UNH's Football Team Makes the Playoffs.

By Jim Jeannotte on Friday, November 26, 2004.

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FANS OF UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE ATHLETICS EXPECT THEIR HOCKEY TEAM TO QUALIFY FOR THE NCAA TOURNAMENT EACH YEAR.

FOR THE UNH FOOTBALL TEAM IT'S USUALLY A DIFFERENT STORY.

THE FOOTBALL WILDCATS RARELY MAKES IT INTO THE NATIONAL PLAYOFFS.

BUT THIS YEAR, THEY ARE GOING TO BE IN THE OPENING ROUND GAME.

THAT'S THANKS TO A 9 AND 2 REGULAR SEASON RECORD AND THE TEAMS FOURTH STRING QUARTERBACK.

NHPR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT, JIM JEANNOTTE, HAS THE STORY.

This story was named 2004 Best Sports Special by the New Hampshire Associated Press Broadcasters Association.

AS THEY ENTERED THEIR SEASON OPENING GAME AT DELAWARE, THE UNH FOOTBALL WILDCATS LOOKED LIKE A TEAM ON THE RISE.

UNH HAD WON THREE OF ITS LAST FOUR GAMES A YEAR AGO,

AND THIS YEAR THEY WERE RETURNING AS A VETERAN TEAM, LED BY STAR QUARTERBACK MIKE GRANIERI, A CANDIDATE FOR LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR.

BUT IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF THAT OPENING GAME, GRANIERI SUFFERED A POTENTIAL CAREER-ENDING KNEE INJURY.

BECAUSE OF GRANIERI?S TALENT AND EXPERIENCE, TEAM WIDE RECEIVER DAVID BALL THOUGHT THIS WAS THE END.

David Ball
(track 10 1:37-1:47) ?I was hurt when G went down because he is the heart and soul of our team. He?s our captain. He?s been an offensive threat in the program for many years.

FOR COACH SEAN MCDONNELL THE BAD LUCK DIDN'T END THERE.

HIS BACK-UP QUARTERBACK COULD NOT PLAY DUE TO A HIGH ANKLE SPRAIN.

AND HIS THIRD STRING QUARTERBACK LEFT THE PROGRAM A WEEK EARLIER TO TRY A BASEBALL CAREER AT ANOTHER UNIVERSITY.

MCDONNELL REMEMBERS THE MOMENT.

Sean McDonnell
(track 12 2:10-2:19) ?As good a football player as Mike Granieri is, probably the best quarterback that?s ever been around, you know athletically and the stuff he does, you know we had to find somebody to go in and fortunately Ricky was ready.?

RICKY IS RICKY SANTOS.

HE'S A RED-SHIRT FRESHMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS.

THE YOUNG MAN HAD PROMISE.

BUT THIS SEASON, HIS NAME DIDN?T EVEN APPEAR IN THE FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE.

THAT DIDN?T MEAN HE DIDN?T HAVE THE RESPECT FROM HIS TEAMMATES SAYS DAVID BALL.

BALL HAS SINCE BECOME SANTOS? FAVORITE PASS RECEIVER.

David Ball
Track 10 1:54-2:04 ?Ricky Santos has been a leader since he stepped foot on this campus. His attitude, his compassion for the game. Every time he sets foot on the football field, you know you?re in good hands.?

AND WHEN SANTOS SET FOOT ON THE FIELD IN HIS FIRST COLLEGIATE GAME HE STOOD BEFORE 22,0OO FANS.

HIS OPPONENTS WERE THE DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE.

RICKY SANTOS.

Rick Santos
Track 11 1:54-2:06 ?I was just hoping Mike would get up. He?s a great kid. He?s been like a brother to me. He?s meant so much to me, you know. When he didn?t get up, I really didn?t have much time to think. Coach was calling my name. I had to find my helmet. He just kind of threw me into the game.?

THE COACHING STAFF DIRECTED A CONSERVATIVE OFFENSE FOR THE REST OF THE GAME.

STILL, SANTOS LAUNCHED A 44-YARD PASS TO HIS WIDE RECEIVER.

AND THE WILDCATS PULLED OFF A SHOCKING UPSET OVER THE BLUE HENS.

THE NEXT WEEK, SANTOS THREW FOR A SCHOOL RECORD FIVE TOUCHDOWNS AND ANOTHER UPSET.

THIS TIME , THIS TIME BEFORE 35,000 FANS AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, UNH HAD DEFEATED A DIVISION ONE-A OPPONENT.

THE LEAGUE NAMED SANTOS NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK.

NEWSPAPERS FROM COAST TO COAST HAD FOUND A CINDERELLA STORY TO WRITE ABOUT.

USA TODAY SPOTLIGHTED SANTOS IN TWO LENGTHY FEATURES.

DESPITE ALL THE ATTENTION, COACH MCDONNELL SAYS SANTOS HANDLED IT WELL.

Sean McDonnell

Track 12 3:53-4:05 ?You just talk to Ricky about what we?re all about. The great thing is, if you know Ricky in high school, he had a lot of publicity from a lot of papers down there. So he kind of knew how to handle the press I felt. The second thing is, the kid is a genuine kid.?

AND WHAT WAS SANTOS THINKING?

Ricky Santos

Track 11 3:47-3:58 ?I didn?t think too much of it. At that time, I was just focusing on whatever team we were playing that week. That was pretty much my mentality. I didn?t try to think of all the stuff happening around me. I was just focusing on the game.?

AND THE RECORDS KEPT FALLING.

SANTOS THREW FIVE TOUCHDOWNS IN ONE HALF AGAINST TOWSON UNIVERSITY.

AND HE BROKE HIS, AND THE SCHOOL?S RECORD, BY TOSSING SIX TOUCHDOWNS AGAINST LEAGUE RIVAL, VILLANOVA.

THE SANTOS TO BALL COMBINATION THIS SEASON HAS SHATTERED ALL (LEAGUE??) RECORDS FOR PASSING AND RECEIVING.

AND REMEMBER, ONE IS A FRESHMAN AND ONE A SOPHOMORE.

ACCORDING TO BALL, THIS PAIR CAN EVEN GET BETTER.

David Ball
Track 10 3:41-3:55 ?We?re on the same page. We talk a lot. We go through film together. We meet with the coaching staff. But we?re still young, so the mental aspect of the game is still not there yet. And I think once we can get that, we can even be better.?

UNH WON ONE OF THE 16 SPOTS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT.

BUT THE WILDCATS DON' HAVE THE BEST OF MATCHUPS IN THE FIRST ROUND.

TOMORROW IN STATESBORO GEORGIA, BEFORE A NATIONALLY-TELEVISED AUDIENCE, UNH FACES GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, A SIX-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPION.

BUT TOMORROW?S GAME DOESN?T SEEM TO BE AFFECTING THE ROOKIE QUARTERBACK.

Ricky Santos
Track 11 4:13-4:24 ?Coming into the season, I was third or fourth string quarterback, so I didn?t even think I was going to see the field this year. So, I?m just very fortunate how the season?s panned out so far, and I?m just looking forward to the playoffs.?

GAME TIME SATURDAY IS 6 PM.

UNH HAS A PERFECT 7 AND 0 RECORD ON THE ROAD THIS SEASON.

AN EIGHTH VICTORY AWAY FROM HOME TOMORROW WILL PUT THE WILDCATS IN THE QUARTERFINALS NEXT WEEKEND.

FOR NHPR, I?M JIM JEANNOTTE