Darius Walker
 Walker (#3) with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish | |||||||||||||
| No. 37 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | October 21, 1985 Atlanta, Georgia | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| College: | Notre Dame | ||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2007 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Darius A'Dunte Walker (born October 21, 1985) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) and current college football analyst for FOX. He worked as a college football analyst and sideline reporter for MountainWest Sports Network in 2011. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Notre Dame.
Early years
Walker attended Buford High School where he rushed for 5,676 rushing yards and 91 touchdowns and helped his team compile a four-year record of 58–2 and four straight state title game appearances, including three title game victories as part of a 45-game winning streak. In 2003, his senior year, he scored 46 touchdowns, breaking Herschel Walker’s Georgia single-season record of 42. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Georgia and selected as the Georgia prep player of the year for 2003 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
College career
At Notre Dame, Walker owns the school record for most receptions in a season by a running back (56 in 2006) and most career receptions by a running back (109). He ranks fourth all-time at Notre Dame in rushing yards (3,249), third in all-time carries (693) and third in average yards per game over a career (90.3). He rushed for 100 yards in a game 15 times in his career and scored 26 touchdowns—23 rushing and three receiving. He led the Irish in rushing in all three seasons, becoming just the sixth player in school history to do so the first since Autry Denson (1995–1998). He recorded the sixth-best single-season rushing total in Notre Dame history as a junior when he gained a career-high 1,267 yards on 255 carries (5.0-yard average), scoring seven touchdowns. He became just the fourth Notre Dame running back in school history to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in consecutive seasons, joining Vagas Ferguson, Allen Pinkett and Denson. He ran for 1,196 yards on 253 carries (4.7 avg) and nine touchdowns as a sophomore, opening the season with four rushing performances of 100 yards or more, the first player in Notre Dame history to do so. During his first season for the Irish, he set the freshman rushing record, gaining 786 yards on 185 carries (4.2 average), breaking a 30-year-old school record.
Walker's last game with the Irish came on January 3, 2007, in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Sugar Bowl. The Fighting Irish lost to the LSU Tigers 41–14, with Walker contributing 128 rushing and 30 receiving yards.
He announced he would leave Notre Dame for the NFL in a press conference a week after the Sugar Bowl.[1] Walker attended the University of Houston in 2008, but did not play football for the Cougars.[2] In 2009 Walker returned to the University of Notre Dame to finish his degree.[3]
Statistics
| College Career Off. Statistics | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||
| Year | Team | G | Att | Yards | AVG | LNG | TD | FUM | LOST |
| 2004 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 11 | 185 | 786 | 4.2 | 40 | 7 | -- | -- |
| 2005 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 12 | 253 | 1,196 | 4.6 | 38 | 3 | -- | -- |
| 2006 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 13 | 255 | 1,267 | 5.0 | 39 | 7 | -- | -- |
| Total | 36 | 693 | 3,249 | 4.6 | 40 | 17 | -- | -- | |
| College Career Off. Statistics | Receiving | ||||||
| Year | Team | G | Rec | Yards | Y/R | TD | LNG |
| 2004 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 11 | 10 | 74 | 7.4 | 0 | 22 |
| 2005 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 12 | 43 | 351 | 8.7 | 2 | 51 |
| 2006 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 13 | 56 | 391 | 7.0 | 1 | 21 |
| Total | 36 | 109 | 816 | 7.4 | 3 | 51 | |
Professional career
Houston Texans
Shortly after the 2007 NFL Draft, Walker signed with the Houston Texans.[7]
In Week 14, Walker led the team with 16 carries for 46 yards and finishing second on the team with six receptions for 35 yards against Tampa Bay.
Walker resigned with the Houston Texans on November 25, 2008, when the team placed Ahman Green on the reserve/injured list.
Denver Broncos
On May 7, 2009, Walker signed a two-year contract with the Denver Broncos.
Dallas Cowboys
He signed with the Dallas Cowboys on December 15, 2009, for $250,000 on a one-year deal.
References
- ^ "Darius Walker Declares For The NFL Draft". Retrieved 2007-06-30.
- ^ "Wednesdays with Walker". University of Houston. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ "Notre Dame football: Crist looking out for No. 1". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ http://und.cst5.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/walker_darius00.html
- ^ a b Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Football
- ^ Player Bio: Darius Walker :: Football
- ^ "Texans Sign Notre Dame Running Back Darius Walker". Retrieved 2007-06-30.