Dec. 14, 2006
CHATTANOOGA, TN - Junior quarterback Ricky Santos of New Hampshire, the 2006 Atlantic 10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year, has been named the recipient of the 2006 Walter Payton Award, announced on Thursday evening at the I-AA College Football Awards Presentation at The Sheraton Read House Hotel.
Presented by The Sports Network to the most outstanding player in I-AA, Santos earned 20 first-place votes and 250 points overall, while Northern Arizona senior quarterback Jason Murrietta garnered 17 first-place votes and 230 overall points to finish second. Senior running back Arkee Whitlock of Southern Illinois placed third with 199 points.
Santos is the fifth player and second quarterback in Atlantic 10 history to win the prestigious Walter Payton Award. In 2004, then-senior quarterback Lang Campbell of William & Mary became the first-ever A-10 signal caller to win receive the honor. Villanova standouts Brian Finneran and Brian Westbrook were presented with the Walter Payton Award in 1997 and 2001, respectively, while former New Hampshire running back Jerry Azumah received the honor in 1998. Finneran is a member of the Atlanta Falcons and Westbrook is with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2004. Azumah retired after seven seasons with the Chicago Bears.
"It is really overwhelming to be mentioned in the same company as some of the all-time greats in college football. I never thought I would ever win this award when I entered New Hampshire and just focused on winning games and helping my teammates," said Santos, who finished runner-up to Eastern Washington quarterback Erik Meyer in the 2005 voting.
"Jerry Azumah is a model of excellence for our program and a true professional. To be included in the same company is pretty overwhelming."
The voting was conducted among 112 media members and media relations professionals and based on regular season performance, during which time Santos ranked in the top 10 nationally in completions (22.7 pg. - fourth), total offense (278.7 ypg. - sixth) and passing yards (2,681 - seventh). The Bellingham, MA, resident tossed a league-high 23 touchdown passes and shared the league lead with four 300-yard passing performances. Santos also rushed for 385 yards and a league-high 12 touchdowns. The junior signal caller became the fourth player in league history and first since former Villanova and current Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook (2000-01) to earn Offensive Player of the Year honors in successive seasons.
Santos passed for 315 yards and five touchdowns in the Wildcats'41-38 win at Hampton in the opening round of the 2006 NCAA Division I Football Championship on Nov. 25 and tossed his league-leading 29th scoring pass in New Hampshire's 24-17 loss at Massachusetts on Dec. 2 in the quarterfinals. He finished the 2006 campaign with 3,125 passing yards as UNH became the first program in Conference history to advance to the quarterfinals of the Division I Football Championship three consecutive years. He enters his senior season as the league's all-time leader in passing yards (10,240), while his 99 career touchdown passes are tied with former Villanova quarterback Chris Boden (1996-99) for tops in league annals.
"The thing that I have noticed about Ricky over the past three years is that he keeps working to get better," said New Hampshire head coach Sean McDonnell.
"He has become a great player because he works so hard. He's a humble kid who genuinely cares about everyone around him and I think that's what makes him so special."
Vying to join Finneran (1997) as the only wide receivers to win the Walter Payton Award, New Hampshire senior David Ball finished fifth in the voting. The first-team All-Conference selection hauled in hauled in 82 passes for 990 yards during the regular season, along with 11 touchdown catches - tops in the Conference. He ends his career with 58 career scoring receptions, the most in I-AA history.
"This award is as much David's as it is mine. He was a great player and more importantly, a great teammate and leader," said Santos.
Massachusetts senior running back Steve Baylark, who led the A-10 in rushing (1,308) during the regular season en route to earning Atlantic 10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year honors, finished tenth in the voting. James Madison senior quarterback Justin Rascati, who completed 139-of-207 passes for 1,900 yards and 19 touchdowns, finished 14th.
Also on Thursday evening, Cal Poly senior linebacker Kyle Shotwell was presented with the Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the most outstanding defensive player in I-AA by The Sports Network. James Madison senior linebacker Akeem Jordan, the 2006 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year, finished second in the voting, while Maine's Matt King and James Ihedigbo of Massachusetts finished sixth and 13th, respectively.
Appalachian State head coach Jerry Moore was named the recipient of the Eddie Robinson Award, presented by The Sports Network to the most outstanding head coach in I-AA. Don Brown of Massachusetts finished third in the voting. UMass will square off against the Mountaineers on Friday at 8:00pm (ESPN2) in the finals of the 2006 NCAA Division I Football Championship at Max Finley Stadium at Davenport Field in Chattanooga, TN.