Back in 2009 when Jairus Byrd was a star at the University of Oregon, Darren Carrington junior and his family wrote “Oregon” under a bathroom mirror.
When they were both with the Chargers in the early 90’s, on a team that went to Super Bowl XXIX, Jairus’ father Gil Byrd was a spiritual mentor to Darren Senior, who is now a marriage and family pastor at the Rock Church in Point Loma. Darren jr. considers Jairus his cousin, by faith rather than birth.
Still smiling: Oregon was Darren jr.’s dream school since his freshman year of high school. (goducks.com photo)
So when Scott Frost and the Ducks offered him a scholarship in June 2012, he verbally committed the same day. He told Justin Hopkins of duckterritory.com, “I just couldn’t see it getting any better. The academics, the facilities were unreal, the coaches were amazing. Oregon offered everything and I almost left, but I decided not to wait. I’m a Duck and I’m happy to be a Duck.”
It wasn’t just Byrd’s positive experience, an All-Conference defensive back and Defensive MVP of the 2008 Holiday Bowl, a former Defensive Rookie of the Year, All-Pro and current franchise player for the Buffalo Bills. Darren junior also loved the uniforms and the offense. “Look good, play good. That’s how I feel and so I was attracted to them. They also play fast and I love that.”
Darren played his high school ball at Horizon Christian Academy, a tiny school that plays in Division V of the CIF, just 328 students, 78 in the senior class. 59 students, though, were in advance placement classes, taking 81 AP exams. Founded in 1974, the school motto is “Win. Disciple. Send.”
Nicknamed the Panthers, the school has sent three previous receivers to Division One football despite its tiny size, Ray Harrington (Baylor), Robert Ortiz (SDSU) and Anthony Johnson (Arizona). Chris Johnson is Vice Principal and Head Football Coach, friends with Darren Sr. since D2 was a little boy.
Johnson played a season in the NFL with the Vikings, and he says Darren was the best football player coming out of San Diego in his recruiting year and the best receiver he’s ever had. He told P.K. Daniel of utsandiego.com,
“Explosive, incredible hands, great route runner, physical,” he said. “He does it all.”
“We’ve had some really good receivers at Horizon, and hands down, he is the best. He is light years ahead of them coming out of high school.”
In Darren’s senior year he caught 51 passes for 902 yards and 12 touchdowns, ran 36 times for 202 yards and two more, even played quarterback and safety on the way to becoming CalHi all-state and all-CIF San Diego section. He’d made the varsity as a freshman, caught 37 passes for 825 yards and 10 tds as a sophomore.
In the highlight film the 6-2, 186-pound son of a former NFL player dominates his competition, leaping over top of them, making one-handed grabs along the sideline, hurdling over tacklers, displaying the natural ability and grace of a gifted athlete learning what he can do. At times he overdoes the style points, but it’s all part of experimenting with his gifts and discovering his limits, making the game more interesting with a huge advantage over his opponents. Part of the challenge for him at Oregon will be adjusting to an environment where everyone is gifted.
When he was in first grade, Carrington played playground ball with the sixth graders. His dad, one of the founders along with Tony Dungy and Gil Byrd of the All-Pro Dads program, coached him in flag football. All-Pro Dads teaches that quality time with your kids is more important than stuff, electronic gadgets, privileges, material comforts.
Darren parents have been married for 20 years. They met at Northern Arizona University, where mother Vickie was a sprinter and competitive body builder, and Darren Senior was a walk-on on the football team. The walk-on made good, earning a shot in the NFL, where he lasted 8 years and played in two Super Bowls, intercepting 22 passes in his career. With the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV he returned a kickoff 39 yards to set up Denver’s only touchdown in a blowout loss.
He said of his time in the NFL,
Life as a professional football player can be great, but the truth is you’re only as good as your last play. You realize the world — and even some of your friends — only love you for what you have, or what you can give them. But, my faith in God helps me deal with all this.
Darren’s heard his father’s message. Faith is a major focus in the Carrington household. The son told loveofthegame.com, “I wouldn’t be where I am right now without God…I’ve been blessed that he allows me to do things that I have always been dreaming of.”
Darren has two sisters, also both athletes. Older sister DiArra is the second leading score in Horizon history, now a guard for the University of New Orleans. Younger sister DiJonai averages about 20 points a game for the Panthers, a Division One prospect in hoops, 5-11 when she was a 14-year-old freshman. Her mother has been head basketball coach at the school for the last ten years, with Darren Sr. serving as assistant. He also coaches defensive backs and special teams in football.
All the kids grew up playing multiple sports; Darren, football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, surfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding and golf. At 6-2, 186 he’s still growing into his athletic body. His mother reflected to P.K. Daniel in an article for for the website MaxPreps.com, “We knew that they were special because of their hand-eye coordination at a very young age,” said Vickie Carrington. “Their motor skills were really high.”
At the Division V state basketball championship in Darren’s senior year, they beat St. Joseph Notre Dame of Alameda 47-46. Darren had 17 points and 14 rebounds.
In spite of their many gifts, the Carrington’s faith was tested early. Vickie fell badly while pregnant with their oldest daughter DiArra, and she was born 3 1/2 months early, a micro-premie who weighed less than one pound, 12 ounces. Grave complications and lifelong health issues were a serious possibility, but she thrived, growing up completely healthy. “A blessing from God,” Darren Sr. said, and an experience that shaped their family powerfully.
Out of this background came Darren junior, promising and confident. He maintained a 3.3 GPA in the classroom and compiled gaudy stats, but playing at a small school in the lowest division of California football, it was difficult to get attention from college recruiters and scouts. To get noticed Darren participated in skills clinics and combines, gaining invitations to The Opening in Beaverton, the Champion Gridiron Kings in Orlando, and UnderArmour Rivals Camp in Atlanta. He won MVP of receivers at the Nike Football Training Camp event in Oakland. All of the exposure led to 18 scholarship offers and a roster spot in Semper Fidelis Bowl, but Oregon was the offer he really wanted.
The Carringtons were impressed with the Oregon recruiting process, something that cemented his decision even after Chip Kelly left for the NFL. All seven coaches made an in-home visit late in January. Darren Sr. told loveofthegame.com:
“Oregon’s recruiting process is miles above everyone else’s. Their process was a 4-5 month process from start to finish…They spoke with his teachers, counselors, and coaches…The idea is they want kids they can trust. If they can trust him to go to class then they can trust him to run the 10 yard out called in the huddle rather than cutting it short.” The number of scholarships Oregon offers also stood out to the elder Carrington, “They don’t have nearly as many offers out there as other schools. They are very selective in the kids they want.”
Here’s a glimpse of Darren as a teammate and a person, from a post-game interview by Lisa Lane:
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