Kenneth Darby
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Darby is an American football
running back
for the St. Louis Rams
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft
. Darby has also been a member of the Atlanta Falcons
. He played college football
at Alabama
.
in Huntsville, Alabama. He rushed for 4,674 yards during his prep career and amassed 1,591 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior, when he also had 2,367 all-purpose yards and scored 24 times. As an outside linebacker, he recorded 77 tackles his final campaign, giving him 281 tackles in his career.
. In 2002 he redshirted as a freshman. He first saw action his freshman year in 2003 under former coach Mike Shula
. He played sparingly behind former running backs Shaud Williams
and Ray Hudson. He had 185 yards on 34 carries (5.4 avg.) and also caught three passes in the 10 games he played (one start).
With the graduation of Shaud Williams and starter Ray Hudson falling to injury, Darby saw extensive action in 2004. Taking over the starting running back job five games into the season, Darby rushed for over 1,100 yards. Due an injury at the end of the season, Darby was unable to play in the Music City Bowl
. The Tide finished with a 6-6 record. Darby was a Second-team All-SEC selection after playing 12 games with five starts. He logged 219 carries for 1,062 yards (4.8 avg.) and a career high
eight touchdowns and had 15 receptions for 74 yards (4.9
avg.) and one score.
Darby entered 2005 as a preseason All-SEC player and finished the season as one of the top running backs in the SEC. That year, the Crimson Tide finished 10-2 with a victory over Texas Tech
in the Cotton Bowl Classic. He was a First-team All-SEC after starting all 12 games, with 239 carries for a career-high 1,242 yards (5.2 avg.) and three touchdowns and had 29 catches for 132 yards (4.6 avg.).
Darby entered his senior season needing just over 1,000 yards rushing to surpass Shaun Alexander
as Alabama's career rushing leader. He rushed for over 800 yards and finished the season without a rushing touchdown. The Crimson Tide finished 6-6 with a loss to Oklahoma State in the Independence Bowl
. In 2006 Darby was a Second-Team All-SEC selection by The NFL Draft Report. He started all 13 games carrying 210 times for 835 yards (4.0 avg.) and caught 23 passes for 130 yards (5.7 avg.) and one score. After the season, Darby was selected to play in the Senior Bowl
.
in the seventh round. He was waived by the Buccaneers during final cuts on August 30, 2008.
. He remained there the first six weeks of the season.
' active roster from the Falcons' practice squad on October 14, 2008, after running back
Brian Leonard
was placed on injured reserve
. Darby was also named the starter for the Rams' week 10 game with Steven Jackson
being out for the game. During a game against the San Francisco 49ers, Darby caught a pass and was struck by Umpire Garth DeFelice who was trying to protect himself. Darby ended the 2008 NFL season
with 32 carries for 140 yards (4.4 average) and 19 receptions for 183 yards (9.6) average and one touchdown.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. Darby has also been a member of the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
.
Early years
Darby attended S. R. Butler High SchoolS. R. Butler High School
S. R. Butler High School is a four-year public high school that serves students in grades 9-12 from Huntsville, in Madison County, Alabama in the United States, as a part of Huntsville City Schools.- General information :...
in Huntsville, Alabama. He rushed for 4,674 yards during his prep career and amassed 1,591 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior, when he also had 2,367 all-purpose yards and scored 24 times. As an outside linebacker, he recorded 77 tackles his final campaign, giving him 281 tackles in his career.
College career
Kenneth Darby played his college ball at the University of AlabamaUniversity of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
. In 2002 he redshirted as a freshman. He first saw action his freshman year in 2003 under former coach Mike Shula
Mike Shula
Mike Shula is an American football quarterback coach for the Carolina Panthers, an NFL team. Between 2003 and 2006, he was the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program.- Early life :...
. He played sparingly behind former running backs Shaud Williams
Shaud Williams
Shaud Rashae Williams is an American football running back for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Alabama.- Early career :Born in Andrews, Texas, Williams attended Andrews High...
and Ray Hudson. He had 185 yards on 34 carries (5.4 avg.) and also caught three passes in the 10 games he played (one start).
With the graduation of Shaud Williams and starter Ray Hudson falling to injury, Darby saw extensive action in 2004. Taking over the starting running back job five games into the season, Darby rushed for over 1,100 yards. Due an injury at the end of the season, Darby was unable to play in the Music City Bowl
Music City Bowl
The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998.-Site:The first Music City Bowl was played at Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998...
. The Tide finished with a 6-6 record. Darby was a Second-team All-SEC selection after playing 12 games with five starts. He logged 219 carries for 1,062 yards (4.8 avg.) and a career high
eight touchdowns and had 15 receptions for 74 yards (4.9
avg.) and one score.
Darby entered 2005 as a preseason All-SEC player and finished the season as one of the top running backs in the SEC. That year, the Crimson Tide finished 10-2 with a victory over Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in the Cotton Bowl Classic. He was a First-team All-SEC after starting all 12 games, with 239 carries for a career-high 1,242 yards (5.2 avg.) and three touchdowns and had 29 catches for 132 yards (4.6 avg.).
Darby entered his senior season needing just over 1,000 yards rushing to surpass Shaun Alexander
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Edward Alexander is a former American football running back who played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Alabama.- Early career :Alexander was born and...
as Alabama's career rushing leader. He rushed for over 800 yards and finished the season without a rushing touchdown. The Crimson Tide finished 6-6 with a loss to Oklahoma State in the Independence Bowl
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
. In 2006 Darby was a Second-Team All-SEC selection by The NFL Draft Report. He started all 13 games carrying 210 times for 835 yards (4.0 avg.) and caught 23 passes for 130 yards (5.7 avg.) and one score. After the season, Darby was selected to play in the Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
.
Pre-draft
| Pre-draft measureables | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-10⅜ * | 211 * | 4.61 ** | 1.73 * | 2.83 * | 4.38 ** | 6.99 ** | 30" * | 9'00" * | 19 * | 12 * | |||||||||
| * represents NFL Combine NFL Combine The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general... **represents Alabama Pro Day |
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ken Darby was selected by the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the seventh round. He was waived by the Buccaneers during final cuts on August 30, 2008.
Atlanta Falcons
On September 1, 2008, Darby was signed to the practice squad of the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He remained there the first six weeks of the season.
St. Louis Rams
Darby was signed to the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
' active roster from the Falcons' practice squad on October 14, 2008, after running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Brian Leonard
Brian Leonard
-St. Louis Rams:On April 28, 2007, Leonard was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the second round with the 52nd overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft. Leonard signed a four-year, $2.8 million contract on July 24, 2007, that includes $1.55 million in guaranteed money. Coach Scott Linehan decided to use...
was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. Darby was also named the starter for the Rams' week 10 game with Steven Jackson
Steven Jackson
Steven Rashad Jackson is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Rams 24th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State University....
being out for the game. During a game against the San Francisco 49ers, Darby caught a pass and was struck by Umpire Garth DeFelice who was trying to protect himself. Darby ended the 2008 NFL season
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
with 32 carries for 140 yards (4.4 average) and 19 receptions for 183 yards (9.6) average and one touchdown.