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Darden drawn to CU assistant Kiesau
Receiver chose Buffs based on current players' relationship with position coach
College coaches can make promises, boast about what their schools have to offer and make young athletes feel like a million dollars, but sometimes the words of current members of a team trump all that.
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Jarrod Darden, a 6-foot-5 wide receiver from Keller Central High School in Keller, Texas, became one of the first two commitments of the 2009 Colorado football recruiting class last month after working everything over in his mind and deciding Boulder was the right destination for him. He said the single biggest factor in choosing to be Buff came from conversations he had with current players this spring.
Darden said when he was in Colorado in April for the spring game, he spent most of his time with current receivers such as Patrick Williams, Josh Smith, Kendrick Celestine and Markques Simas. He said the information they provided and the picture they painted of their relationship with wide receivers coach Eric Kiesau was impressive.
"They said he wasn't really about yelling that much, that he was more about telling you what you did wrong and helping you fix it," Darden said. "He tells you what you need to do instead of what not to do."
Darden said he places heavy emphasis on the player-coach relationship because he understands he will likely spend at least the next four years being tutored by Kiesau. CU coaches covet a receiver with Darden's size, speed and potential. He runs a 4.6-second 40-yard dash.Rivals.com ranked Darden as a three-star prospect this spring following a junior season in which he caught 46 passes and scored 14 touchdowns playing in Keller Central's spread offense. He said he loves playing wide receiver and wouldn't want to play another position. During the recruiting process some coaches have asked him about moving to tight end.
"People say that, but I really don't want to play tight end," Darden said. "I think my position is receiver and I think as far as when people see me play, they think I'm a receiver also with the way I play and the way I catch the ball and run my routes and stuff."
He believes he is playing in a system now that will perfectly prepare him for what CU is doing with its no-huddle system. Darden said his doctor has told him he could still grow another inch in the coming year. He weighs about 210 pounds and said he doesn't expect to put on much more weight in the future.
Darden's father was a defensive lineman at Texas A&M more than 25 years ago and went on to a career in the insurance industry. His mother has a long history in banking and his step-father is an inspector for American Airlines. Darden said he doesn't know what he plans to study when he arrives in Boulder a year from now. He carries a 3.8 grade-point average into his senior year.
Texas A&M was among a handful of schools recruiting Darden along with CU, but he stopped hearing from the Aggies when the coaching change was made in College Station at the end of last season. He also had a scholarship offer from Texas Tech and Stanford.
A handful of schools continue to recruit Darden primarily through mailings despite his commitment to CU. He said Stanford coaches are the only coaches he continues to receive phone calls from other than CU.
He said he is planning to use only one of five available official visits this fall and hopes to be in Boulder for the Oct. 4 homecoming game against Texas
He is being recruited by offensive line coach Jeff Grimes and Kiesau and gave CU coaches his commitment on June 7 the same day Jordan Wynn, a 6-2 quarterback from Oceanside, Calif., pledged to be a Buff. They remain the only to commitments in a class that is expected to number around 18-20 players.
2009 commits
Jarrod Darden, WR, Keller, Texas, 6-5, 205
Jordan Wynn, QB, Oceanside, Calif., 6-2½, 187
Posted by walto_clown on July 1, 2008 at 1:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We've all said it before, but again, welcome to Mr. Darden. Congratulations to the CU coaching staff for landing this promising recruit.
Posted by archalon on July 1, 2008 at 6:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sweet - welcome aboard.
Posted by flabuff227 on July 1, 2008 at 7:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Im betting his stock will only go up as time goes on. I think we will see him as a 4 star,judging from his highlights.
Posted by DCBuff on July 1, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I like this kid a lot...he's good in the classroom, great size and speed, and his stock and ability will only get better once he suits up in black and gold.
Posted by MDBuff on July 1, 2008 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Any news on others who may be close to signing?
Posted by extrapoint on July 1, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
6 foot 5?
Tall should be ecstatic.
right?
Posted by CABuffalo on July 1, 2008 at 9:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wrong extrapoint - you forget who Tall is - he will point out that he doesn't run a 4.4 forty or that some other recruit is 6' 6"... I assure you, he will point out some stupid factoid.
Posted by baBUFF on July 1, 2008 at 10:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Love this kid, and glad he is a Buff. It was a need and we addressed it early with a big end zone target for Cody. I think this gives us a receiving corp with a good blend of size and speed.
Great job, keep them coming.
Heard a rumor a while back that Wynn tore his ACL days after committing to the Buffs - any truth to that?? I hope it's not true.
Posted by flabuff227 on July 1, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't know if you heard that on another thread, but that is where i read it. I think it was some troll just being a jerk. I haven't heard a word about it since.
Posted by baBUFF on July 1, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That is where I heard it too, so hopefully you're right. Didn't mean to cause any panic, just wanted to aleviate my fears. Thanks.
Posted by BuffNut99 on July 1, 2008 at 11:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Finally we are getting big (again) at the WR position. I want a bunch of DJ Hacketts and Michael Westbrooks running around out there, not a bunch of Stephone Robinsons.
His 4.6 40 might be a concern, but it's all about how he runs on the field with the ball during a game. Jerry Rice was a 4.7 40, but he moved and accelerated so well that you didn't notice.
Posted by BuffTime on July 1, 2008 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Not sure on the truth to the Wynn ACL rumor, but I wouldn't worry about it too much even if it were true. He has a senior year plus a likely redshirt year to get 100% again. Hawk doesn't use injuries as an excuse to withdraw a scholarship offer and it will only keep the other wolves at bay while he gets ready to come to CU.
On another note: ATTENTION MIKE BOHN: Get on signing Stanford to a FB series! They seem to be going after a lot of the same recruits that Hawk goes after and they have similar academic requirements and intangibles. Would be a good match-up in a few years to show which conference does a better job at recruiting serious student athletes. Would be a fun home and home too. Might actually get some engineers to the game too. :-)
Posted by IowaBuffFan on July 1, 2008 at 12:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree! Let's put Stanford and UCLA on the schedule!!!
Posted by BuffTime on July 1, 2008 at 2:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Almost forgot, we could pit Boulder hippies against Bay Area hippies for a Hippie-Off too!
Posted by flabuff227 on July 1, 2008 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
According to scout, abdul smith is supposed to make a decision tommorrow. He is a safety out of PA. Rated the 25th best. My guess is that he will stay out east. though, it is something to keep your eye on. All of the schools he is considering are listed as medium interest.
Posted by baBUFF on July 1, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Zero chance of landing Smith. He said he will be choosing from his top 5 schools (Boston College, Penn St, Pittsburgh, Maryland, and Rutgers) and CU is not on that list.
My money is on Rutgers.
Posted by flabuff227 on July 1, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
scout has cu on his list. Where did he say that?
Posted by flabuff227 on July 1, 2008 at 3 p.m. (Suggest removal)
nevermind. I didnt bother to click on the full story because its usually not given.
Posted by extrapoint on July 1, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
4.6 is no concern at all if the kid has great cuts, timing and anticipation. 2 tenths of a second can easily be compensated for if you know what you are doing. WRs have a lot more advantage than that because they know where they are going and the DB has to react.
Posted by goldenchild on July 1, 2008 at 5:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
4.6 is quick for a 6 foot 5 WR.. the only guys who run 4.4s are freaks of nature who are generally a lot shorter. 4.5 is as fast as you'll see from someone that tall.. Dont't worry, Darden will be a stud!
Posted by extrapoint on July 1, 2008 at 5:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I guess Donnie Jennert (Glenwood Springs)is not on Hawk's radar. Kid is 6-7 and runs a 4.5. He has been tearing em up at camps and combines. Maybe grades are an issue
Posted by WhosYourDaddy on July 1, 2008 at 10:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No, Jennert is too tall. Hawk learned his leason; no more tall athletes on the team - it makes the midget QB look ... well ... short!
Posted by flabuff227 on July 2, 2008 at 12:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Talls girlfriend is back. sHe sure is well... stupid!
Posted by CABuffalo on July 2, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WhosYourMommy got his butt whipped by a small kid in elementary school and hasn't let it go since.
Posted by bufffan8 on July 2, 2008 at 11:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
whosyour is 6'2" but has no athletic ability and it kills him that his god given height has gone to waste from an athletic standpoint. He is now taking scouting reports from some random 15yr old kid. pretty pathetic daddy.
Posted by bufffan8 on July 2, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
by the way whosyour - at the Elite 11 QB camp (which Cody was invited to) they measure height and weight and Cody was 5'11". Unless you think he sliped them $50 to list him at 5'11". So stop making up stories about his height, you look like a loser doing so.
Posted by CABuffalo on July 2, 2008 at 5:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
On this same note:
CU just picked up another commit from 6' 5" QB Clark Evans.
I believe Jordan Wynn, the other QB commit, is about 6'2"
Had to mention their height to satisfy the height obsessed Tall and WhosYourMommy.
Posted by WhosYourDaddy on July 4, 2008 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just wait until Hawk gets back from Peru and finds out his assitants have offered scholarships to real QB's: heads will roll.
BTW, Cody got invited to the Elite 11 Camp because his Daddy pulled strings to get the invite.
Posted by bufffan8 on July 4, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Regardless - they listed him at 5'11"
By the way - here's a quote from ESPN:
"After Cody Hawkins went to the summer camps conducted by Bob Johnson, the quarterback guru who started the Elite 11, Johnson told Dan Hawkins, "You better stop recruiting all these other guys and walk down the hall and knock on your son's bedroom and beg him to play for you." "
Posted by bufffan8 on July 4, 2008 at 10:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Whosyour - you are Brian White aren't you.
Posted by rodrigo on July 4, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Poor wheresmymommy.
Cody Hawkins succeeds in life, plays QB at a Division 1 school, has lots of friends and talents that extend beyond the football field, a great family, and all mommy can do is post anonymous attacks on the Internet.
The word impotent comes to mind.
Posted by WhosYourDaddy on July 5, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The word "nepotism" comes to my mind.
Posted by rodrigo on July 5, 2008 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That, too, separates you from the rational world. Poor guy.
Posted by WhosYourDaddy on July 5, 2008 at 10:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Brian White? Why not any of the other QB's that Hawk has screwed in order to give his son the job: Cox, White, Nelson, Jackson, Ballenger, Walters, Geer, and Devenny.
Posted by WhosYourDaddy on July 5, 2008 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Rodrigo, while you're waiting for another word to come into your mind, try "sycophant" and see if you can think of someone that it might apply to.
Posted by flabuff227 on July 5, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
yea, they got screwed!cox and jackson couldn't throw. Geer and walters have a shot at the pros.
"that too separates you from the rational world. poor guy".
Rodrigo- nonesdaddy just proved your point. Dont be rude and remember to thank him.
Posted by rodrigo on July 5, 2008 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Last year I was Hawk's mistress. Then I was Misty. Now I'm just a sychophant.
Uh-oh. Did I hit a nerve? Try intervention, mommy. You need it.
Posted by rodrigo on July 5, 2008 at 2:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
By the way, thank you.
Posted by extrapoint on July 7, 2008 at 12:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Tall's true personality finally busts loose in the whosyourcrabby mode. Dry sarcasm finally gives away to outright belligerence.
His desperation reminds me of Bill Murray in "Caddy Shack" with his futile and comical attempts to corral the groundhog.
He will never tell us what drives him constantly to bash the Hawkins. To do that would completely destroy any credibility he still maintains in his own mind. He is transparent enough he has none left with anyone here.
Posted by WhosYourDaddy on July 7, 2008 at 10:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Rodrigo - We all suspected you were "close" to Hawk - but when did you break off your affair with him?
Extrapoint - Here's your chance! With Rod out of the picture, if you play your cards right, you'll never have to wear the "Chip" costume again!
Posted by extrapoint on July 8, 2008 at 7:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have an orange jump suit I want you to wear for me. I'm goin to be your daddy. I hope you have a proctologist who is handy with a needle and thread
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