Darren Carrington to Utah

[RedLine]

This guy put the daggar in our heart last year and now he’ll be playing for us.  Speaks a lot to respect for our program seeing that he could have gone anywhere and Utah was on his radar.

Makes me wonder what aspect was the selling point.  A progam that has taken on talented and troubled athletes before and done well with them?  Immediate ability to contribute?  NFL draft history?  Coaching? Combination of multiple?  

Whether he plays as many downs as Josh Gordon at Utah or becomes a solid contributor, I like that Utah takes chances on kids and believes in second chances.   

Some would argue this isn’t a second chance for him as he’s had multiple incidences in his past, but I’d argue getting kicked off a team and finding another chance at D1 is the epitome of a real ‘second chance’

[Tony (admin)]

It would be interesting to know what the criteria was. My guess is familiarity with relation to being in the Pac-12.  Perhaps interaction with our staff after the last game or prev games. Facilities perhaps? Of course the NFL pipeline would make a lot of sense. The U is selling that angle harder and harder, as they should.

[noneyadb]

[UteThunder]

Very well said. Oregon never gave him a second chance. He messed up at Oregon multiple times and was disciplined for those indiscretions. If he had been kicked off the team, or done something that normally results in someone being kicked off the team, and then Oregon let him come back or stay, then you could say he already had a second chance. But that never happened, at least not to my knowledge. Utah is his second chance. 

 

[Skywalker11]

Carrington missed 7 games due failing the NCAA drug policy including the biggest college football game he’d ever play in his life.

last year he assaulted a dude and broke his arm while being quoted saying “I’m Darren Carrington!” In which he was forced to sit out the 1st quarter of the remaining 5 games of the season last year including the game in Salt Lake.

Quit trying to justify his stupidity by trying to word it in a way to make it seem as if Oregon didn’t handle it correctly to not get Carrington on the right track.

He’s been arrested or in trouble with the law on 4 different occasions and was also highly suspected of an on-campus theft. He has been given ample chances and opportunity. Being kicked off the team and forced to go somewhere else is not the “epitome” of a 2nd chance, That is the “Epitome” of a “last chance.”

I hope he can do it and find success at Utah, just don’t be surprised if he lets you all down.

[Utebeam]

Sounds like the guy has zero self control. I hope he is able to be turn it around. The good thing is that the U won’t tolerate his behavior for one second. Based on what you are saying it will be interesting to see if he makes it to the first game.

[Puget Ute]

I wish he had been suspended for the 4th quarter of those games…

**edit** and the worst thing about the altercation with the fan is that guy was a Ducks fan who travelled from Texas to watch the game.

[Skywalker11]

Carrington is phenomenal when he is on. Unfortunately, he is not a leader. His best season was as a freshman with Mariota throwing to him and a guy like Bralon Addison mentoring him. He was consistent, he made huge plays, he was always open. He played diciplined because his teammates forced him to. then he got suspended by the NCAA along with 2 other WR’s who got hurt against Florida st in the playoffs, Mariota had no one to throw it to in the title game. Oregon never had a chance in large part due to his selfishness.

Once Mariota and Addison left, Carrington hasn’t been the same since. You can see the talent is there, he has shown it countless times on individual plays but he has no interest in team chemistry and only played for himself which coincides with his off field antics.

That being said, if theres any team who could tame him and teach him to play for the team and to get over himself, its probably Utah. But I could very easily see him getting 2 or 3 games into the season and realizing that its too much for him.

[Tony (admin)]

Thanks for the comments @skywalker11 – I’m one of the cautiously optimistic ones. I hope we can keep him under control. Otherwise we will look like idiots for bringing him on.

[Utah]

I don’t think we look dumb. We’ve been through this before with Josh Gordon. He will have a strict set of guidelines. If he follows them, great, we just found an amazing WR with NFL talent. If not? He will quietly not dress and then fade away. 

 

[UteThunder]

How do you know he will “quietly not dress and then fade away” if he messes up? Sure, that would be the ideal way for it to play out if he gets in trouble, but I’m guessing there will be news reports about him leaving the team for disciplinary reasons at a minimum. And if he gets busted for DUI, assault, or drugs, you better believe that will make the news.

[Puget Ute]

Josh Gordon showed up just in time to start classes in Sept, never really dressed for the games, left the team in early November, and declared for the draft in Jan. He didn’t even attend his classes and tried to get away with the same garbage he learned at Baylor.

If Carrington misses any classes, or any training sessions, or ever dogs it in practice, then Whitt/Troy Taylor/Guy Halliday will kick his ass to the curb faster than he could ever imagine. They won’t tolerate any crap from Carrington, and this is obviously his last chance. If he works his butt off and shines through it he will be playing on Sundays next year. If not, then he will have a tough time. He HAS to realize this.

And you are correct, any slip up will make the news. And the zoobs in the state will never let it go.

[Skywalker11]

I agree with this, I don’t think theres anything wrong with giving him another chance whether this be his 2nd or 5th as long as the leash is short.

Carrington being dismissed had as much to do with Willie Taggart having to set the tone as a new coach as much as it did Carrington being an idiot. Not quite charlie strong level at texas but Taggart inherited a bunch of undisciplined talent, He had no other choice.

Mark Helfrich was a terrible coach, a terrible leader, and a terrible disciplinary. Taggart made it clear when he was hired that the program was ran amok under the previous staff and stated very clearly that none of that would be tolerated but that he knew that some players would “test him”. Carrington did and paid the price.

That being said, this whole situation doesn’t need to be painted as anything other than what it was. A kid who was given several chances and opportunities to succeed at the school he chose after high school and would still be at if it were his decision. Ultimately being given one last shot by another program after his own antics let him down. This isn’t his 2nd chance, this is his last chance.

[Author]

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