

Dover-Sherborn graduate Matt Perdoni, a Cinderella story himself as a former walk-on turned captain this year, played against Santos in high school and is still in awe of his current teammate.

"What Ricky does on the field just blows me away," said Perdoni, a starting defensive end. "We see it every day, so sometimes it almost gets lost how talented he is."

Named to practically every preseason All-American team in existence, Santos is no stranger to individual honors. But he badly wants something more.

"I want to win a national championship," said the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Santos. "That's been my goal since I got to UNH. We've accomplished all our other team goals except winning a national championship. If we take it one step at a time, we'll be all right."

The Wildcats have reached the quarterfinals of the playoffs in each of Santos' first three seasons.

The challenges are many for individual and team glory as Santos enters his final collegiate season. He will be without his friend and favorite receiver, David Ball. His offensive coordinator his first four years in college, Chip Kelly, now calls the University of Oregon home. In addition, the Wildcats are talented, but young, especially at receiver.

The latter situation grated on Santos in the early days of preseason camp.

"The first week or so of camp, I was expecting the young players to be in the right place all the time," Santos said. "I had to learn a little patience. They just need some time to get a feel for things so we're all on the same page. They'll come around."

That situation caused Santos to press early on.

"I was trying to do too much," said Santos. "Coach (McDonnell) talked to me and told me to just take what the defense gave me."

Inexperienced receivers and a pressing quarterback could lead to the worst possible thing in Ricky's World: interceptions.

"I hate throwing interceptions," said Santos, who threw just seven last season in 432 passing attempts. "When I throw one, I have to be alone for a while. I need a little time to replay the play in my head and to get over it."

Santos readily admits that he will miss Ball, and not just for the obvious reasons.

"I know that I won't be able to throw the ball up and have David just go up and get it," said Santos.

In addition, Ball won't be there to help his former quarterback deal with the all-out media blitz.

"Sometimes the media attention gets to be too much of a good thing," said Santos. "Last year there were times when it got to be overwhelming, but I shared it with David. Anything good or bad that happened, David and I were the face of the program. Now I'll have to deal with that alone. Sometimes it's taxing."

Kelly's loss will be easier to deal with, according to Santos.

"I'm extremely comfortable with the offense," said Santos. "Chip Kelly was a great mentor and taught me the offense inside and out."

UNH sports information director Scott Stapin likes to tell the story of a pregame moment in Santos' first college start at Rutgers.

"I was walking around on the field prior to the game thinking that we probably didn't have a real good chance of winning," said Stapin. "Ricky walked up to me, put his arm around me and said, 'Stape, don't you just love this atmosphere? We're in this hostile place with 30,000 fans and we're still going to win."'

Santos ended up throwing five touchdown passes and passing for 385 yards in the Wildcats' 35-24 upset of the Scarlet Knights. All this against a school that recruited him and then asked him to walk on when it came time to talk scholarship.

You would expect a player in that situation to smirk just a little and really enjoy sticking it to the school that in effect said, "You're not good enough."

"It was more important for me to play well in my first college start," said Santos. "That outweighed everything else."

Stapin has watched many college quarterbacks become a bundle of nerves prior to the opening kickoff. Santos is not one of them.

"You see these quarterbacks just staring straight ahead before a game," said Stapin. "Not Ricky. He'll be joking around and enjoying his pregame meal, which a lot of starting quarterbacks can't even keep down."

This isn't to say that Ricky Santos is totally nerve free.

"I get nervous, absolutely," said Santos. "Maybe not nervous, but a little anxious. I get pregame butterflies. Any player who says he doesn't is lying."

The best cure for butterflies is a quick start, according to Santos.

"We've been pretty successful with our opening drives in the past," said Santos. "If we have a fast start, the butterflies go away quickly."

Preparation is also a good antidote for nerves, and Santos has certainly done that.

"Since we sat down after Ricky's first year and talked, he's done everything we've asked of him," said McDonnell. "We asked him to come into this year a little more flexible and in better shape, and he came back in the best shape of his life."

Santos is thinking about James Madison first and then everyone else on the Wildcats' 2007 schedule follows in line, one after the other. But, if truth be known, he's also thinking about football beyond college.

"It's in the back of my mind," admitted Santos. "My father and mother have been contacted by agents, and there have been NFL scouts here on campus. But in order for that to happen I have to have a great senior year. I have to take everything one step at a time. James Madison comes first."

Santos remembers listening to the senior speeches before the Maine game - the final contest on UNH's schedule - each year and thinking how he had three years left, then two, then one, always another year, until now.

"I really can't believe this is my last year," he said. "It's almost a surreal feeling."

Even before Santos went to college, during basketball season his senior year at Bellingham, he was congratulated by a sportswriter for receiving a scholarship to UNH. He was almost a little down after all the attention from the bigger schools had evaporated.

"That was the best thing that could have happened to me," said Santos with a huge smile. "Those schools told me I didn't have a strong enough arm so the interest fell off. But this has been like a dream come true for me so far. I love UNH."

The feeling is certainly mutual.

 

[silverbear]

Are you having an affair with Santos, Nors??

That's the only possible explanation I can come up with for your weekly slobbering over the guy... let me be the first to inform you that Ricky Santos will never amount to jack in the NFL...

 

[Nors]

Are you having an affair with Santos, Nors??

That's the only possible explanation I can come up with for your weekly slobbering over the guy... let me be the first to inform you that Ricky Santos will never amount to jack in the NFL...

Thats what I heard 5 years ago about Romo.....
Read what is being said about the player - speaks volumes.

Kid can play