2008 Woodie Awards
Ricketts Signs with CFL Team
The Mules' All-American Safety will Try to make the Toronto Team this Season
Nate Taylor: Muleskinner
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Sports
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Heck, the guy even won the Most Athletic Male on Campus from the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority Tuesday night. Add professional football player to the list, too.
Senior Kendall Ricketts signed a two-year, free agent contract with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL), Friday, March 28.
As of right now, life is going pretty well for the guy who had dreams of playing professional football when he was a child.
"It's really exciting to get the chance to play professional football," Ricketts said. "My mom was happy for me, and I know I have something to look forward to after the school year."
Ricketts' football resume was a lofty one. To go along with being an All-American, Ricketts was named an MIAA First Team All-Conference selection four times.
He is the only player in school history to earn All-American honors three times and is leaving Central Missouri with 344 tackles. Ricketts was also twice named team Defensive MVP and recorded 19 tackles in a single game as a junior.
For Mules football coach Willie Fritz, watching and coaching Ricketts was a special privilege.
"I knew he was going to be special when I saw him play in high school," Fritz said. "He has worked really hard for this, and I'm really proud of him. I told the scouts in Toronto that Ricketts was the best pure-tackler for the position we have here at Central since I have been here."
Although Ricketts will now get a chance to be on the same team as CFL Hall of Fame quarterback Doug Flutie, there was a time of uncertainty when Ricketts didn't know what he was going to do with his career.
All along, Ricketts wanted to play in the NFL and was going through the draft process when the Argonauts started showing interest in him.
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