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University of Minnesota Athletics
Classic Re-Write: Chris Darkins
10/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
In honor of this week's game against Purdue, we take a look back at a former Gopher running back who had a pair of career days against the Boilermakers. In 1994, Chris Darkins rushed for 234 yards in a 49-37 loss in West Lafayette. The following year, he broke the school record with 294 yards rushing against the Boilermakers in a 39-38 win at the Metrodome. This story appeared in Minnesota's official game program on Saturday, November 19, 1994.
With a little more than 14 minutes left in the fourth quarter at Michigan Stadium Saturday, Golden Gopher quarterback Tim Schade took the snap from center Todd Jesewitz and handed off to running back Chris Darkins.
Slashing off right tackle, the multi-talented Darkins ran for nine of his 93 yards on the day. But more importantly, he ran himself right into the Golden Gopher record books. Heading into tonight's season finale against Iowa, the junior from Houston, Texas, has racked up a single-season school record 1,255 yards1. The previous school mark of 1,240 yards was set by Darrell Thompson in 1986.
Ranked second in the Big Ten and seventh in the nation in rushing heading into tonight's battle with the Hawkeyes, the always-humble Darkins is quick to point out the main reason for his extremely lofty numbers.
"The offensive line is the number one reason for any success that I've had this season," Darkins said. "They've done a great job opening up holes for me. The offensive line usually doesn't get much credit, but they're the hub of the team. If you don't have a good offensive line, chances are you're going to struggle moving the ball and putting points on the board."
Darkins is also quick to give credit to former U of M running back Kevin McClintock2, now a video assistant for the Golden Gophers. Prior to each game, McClintock prepares a list of things for his prized pupil to keep in mind once the game begins.
"Ken worked with me when he was a senior and I was just a freshman," said Darkins. "It was an unselfish thing for him to do because I actually took playing time away from him, but he has helped me become the best player I can be. He watches every step I make. From my freshman year on he has told me things and has taught me things, and he knows what he is talking about. During films, he just watches me and then tells me what I need to work on. No matter where I am, he watches every step I take. He really deserves a lot of credit for where I am today."
A candidate for the prestigious Doak Walker Award3 which honors college football's top running backs, Darkins has registered five 100-plus yard games this season. He has moved into fourth place on the school's career rushing list with 2,222 yards4.
In the 49-37 defeat at Purdue back on Oct. 8, he racked up a career-best 234 yards on 31 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns, including a career-long 47 yarder. That ranks second on the school's all-time modern-day, single-game list behind Kent Kitzmann's 266-yard performance against Illinois on Nov. 12, 19775. Kitzmann carried the ball a then-NCAA record (still is the Big Ten record) 57 times in that game.
The likeable Darkins, who has joined senior defensive tackle Ed Hawthorne as a team co-captain this season, is a hit with his teammates both on and off the field. They have given him the nickname "Darkside".
"I like it. They gave it to me for two reasons," Darkins said. "One is because I wear the dark visor on my helmet. The other is that I'm in my own little world during games. When I'm playing, it's like I'm on the darkside. I'm totally focused on one thing during the game, and that's to play as hard as I can on every play."
It's no secret that NFL scouts are already salivating over the prospect of having Darkins in their backfield someday. A Big Ten finalist in the sprints for the Golden Gopher track and field team, he possesses the size and strength to run effectively inside and the breakaway speed to make the big play. Darkins quickly dispels any and all rumors that he will leave Gold Country after this season for the pot of gold at the end of the professional football rainbow.
"I'm not leaving early for the (NFL) draft," Darkins said6. "I feel that I have an obligation to my teammates, to the coaching staff and to the many fans that have supported us to stay here. Leaving on a winning note, hopefully with a bowl game, and helping to create a winning tradition here is very important to me.
"Academics are also very important to me," the business major added. "First and foremost, I want to get my degree. Don't get me wrong, playing in the NFL would be a wonderful opportunity and I hope I get my chance. People ask me 'What if you get hurt?' Well, if that happens, the Twin Cities is a great place to live with a lot of opportunities available after I get my degree. What I truly want to do is get involved in international business. If football doesn't work out, I would love to come straight out of school and enter the business world feet first."
Upon meeting Darkins, one quickly gets the impression that this is far from a one-dimensional person. Football is just one part of this extraordinary student-athlete's life. That can be traced back to his parents, Clarence and Claudia.
"Being a well-rounded person has a lot to do with how I was raised," Darkins said. "My parents are instrumental in showing me the way as I was growing up. They always taught me right from wrong, taught me how to treat people with respect. They taught me that people are more important than running the football, to respect them and be nice to them; to always be honorable and trustworthy. Football is very important to me, but it is not the most important thing in my life. Sometimes my priorities get clouded, but they do a good job of helping me keep things in perspective."
"The best thing about Chris Darkins is, not only is he a fine student and a great athlete, but he's a super human being," said Head Coach Jim Wacker. "He is a great leader and has been an outstanding co-captain for us this season. He is a man who will stand up for his convictions."
Written by Marc Ryan7
1 Darkins held the single-season rushing record until 2005. Laurence Maroney rushed for 1,464 yards in his junior season.
2 McClintock lettered for the Golden Gophers from 1990-92. McClintock earned the Bobby Bell Award (Special Teams) in 1991 and the Paul Giel Award (Unselfishness and most concern about the U of M) in 1992.
3 The 1994 Doak Walker Award was given to Colorado's Rashaan Salaam.
4 Darkins is currently fifth on the school's all-time rushing list with 3,235 career yards.
5 Darkins set the single-game school record the following year when he rushed for 294 yards in a 39-38 victory against Purdue at the Metronome on Oct. 7, 1995.
6 Darkins was drafted in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.
7 Marc Ryan is currently an Associate Athletics Director with the Golden Gophers. He was the Director of Media Relations for the Minnesota Men's Athletics Department when this story was written.
