Darren Studstill

Last updated

Darren Studstill
No. 30
Position: Safety
Personal information
Born: (1970-08-09) August 9, 1970 (age 53)
Riviera Beach, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:186 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school: Palm Beach Gardens
(Palm Beach Gardens, Florida)
College: West Virginia
NFL draft: 1994  / Round: 6 / Pick: 191
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Games played:16
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Darren Henry Studstill (born August 9, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars. He also was a member of the London Monarchs in the World League of American Football (WLAF). In 1994, he was drafted in the sixth round by the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at West Virginia University.

Contents

Early years

Studstill attended Palm Beach Gardens Community High School, where he lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track.

He accepted a football scholarship from West Virginia University. As a redshirt freshman, he was the backup to quarterback Greg Jones. He also set a new school record with a 76-yard touchdown pass to James Jett against the University of Cincinnati.

In 1991, he was named the starting quarterback, throwing for 1,055 yards with 8 touchdowns and rushing for 307 yards with 2 touchdowns. His starting debut ended early when he suffered a shoulder strain early in the second quarter against the University of Pittsburgh. He returned to action against the University of South Carolina, throwing for 176 yards and rushing for 50 yards.

As a junior, he began sharing the starting position with transfer Jake Kelchner, both players were talented but with very different skill sets. Kelchner was the prototype pocket passer, while Studstill was an all-around athletic player. Head coach Don Nehlen never named a full-time starter, and kept it as a shared position throughout the tenure of both players. He passed for over 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season, posting 1,065 yards passing with 9 touchdowns, while rushing for 65 yards on 39 carries with 2 touchdowns. With a 20-point fourth quarter against the University of Maryland, he engineered the biggest comeback in school history, passing 16 out of 21 attempts for 166 yards and 3 touchdowns, with scoring drives of 78, 73 and 55 yards. With Kelchner out with an injury against the University of Miami, he played the entire game connecting 28 out of 41 attempts for 308 yards. Against Louisiana Tech University he had a 78-yard touchdown pass to Jett, breaking his own school record.

As a senior, the Mountaineers' went undefeated in the 1993 regular season. [1] While rotating with Kelchner, he completed 48 passes for 760 yards with 8 touchdowns, rushing for 145 yards on 25 carries with one touchdown. He saw his first action in the third game against the University of Missouri and had his best performance of the season against Rutgers University, completing on 11 of 16 attempts for a season-high 214 yards and 3 touchdowns. [2]

West Virginia played the Florida Gators in the 1994 Sugar Bowl. The Mountaineers first drive went 80-yards and scored on a pass, then stopped the Gators on their first drive. The next Gator-drive almost went three-and-out, until a personal foul on Steve Perkins gave Florida the momentum. Kelchner was playing a good game, but Nehlen surprised many by putting Studstill in. On the Mountaineers first drive, Studstill threw an interception. Florida ran off with the game after that, winning 41–7. [3]

He finished ranked sixth on the school's all-time list in career touchdown passes (27) and seventh in attempts (456) and passing yards (3,158).

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Studstill was not considered a pro style quarterback entering the NFL because of his inaccuracy and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round (191st overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft, with the intention of being converted into a defensive back. [4] He spent most of his rookie season in the practice squad, until being promoted to the active roster on November 30. [5] He appeared in one game, while being declared inactive in 3 contests and the playoffs. He tallied 2 special teams tackles. He was cut on August 22, 1995. [6]

New York Jets

In October 1995, he was signed to the New York Jets' practice squad.

Jacksonville Jaguars

On October 10, 1995, he was signed from the New York Jets' practice squad to replace an injured Darren Carrington. [7] He suffered a sprained knee in the seventh game against the Chicago Bears and missed the following 2 contests. He appeared in 8 of the last 10 games and collected one special teams tackle.

In 1996, he was allocated to the London Monarchs of the World League of American Football. [8] He was a starter at free safety and tied for the league lead with five interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), while making 51 tackles (second on the team). In the NFL regular season, he appeared in 7 games with no starts and was declared inactive in 9 contests. He had 6 special teams tackles, including 3 in season finale against the Atlanta Falcons. He played in all 3 playoff games, making 3 special teams tackles (tied for fourth on team). He was released on August 19, 1997. [9]

Coaching career

After being named head coach of the Royal Palm Beach High School just one season earlier, Studstill was fired in August 2009, just days before the start of training camp for the 2009–2010 season. He was dismissed despite great success on the field in his inaugural campaign, partly because he and Principal Guarn Sims differed over the way Studstill handled finances and supervised his assistant coaches, though no one alleged deliberate wrongdoing by Studstill.

In one season under Studstill, the team went 11-2 and reached the regional finals. He was a finalist for the county's Lou Groza Coach of the Year award. Before being fired, Studstill was given at least two opportunities to resign but declined. An official for the school was quoted as saying "In no way is it an attack on his personal or professional character. This is an isolated issue that directly deals with the direction of the football program." He will also retain his position at the school as a disciplinarian. [10]

In 2010, he was hired to be an assistant coach for the Suncoast Community High School. [11]

Personal life

Studstill's son Devin, was a safety at the University of Notre Dame. In 2019, he transferred to the University of South Florida as a graduate. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Hostetler</span> American football player (born 1961)

William Jeffrey Hostetler is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. He won Super Bowl XXV with the Giants after taking over midseason for an injured Phil Simms. His nickname is "Hoss."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Major Harris (American football)</span> American gridiron football player (born 1968)

Major Harris is an American former college football player who was a quarterback for the West Virginia Mountaineers during the 1980s. Harris was a first-team All-American in 1989 and finished fifth and third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1988 and 1989, respectively. He was also the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989. Harris was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

Mike V. Logan is former American professional American football player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat White (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1986)

Patrick Christian White is an American football coach and former player who is an offensive assistant for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played professionally as a quarterback on the NFL and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Virginia Mountaineers football</span> American college football team

The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of college football. West Virginia plays its home games at Milan Puskar Stadium on the campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The Mountaineers have won or shared a total of 15 conference championships, including eight Southern Conference titles and seven Big East Conference titles. The Mountaineers compete in the Big 12 Conference and are led by head coach Neal Brown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owen Schmitt</span> American football player (born 1985)

Owen Schmitt is a former American football fullback. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia University. Before transferring to the Mountaineers he played at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Wicks</span> American football player (born 1985)

Eric Wicks is a former American football safety. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at West Virginia.

Ernest Lee Mills, III is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Florida Gators.

Willie Bernard Jackson Jr. is a former American professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Florida. As a football coach, he was the wide receivers coach for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF).

The 1993 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season. The season was the fourth for Steve Spurrier as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The Gators compiled a 10–2 overall record.

The 1993 West Virginia Mountaineers football team completed the regular season with an 11–0 and won the school's first Big East Conference championship in the first year of round-robin play for the conference. The team traveled to the Sugar Bowl, where they lost to the Florida Gators, 41–7. WVU finished the season 11–1.

The 1982 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Mountaineers' 90th overall season and they competed as a Division I-A Independent. The team was led by head coach Don Nehlen, in his third year, and played their home games at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. They finished the season with a record of nine wins and three losses and with a loss against Florida State in the Gator Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lance Frazier</span> American gridiron football player (born 1981)

Elance Antonio Frazier is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League and the Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe. He played college football at the West Virginia University.

Eric Joel Kresser is an American former college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL) for five seasons during the 1990s and early 2000s. Kresser played college football for the University of Florida and Marshall University, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL and the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland–West Virginia football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The Maryland–West Virginia football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Maryland Terrapins and West Virginia Mountaineers. The two schools are strong rivals due to several factors, including similar recruiting areas and the relatively short distance between each other, approximately 210 miles (340 km) apart. The two teams first played in 1919 and the series ran uninterrupted from 1980 to 2007. West Virginia leads the series 28–23–2. The two teams met for the Gator Bowl for a rematch at the end of the 2003 season. Until the series lapsed in 2007, the game was the longest continuously running non-conference game for both schools. The two teams met again in Morgantown in 2015 and in College Park in 2021, with West Virginia and Maryland winning respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarrett Brown</span> American football player (born 1987)

Jarrett Brown is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at West Virginia, and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent following the 2010 NFL Draft. He served as the starting quarterback for the West Virginia Mountaineers at West Virginia University during the 2009 season after three seasons as the backup to Pat White. He was also a member of the Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, BC Lions and Spokane Shock. In 2019, he signed with the West Virginia Roughriders.

The 1994 Sugar Bowl took place on January 1, 1994, in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana between the Florida Gators, the champions of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and West Virginia Mountaineers, winners of the Big East Conference. The Mountaineers came into the game undefeated, with a shot at a share of the national title, while Florida came in 10–2 and ranked #8.

Jarrad Davis is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Noah Igbinoghene is an American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Auburn and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dameon Pierce</span> American football player (born 2000)

Dameon Pierce is an American football running back for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida and was drafted by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

References

  1. ↑ "The Story of the Undefeated 1993 WVU Football Season". Bleacher Report . Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Mountaineers pass on QB controversy" . Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  3. ↑ "60th Annual Sugar Bowl Classic ~ January 1, 1994". Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  4. ↑ "1994 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
  5. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Transactions". The New York Times. 23 August 1995. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Transactions". 11 October 1995. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  8. ↑ "JAGUARS RE-SIGN S DARREN STUDSTILL" . Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Transactions". The New York Times. 20 August 1997. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Darren Studstill fired for "off-the-field management," principal says". The Palm Beach Post. August 5, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Former Royal Palm Beach coach Darren Studstill to assist Suncoast". The Palm Beach Post. March 23, 2010.
  12. ↑ "USF football gets Notre Dame transfer". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.