Darius Barksdale

Position:
Linebacker
Ht./Wt.:
6-0 / 205
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Batesville, Miss.
High School:
Hargrave Military Acad.
Prev School:
Jacksonville St.

2012 (Sophomore): Played in eight games in the secondary and on special teams, starting five. . . started the first three games of the season (Lamar, at Troy and at Oklahoma State). . . later started vs. UNT, Arkansas State and ULM. . . was hampered throughout the season by a leg injury which later required surgery. . . was 11th on the team with 28 tackles (21 solo), adding one TFL. . . had three or more tackles in his first seven games. . . made a career-high five tackles vs. Lamar (9/1/12) and at OSU (9/15/12). . . earned first letter.

2011 (Redshirt): Joined the team during the Spring, 2012 semester after transferring from Jacksonville State. . . originally signed with Mississippi. . . primarily used as a back in high school, he was moved to the secondary during spring drills.

High School: Parade and U.S. Army All-America selection and 2007 Missisippi Mr. Football by the Clarion Ledger as a senior at South Panola High, playing for coach Lance Pogue . . . also earned All-America accolades from SuperPrep EA Sports after setting a Mississippi Class 5A record with 2, 917 yards rushing and 35 TDs as a senior. . . tabbed as a first team junior All-American honors from EA Sports as a junior in 2007. . . first team all-state by the Clarion Ledger and the Mississippi Coaches Association as both a junior and senior
. . . ranked as the No. 9 running back in the nation by Rivals.com in 2008. . . helped team to four straight Mississippi Class 5A state titles at South Panola, never losing a game in high school. . . spent the 2009 season at Hargrave Military Academy, where he was rated the No. 3 safety in the nation by Scout.com.

Personal: Born January 3, 1990 in Batesville, Miss. . . . full name is Darius Raymond Barksdale, but he is known by many as Tig, a nickname he earned as a child. . . is the oldest of four children, having three sisters (Telissa, Katilyn & Erin). . . general studies major.