Darren McFadden needed only one play to convince his Arkansas coaches they had never seen a running back like him wearing Razorback red.
Arkansas coach Houston Nutt and his brother Danny, the UA running backs coach, already knew they had a talented player. But even they were surprised at the burst and power McFadden flashed in his first game.
“We put him in the game, true freshman, and on his first play Danny and I turned and looked at each other,” said Houston Nutt. “Danny said, ‘That’s different.’ And I said, ‘That’s a lot different.’
“The way he hit the hole, with hardly a crease available and the linebackers pinching in, and somehow reaching the second level, it was just special.”
McFadden was more than a freshman phenom. He owns about every running back record in Hogs history.
He’ll be honored at halftime of Saturday’s game against the undefeated and No. 4-ranked Texas A&M Aggies at Razorback Stadium.
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Before Nutt led Arkansas to eight bowl games and two SEC Championship showdowns in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome — the second with McFadden as the star — he was an assistant coach at Oklahoma State.
While there, he witnessed first-hand the immense skills of a couple of Cowboys named Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders.
Both Sanders (2004) and Thomas (2007) were voted into the NFL Hall of Fame. At OSU, the younger Sanders mostly played behind Thomas while also returning kicks.
“I had the pleasure of being around a couple of guys who wear gold jackets (awarded by the Hall of Fame),” Nutt said. “They were the elite of the elite.
“I put Darren in the same conversation, especially when you look at his college days. He was fast, he was strong, his blocking, passing, running the WildHog.”
McFadden took direct snaps a bunch while at Arkansas. He even threw seven touchdown passes in his final two seasons while completing 13-of-20 passes for 192 yards.
The threat of him running the ball helped make him a dangerous quarterback.
For those who don’t know, McFadden might be the best football player to ever strap on a helmet with the iconic running Hog on the side.
Consider the record numbers he put up even while sharing carries with fellow All-American Felix Jones and future NFL starter Peyton Hillis:
“He should’ve won the Heisman one of those years,” Nutt said. “It was an injustice. Of course, I’m a little prejudiced but he was the best player in the SEC.”
Others knew it, too. McFadden won the Walter Camp Award, which is bestowed on the country’s best player, in 2007.
Plus, he was voted by SEC coach as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2006 and ’07. The SEC also honored a defensive player beginning in 2002.
He beat out Florida quarterback Tim Tebow for SEC top honors but the dual-threat Gator was given the Heisman Award in 2007. Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith won the Heisman in 2006.
McFadden was left to ponder what might have been while still filling up his trophy case. Among D-Mac’s honors were:
Nutt coached the Arkansas football program from 1998-2007, compiling a 75-48 mark over 10 seasons. He saw lots of talent and all kinds of egos and personalities.
“Not one day did I have to worry about D-Mac’s ego,” Nutt said. “He was unselfish. He’d do anything for the team. He was a great leader, a great teammate.”
D-Mac made a great impression on at least one of his professors also, along with Jones.
“I got a letter from a professor about D-Mac and Felix and I thought, ‘Uh oh, what happened.’ He wanted to tell me that he gave students a week off if they’d completed some special assignment.
“But both of them showed up for class that week when they didn’t have to. I told the whole team and said that’s what it’s about.”
McFadden and his buddy Jones had fun, too, on the field and off. Nutt recalled the day they showed up before Halloween dressed as Fred and Barney from the Flintstones.
“D-Mac had a great personality, always had a smile on his face,” Nutt said.
Here’s an interesting and recent interview with McFadden:
