2022 Oklahoma Breakout Player: WR Brian Darby
Part 9 of a series exploring Oklahoma’s potential breakout players in 2022:
Brian Darby is on the doorstep of opportunity.
Now a junior at Oklahoma, personnel changes on the roster have put Darby in position to make a move up the depth chart and lock down significant playing time in 2022.
The OU wide receiver is still relatively crowded — especially at the top of the two-deep. But Darby has gained the trust of his coaches and teammates and seems to have a different confidence about him going into training camp this week.
“He’ll definitely get a chance to play this year,” 2020 classmate Marvin Mims said at Big 12 Media Day.
In April, Darby described his Jeff Lebby’s offense as “fun” and said he was learning and adjusting to the new up-tempo scheme.
“It's very fun learning a new offense,” Darby said. “I really enjoy the tempo of the offense.”
Darby caught his first two touchdowns last season, one in a blowout win over Texas Tech and one in a loss at Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma Breakout Players:
- RB Tawee Walker
- WR Jalil Farooq
- DL Jordan Kelley
- DL Marcus Stripling
- RB Marcus Major
- OL Savion Byrd
- RB Bentavious Thompson
- DB Jordan Mukes
“It really boosted my confidence,” Darby said. “I’ve always known the type of player I've been. Like they say, you just have to wait for your opportunity. When your opportunity comes, just excel and to do what you've always been doing. Those two touchdowns really helped me in my confidence and helped me build this offseason.”
In all, however, Darby caught just seven passes last season — and has eight total for his career. Injuries held him back last season, and Darby knows he’ll need to be much more consistent and productive — and stay healthy — to break into such a talented two-deep.
“It was difficult,” he said, “but that's a part of football. Injuries come with football. I just put my head (down), continued to work, rehabbed, got into the playbook even more, studied more and just went back out there and continued what I've been doing at the beginning of the season.”
Receivers coach Cale Gundy said during the spring that he noticed Darby had gotten “bigger, faster, stronger” during the winter workouts under new strength coach Jerry Schmidt.
It’s now on Darby to take those gains and make them work for him.
With Jadon Haselwood and Mario Williams transferred away and Mike Woods in the NFL, Darby has a path to breaking out to more playing time. But he also knows he’ll have to fend off incoming transfers LV Bunkley-Shelton and J.J. Hester.
“I always want to be the best,” Darby said. “It's just me developing, continuing to work every day and getting coached by all the coaches. Everybody in our receiving room is just pushing me to get better and catch every ball, get your routes, know the play and get lined up.”
