History In Durham

[UNHWildCats]

2006 is set to be a historic season for NCAA Football. New Hampshire's David Ball is set to become the all-time NCAA leader in receiving yards, touchdown receptions and at best can be considered a longshot for the receptions record.

Thus far in his three year career, Ball has 3,541 yards. Thats 1,152 shy of the I-AA record and 1,465 shy of the I-A record, both toals are less then his average over the past two seasons.

The touchdowns record could easily be equaled on opening weekend and in all liklihood will be broken on the second game of the season, so get your tickets for the home game against Stony Brook. Ball has 45 Touchdowns and is 5 shy of both the I-A and I-AA records.

The longshot record is total receptions, not being a primary receiver is his freshman year and being pulled early in 2004 and 2005 because of blowouts has hurt his chances but he only needs 107 for the I-AA record that would eclipse both the I-AA and I-A record. Its more likely he finishes around 90 and misses the record, but if games are out of reach in 2006 at the same pace as 2005 look for Ball to play a little longer to add to the receptions totals.

David Ball will go down as the greatest collegiate receiver of all time, and fans should take every oportunity to catch him in his final season.

[th0m]

As long as Ball hass an "off" game against JMU, I don't care how many records he breaks :D

[PapaBear]

is that Ball was a walk-on and his DAD begged Coach Mac to give him a shot. Ask Coach Mac to tell you the story sometime. It's a classic. Very inspirational to any kid who's told he's not good enough.

Congrats to him ...

... but may the Black Bears bust him in the mouth hard enough to keep his skinny butt on the cold Orono bench for a few hours btween, say, 1:00 and 5:00 next November 18. ;)

[UNHWildCats]

is that Ball was a walk-on and his DAD begged Coach Mac to give him a shot. Ask Coach Mac to tell you the story sometime. It's a classic. Very inspirational to any kid who's told he's not good enough.

Congrats to him ...

... but may the Black Bears bust him in the mouth hard enough to keep his skinny butt on the cold Orono bench for a few hours btween, say, 1:00 and 5:00 next November 18. ;)

Yea and if anyone watched the Colgate game they know he was a Track scholaship student, the announcers only mentioned it a zillion times lol

[Mountain Panther]

David Ball will go down as the greatest collegiate receiver of all time, and fans should take every oportunity to catch him in his final season.

How much of your offensive line is back to protect your QB when he's throwing to Ball?

[UNHWildCats]

How much of your offensive line is back to protect your QB when he's throwing to Ball?


they lose 13 seniors from the 2005 team 4 offensive players all starters, the TE, RT, RG and C the rest are Defense and the place kicker

[Mountain Panther]

they lose 13 seniors from the 2005 team 4 offensive players all starters, the TE, RT, RG and C the rest are Defense and the place kicker

So over half your O-Line is gone. I hope the underclassmen got some PT last season. But from what I saw, Santos-Ball don't need much time to connect.

[UNHWildCats]

So over half your O-Line is gone. I hope the underclassmen got some PT last season. But from what I saw, Santos-Ball don't need much time to connect.

underclassmen played most second halfs when UNH took out almost all its starters. The offense wont be a problem, the problems may come on defense where we lost some of the best players plus our 4-year kicker Connor McCormick graduates too

[UNH 40]

So over half your O-Line is gone. I hope the underclassmen got some PT last season. But from what I saw, Santos-Ball don't need much time to connect.

They actually are only losing 2 o-lineman. The center that UNH played with this season was sophamore named Nick Couterior he started every game from the third week on, after starting center Adam Triscilla tore his ACL in practice. So you can expect there O-line to be good again they have a great coach at that position. They will be solid at the least.

[jmuroller]

As a JMU fan, I can't wait till he graduates.

[UNHWildCats]

As a JMU fan, I can't wait till he graduates.

im sure everyone on UNHs schedule this year agrees, and soon he becomes the problem of NFL defenses :D

[jmuroller]

im sure everyone on UNHs schedule this year agrees, and soon he becomes the problem of NFL defenses :D


I think he will be a very productive receiver in the pros. Esp. since his background is in track. If there is one thing you MUST have in the NFL, it is speed.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

they lose 13 seniors from the 2005 team 4 offensive players all starters, the TE, RT, RG and C the rest are Defense and the place kicker

Of course a rebuild line could affect Santos' delivery, but I wouldn't worry too much about Ball. Even with him being double-teamed every down he was getting balls and making great catches. Best receiver I've ever seen live, bar none.

I'm not a draftnik, but I see him as a 1st day draftee.

[UNHWildCats]

Of course a rebuild line could affect Santos' delivery, but I wouldn't worry too much about Ball. Even with him being double-teamed every down he was getting balls and making great catches. Best receiver I've ever seen live, bar none.

I'm not a draftnik, but I see him as a 1st day draftee.

I agree i told a friend i expect him to go anywhere from mid 2nd to late 4th round.

Man he's look great lining up to Bradys right at Foxborough

[UNH 40]

Of course a rebuild line could affect Santos' delivery, but I wouldn't worry too much about Ball. Even with him being double-teamed every down he was getting balls and making great catches. Best receiver I've ever seen live, bar none.

I'm not a draftnik, but I see him as a 1st day draftee.

If he doesn't go on the first day, teams are missing out big time. After playing with him for three years, i can tell you that this kid has an endless wealth of talent. He is 6'3" 205 runs around a 4.5-4.6 and when he did participate in track he was a 7 foot high jumper in high school. You should see the kid play basketball, he dunks as well as any bigtime college b-ball player and a lot of NBAers it is unreal the way he can jump. His jumping ability makes him so affective, I don't know that any college CB can truely defend a kid that is 6'3" and has like a 40 something inch verticle, especially in the endzone. I think he is worthy of a second round pick.

[UNH 40]

I agree i told a friend i expect him to go anywhere from mid 2nd to late 4th round.

Man he's look great lining up to Bradys right at Foxborough

The Pats do like to grab New England college athletes. He is a true New Englander being from Vermont and playing at UNH. Brady would love throwing the ball to him.

[UNHWILDCATS05]

This is true. He can jump ridiculously high. I was at UNH a couple weekends ago for a combined mens/woman track meet (to watch my sister) and saw Ball; still a member of the UNH track team. During the high jump portion, other members from BC, UMASS and Holy Cross were jumping away for about an hour. Finally once the field was reduced down to one other person, Ball decided it was his time to jump (in high jump the athlete chooses at what hight they want to start jumping). Jumped over the bar, first try and came in first in the event. Everyone else had made numerous jumps; Ball makes only one and wins. Wicked funny.

[GannonFan]

It's always been high ability to jump that sets him apart - he's not the fastest guy out there. But he uses his speed well (runs crisp patterns) and he has good hands and he has the ability to leap. Makes it easy for Santos as you could almost throw it anywhere around Ball and he'll go get it.

[UNH 40]

It's always been high ability to jump that sets him apart - he's not the fastest guy out there. But he uses his speed well (runs crisp patterns) and he has good hands and he has the ability to leap. Makes it easy for Santos as you could almost throw it anywhere around Ball and he'll go get it.

you hit the nail on the head with each point that you made. Just to add one more thing about him that sets him apart is the fact that he is slippery he seems to break a lot of tackles and he certainly doesn't look as though he would. He also has the best body control i have seen in a football player at the I-AA level.

[Mr. C]

No disrespect to David Ball, who is a fine receiver, and one of the best in I-AA history, but to say he is better than guys like Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, or Terrell Owens is ludicrous. Rice set a standard that no other receiver in football history (college and pro both) has come close to. Moss was the most dominating receiver I have seen in person at the I-AA level. It isn't often that a WR can dominate games like Moss did. There simply wasn't any one on defense who could defend him. Owens didn't have big numbers in I-AA, because of the fact he played with some terrible players around him and didn't have a QB that could get him the ball, but you could tell he was going to be a stud. Ball is great, but he isn't close to being the best ever.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Not sure anyone said Ball was the best ever and I don't have the time to re-read all the posts on this thread. I think the thread was started just to recognize how close David Ball is to breaking some significant records. And while he might not be the physical specimen of a TO, he is on target to beat some of Jerry Rice's records. And whether he does anything in the NFL or not, breaking any of those records should be viewed as a very significant accomplishment.

[Mr. C]

David Ball will go down as the greatest collegiate receiver of all time, and fans should take every oportunity to catch him in his final season.
This was what the originator of this thread said and I was responding to that. For my money, I'd put Rice on one flank and Moss on the other, with Owens as my third receiver, if I were picking an all-time team.