BHS Coaches Not Surprised UNH Promoted Santos Former 3-sport Athlete a Skilled Leader

By KEN HAMWEY, Contributing Writer

Ricky Santos speaks to Bellingham High football fans in 2013 when his number was retired. He is now head football coach at UNH. 

Ricky Santos is now the head football coach at the University of New Hampshire, and that promotion didn’t come as any surprise to the coaches he played for at Bellingham High.

Santos played quarterback for Dale Caparaso in high school. His baseball coach was T.J. Chiappone, who also helped Santos sharpen his basketball skills when Chiappone was an assistant for the late Barry Hutchinson. While at BHS, Santos often conferred with Dennis Baker, who was the Blackhawks’ athletic director when Santos was helping Bellingham dominate its foes in all three sports in the Tri Valley League.

While at UNH, Santos rewrote the university’s record book as UNH’s quarterback. He led the Wildcats to four straight playoff berths and after his playing career, he played pro football in Canada. Then, after working as an assistant coach at New Hampshire and Columbia, he became UNH’s 20th head coach last December when Sean McDonnell retired.

Santos was a hall of fame inductee at both BHS and UNH and his number (2) was retired at both venues. At UNH, he earned all-America honors and won the Walter Payton Award (the 1-AA equivalent of the Heisman Trophy).

Now 37, Santos finished his UNH career with 123 touchdown passes. He threw for 165 yards and a touchdown in the Hula Bowl and during his 2004 rookie season at UNH, Santos was named the ECAC Rookie of the Year and the Atlantic 10 co-Rookie of the Year. He holds UNH career records in pass attempts (1,498), completions (1,024) and passing yards (12,189). 

At the high school level, Santos was a dominant competitor in football. He was a two-time Tri-Valley League MVP, was twice named the Division 5 Player of the Year, a two-time Metrowest Player of the Year, and, as a senior, won all-State honors. 

In November 2002, during the annual Thanksgiving Day game against Norton, he threw for seven touchdowns. He played forward in basketball on the 2002-03 Blackhawks squad that won a State championship.  

Santos’ two high school coaches and his athletic director took time to reflect on his  days at BHS and they offer their thoughts on why he’ll succeed as a Division 1 college coach. 

DALE CAPARASO

Caparaso coached Santos for 3½ years and they meshed well. While Caparaso guided the Blackhawks to four Super Bowl crowns during his 12-year reign, it was Santos who led BHS to championships in 2000 and 2001.

“Ricky was a captain his senior year and he led by example,’’ Caparaso said. “He wasn’t a screamer. He left the yelling to me. His actions on the field did his talking and as a player he held others accountable.’’

Caparaso, now a Florida resident, is quick to label Santos “a winner’ and is sure his former QB will build a winning program at UNH.

“There’s no doubt that Ricky will not only be successful at UNH, but he’ll also experience success beyond,’’ said Caparaso. “He’s got what I call the ‘it’ factor. He’s a winner, and if he goes to a higher level in college or to the pros, he’ll succeed. His greatest attributes are his work ethic and his preparation. Ricky’s smart enough to know the worst thing he can do is to mimic what another coach does,’’ Caparaso said. “He won’t copy another coach’s style.’’

When Santos was handed the reins at quarterback at UNH as a freshman, he went from fifth-stringer to starter. Caparaso recalled a similar situation at Bellingham.

“Our starting quarterback in 1999 was injured before our game against Millis,’’ Caparaso noted. “Ricky started the last four games that year. His first game was against Millis. He ran and passed effectively but we lost, 24-21, to a team that finished the year as Super Bowl champs. Ricky was thrown into battle with no preparation or any idea he’d start. He was on the jayvees. It was baptism under fire, but it was obvious he’d be successful.’’

 Dennis Baker offered Ricky Santos advice during his days as Bellingham High’s Athletic Director.

DENNIS BAKER

Baker was Bellingham High’s athletic director for 15 years and saw Santos excel in all three sports during a four-year stretch. Now, 73, Baker often gave Santos advice, whether it was words of wisdom for on-field situations or advice off the field. 

“Early on, Ricky and I talked about a variety of things,’’ said Baker, who’s in his 25th year as Bellingham’s softball coach. “Whatever we discussed, we always kept it private. I saw him mature and grow, both as a player and as a student. He accepted responsibility and held himself accountable. He worked hard to become a better-than-average student and turned out to be a dynamic leader.’’ 

Baker saw attributes that Santos had as a student-athlete that he firmly believes will lead to Santos becoming a successful head coach.

“Ricky was like a second coach on the field,’’ Baker noted. “He was a leader and he made other players better. He also was encouraging, always helping a teammate overcome difficulties. He also had good instincts, able to change plays at the line of scrimmage. He had great field vision and he handled pressure well. When he was on summer break from UNH, he often came to the high school and worked with young kids. I thought back then that he’d make a great high school coach. He liked teaching kids about football.’’

 T.J. Chiappone, who coached Ricky Santos in baseball, is confident that he’ll be a success as head football coach at the University of New Hampshire.

T.J. CHIAPPONE 

Chiappone, who was Bellingham’s varsity baseball coach for 25 years and currently is in his 12th year as the boys varsity basketball coach, knew Santos in both those venues.

“In high school, Ricky was a great competitor, he hated to lose, and he was mentally tough,’’ Chiappone said. “Those attributes led to him becoming a strong leader. And, he also had a high IQ in whatever sport he was playing. And, he had good instincts.’’

The 49-year-old Chiappone firmly believes that the attributes Santos relied on at BHS will translate to success as a head coach. “Time will tell,’’ Chiappone said, “but if I had to bet, I think he’ll be a very successful head coach.’’

Santos was UNH’s interim head coach in 2019, and Chiappone believes that experience was great preparation for what lies ahead. “Knowing what the head coaching job involves is important, and Ricky got a taste of that,’’ Chiappone noted. “He knows about long hours and sleepless nights. He’ll handle the transition well.’’

Santos played varsity baseball as a freshman and as a senior. And, Chiappone reeled off his pitching stats for those two years. Freshman year — 23 innings, 4-0 record, 37 strikeouts, 2 walks and an earned-run average of 1.04. Senior year —39 innings, 4-1 record (one save), 53 strikeouts, 15 walks and an E.R.A. of 0.72.

“Ricky also had good hitting numbers, but his pitching stats reveal how mentally tough he was,’’ Chiappone said. “He played three varsity seasons of basketball, he was effective at forward and very much respected by his head coach, the late Barry Hutchinson.’’