Arkee Whitlock finishes third in Payton Award voting
12/14/2006 | 12:00:00 | Football
Dec. 14, 2006
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (SPORTS NETWORK) - New Hampshire quarterback Ricky Santos was named the 20th winner of the Walter Payton Award tonight at the Division I-AA College Football Awards.
Santos threw for 2,681 yards and 23 touchdowns and ran for 385 yards and 12 scores in the regular season, and directed a New Hampshire offense that threw for 249.6 yards per game and ranked third nationally with 36.5 ppg. Santos tossed only five interceptions all season, and led the Wildcats to the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Santos excelled in the first round of the postseason as well, as he threw for 318 yards and five touchdown passes to lead New Hampshire past Hampton, 41-38.
Whitlock, who received 11 first-place votes and 199 points, finished behind Santos (20 first-place votes, 250 points) and Northern Arizona quarterback Jason Murrietta (17 first-place votes, 238 points). Youngstown State's Marcus Mason was in a close fourth with 19 first-place votes and 195 points.
"To be one of the players here was exciting and something I'll always remember," said Whitlock. "I was just glad to be a part of this special night."
Whitlock, who hails from Rock Hill, S.C., is the first Saluki named a finalist for the Payton Award.
A Walter Camp Football Foundation, American Football Coaches Association and Associated Press All-American, he polished off his illustrious Saluki career with 1,828 rushing yards, 25 touchdowns and 2,330 all-purpose yards in 2006.
Whitlock, a first-team all-Gateway Conference pick for the second-straight year, broke both the SIU and Gateway all-time career and single-season records in all-purpose yards. He also shattered SIU's single-season records in points scored (150) and rushing TDs.
The Walter Payton Award was established in 1987 by The Sports Network. A panel of 112 I-AA/FCS sports information directors and selected media voted for this year's award.
