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PHOTO GALLERY Ken Suhl helped lead the New Haven football team from 1989-92 and anchored the program to its first-ever NCAA Division II postseason appearance. During his career, Suhl quarterbacked the most potent passing attack in the nation and became a legend to Charger football.
As a freshman and sophomore, the Greenfield, Mass. native totaled 15 completions and five touchdowns. He also carried the ball 17 times for 47 yards and one score during his first two years. After serving primarily as a back-up in his first two seasons, Suhl burst onto the New England football scene in the fall of 1991. With fellow Hall of Fame inductee Coach Mark Whipple calling the plays, Suhl amassed over 2,300 yards of total offense as a junior. He completed 139-of-250 pass attempts for 1,775 yards and 17 touchdowns, the program’s second-best passing touchdown total as of 1991. The agile passer added 527 yards and seven touchdowns on 106 carries - averaging just less than five yards per carry. In total, Suhl accounted for more than 230 yards and two touchdowns per game.
Suhl became one of the all-time greatest with another stellar performance during his senior season. The year started with the senior guiding New Haven to a remarkable 14-13 victory over Division I opponent, UConn at Memorial Stadium. The wins kept coming for Suhl and the Chargers in 1992. Another decisive 69-48 victory over Division I Buffalo propelled the Chargers into Division II play. New Haven rallied to 12-straight wins and earned its first-ever NCAA Division II postseason berth. Suhl and the Chargers went to West Chester in their first round game and handed the hosts a 38-26 loss. Suhl completed 19-of-27 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns to lead New Haven into the second round. UNH then defeated Ferris State in the second round at the Yale Bowl, with another outstanding performance by the quarterback. The senior hurled the ball 256 yards, including an NCAA record 99-yard touchdown strike to Tony Willis in the fourth quarter – a record that still stands today. The Chargers’ and Suhl’s season came to an end in the national semifinals to eventual national champions Jacksonville State, but not before re-writing the football record books.
Suhl passed for a third-best 2,336 yards (currently ninth most) and 26 touchdowns (currently sixth most). He added 423 yards and three touchdowns on 93 carries. As a team, the ’92 Chargers led all of NCAA Division II in scoring offense with over 50-points per game and total offense with over 580 yards per game. For his outstanding individual performance, Suhl received numerous postseason accolades. He was recognized not only at the All-New England Player of the Year but also the ECAC Player of the Year. He was the New England Sports Writer’s Association Gold Helmet Award winner, while receiving the weekly Gold Helmet Award twice throughout the season. He was also the first UNH football player to be a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, Division II’s version of the Heisman. He finished fourth in voting for the prestigious award in 1992.
Throughout his career, Suhl passed for over 4,000 yards and led New Haven on a NCAA Division II postseason run to the national semifinals. The Greenfield, Mass. product currently ranks all over the UNH passing records, including eighth in career passing yards with 4,355, t-fifth in career passing touchdowns with 48 and ninth in career completions with 302. Along with his individual accolades, Suhl anchored a team which posted a four-year record of 30-13.
