From Scrub to Star

2005-12-17 Posted at 08:29:15 PM

After spring practice of 2004 red-shirt freshman Ricky Santos found himself as the fourth-string quarterback on the  University of New hampshire (UNH) .    UNH is a Division I-AA team.   It was quite a  come-down.   Being a backup at UNH is not the same as being one at a Division I-A powerhouses like USC,  Notre Dame,  Florida State or  Michigan.

Things began to happen.  First, one QB transfered to pursue a collegiete baseball career.  Before the first game of the season with defending I-AA champion and number one ranked  Delaware  the second-string QB had a severe ankle sprain so Ricky found himself as as backup to the three-year starter Mike Granieri.   Midway though the second quarter Mike when down with a knee injury.  Enter Ricky Santos to a 22,727 Delaware sellout crowd.   UNH's stadium holds only 7,800 and Ricky's home town of Bellingham has a population of  only 15,075.  A full house at UNH (7800) plus everyone in Bellingham (15,075) is 22,875. 

Unfazed  Ricky completed 10 out of 11 passes and threw the winning 44-yard TD pass as UNH beat Delaware for only  the second time in eight years.   Delaware lost their first home opener in 10 years.   Not bad for his first college game.

The next week Rick got his first college start against Div I-A Rutgers.   Rutgers had just beaten perennial Big Ten power Michigan State University .  Before 35,000 fans our hero completed 30 out of 40 passes for 385 yards and a UNH record 5 touchdown passes.   He was selected USA Today's College  Player of the Week.   He was selected over players from major football powers such as Darius Walker, RB,  Notre Dame, Kyle Orton, QB,  Purdue, and Santonio Holmes, WR,  Ohio State.

Three weeks later  Ricky Santos  broke his own UNH record by throwing six touchdown passes and set a school  a new record 538 yards as UNH beat  Villanova 51-40.

The fourth-string quarterback ended up the season with UNH records for touchdown passes 31, total passing yards 3,318, percent completion 64% and was named ECAC Rookie of the Year.  and led UNH to the the quarter finals of the Division I-AA Championship with  most wins ever ten.

Wally McRae

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