It’s official: They’re gone
Posted on Tuesday, January 15, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/213789/
FAYETTEVILLE — Running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones left the University of Arkansas the same way they came in — together.
In a joint news conference Monday afternoon at the Broyles Athletic Center, both All-Americans announced as expected that they would forgo their senior seasons to declare early for the April 26 NFL Draft.
McFadden, the two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up, and Jones are the ninth and 10 th Razorbacks to declare early for the draft since the NFL started allowing underclassmen in 1990.
Eight Razorbacks have declared early since 2004, including Jamaal Anderson and Chris Houston last season.
There was little doubt about McFadden, who all season said he would wait until after the season to meet with his family and decide, which he did.
“I feel like entering my name in the NFL Draft is the right decision for me to make,” said McFadden, who is projected as a top-five pick by virtually all analysts. “I am looking forward to it and getting very excited.”
Jones’ opportunity to be Arkansas’ featured running back under new Coach Bobby Petrino helped create a stitch of suspense about his decision, but it did not last long after McFadden gave the microphone to Jones.
“I guess that’ll be the last handoff from D-Mac,” Jones said, breaking into a grin. “My decision has not been an easy one. But I have tried to balance my love for this university and state and the Razorbacks against my desire to play in the NFL.
“ After consideration of all the factors, I am confident of my decision to forgo my senior season for the NFL Draft will be the right decision.”
McFadden and Jones join a crowded field of early entrants at running back, including Jamaal Charles of Texas, Illinois ’ Rashard Mendenhall and the NCAA’s leading rusher, Kevin Smith of Central Florida.
Jones said the NFL advisory committee projected him as a first-round selection. “So I was pretty confident when I got my report back in making my decision,” Jones said.
McFadden said he also received an advisory report, but he barely looked at it.
“When it came back, I didn’t too much look at it, you know, because a lot of things have been floating around everywhere I go, so for me, it was a hand’s down decision kind of,” McFadden said.
“I just want to go play in the NFL, whether it’s [the ] No. 1 [pick ], or dead last, it’ll be the same feeling for me.”
McFadden came under scrutiny in Dallas during the week of the Cotton Bowl for driving a luxury SUV, then he was involved last week in a scuffle inside a Little Rock bar.
McFadden and Jones said they planned to train for the draft in Dallas, possibly together.
They exit Fayetteville after becoming the first running backs from the same SEC team to each run for more 1, 000 yards in backto-back seasons.
One other pair of college backs, Minnesota’s Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney, were the first to run for more than 1, 000 yards in consecutive seasons, in 2003-2004.
McFadden and Jones combined to set an NCAA singlegame rushing record of 487 yards for two backs on the same team against South Carolina on Nov. 3. McFadden ran for an SEC record-tying 321 yards, and Jones added 166 yards in a 48-36 victory over South Carolina.
“They’re obviously great, great players, but they’re so much more,” Arkansas running backs coach Tim Horton said. “They’re not ego guys; they were team-first guys.
“ From a personal standpoint, you hate to see them go, but at the same time, you’re happy for them and the opportunity they have.”
McFadden cracked the school’s single-season rushing record with 1, 647 yards in 2006, then he broke his own mark with 1, 830 yards last season. He finished his Arkansas career with 4, 590 yards, becoming the second back in NCAA history to rush for more than 1, 000 yards in each of his first three seasons, the other being Georgia’s Herschel Walker.
McFadden established an SEC record with 2, 310 all-purpose yards this season, and his career average of 154. 8 all-purpose yards per game ranks behind only Walker (®. 2 ) and LSU’s Kevin Faulk (166. 7 ) in SEC history.
Jones, from Tulsa, made the most of his limited touches in three seasons with the Razorbacks. He ran for 1, 168 yards on 154 carries in 2006 and 1, 162 yards on 133 carries last season.
He led the nation with 8. 7 yards per carry in 2007, and his career average of 7. 7 yards per carry is the best in Razorback records by more than a yard more than Matt Jones’ mark of 6. 6 yards per carry.
McFadden ranks third in that department at 5. 85 yards per carry.
Felix Jones also established an SEC record with a 28. 2 yard kickoff return average and tied a conference record with four career kickoff returns for touchdowns.
Both players pointed to games from their freshman season of 2005 when asked for their favorite moment with the Razorbacks.
“I feel like my freshman year, the very first game, I got off to a quick start and I loved it,” Jones said.
“I feel like my freshman year, a game against Alabama, I feel like that was kind of a comingout party for me,” McFadden said of the game when he scored on a 70-yard run in Tuscaloosa, Ala. “It took me off from there.”
Jones and McFadden both stressed how an injury could close a career down.
“Football is a high-risk injury sport, so, you know, you’re just looking at what’s best for your future and your family’s future,” McFadden said.
“I mean, anything can happen when you get on the football field,” Jones said.
“We have a good opportunity right now and we want to take advantage of it.”
The departure of McFadden and Jones, along with the loss of senior fullback Peyton Hillis, will force new Coach Bobby Petrino to start from scratch next season.
McFadden and Jones accounted for 81. 1 percent of Arkansas ’ rushing yards, 78. 2 percent of its rushing touchdowns and 81. 6 percent of its kickoff return yards during their three seasons in Fayetteville.