Darius Durham

Born in Long Beach, California, Durham grew up in Compton with three sisters and a brother, raised by their single mother, Mary.{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Virgen|title=Durham Leads OC Vision|date=March 7, 2012|newspaper=Daily Pilot|url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/sports/tn-dpt-spdurham-20120307-story.html|access-date=February 27, 2024}} She moved them from the predominantly Black neighborhood to the more diverse Garden Grove, despite the financial struggles it presented. Durham called the move "the biggest lesson I had in life. I could see life from a different perspective."

Durham attended Bolsa Grande High School in Garden Grove,{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Dolan|title=Aztecs' Senior Trio Starts to Catch On|date=October 28, 1982|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/142135130/|at=Part III, pp. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/142135130/ 1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/142135103/ 14]|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}} starring in football, basketball and track. Despite playing on a 2–7 football team as a senior in 1978, he was heavily recruited. He was named to the Los Angeles Times{{'s}} All-Orange County team after leading the county with 48 receptions for 686 yards and three touchdowns while facing double and triple coverage all season.{{cite news|title=Times All-Orange County Team|date=December 15, 1978|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|at=part III, p. 16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/142134881/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}}

In February 1979, Durham committed to play college football for the San Diego State Aztecs under head coach Claude Gilbert.{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Canepa|title=Aztec coaches ecstatic over blue-ribbon prep|date=February 23, 1979|newspaper=The Evening Tribune|page=E-1|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6CB81C5E443C@NGPA-CASD-1859C2FACBB61E4B@2443928-1859C1E53A554919@83-1859C1E53A554919@|url-access=subscription|via=NewsBank|access-date=February 27, 2024}} He chose them over the Washington Huskies due to the Aztecs' reputation to pass. "We've just got the best high school guy we've ever signed", said Ted Tollner, San Diego State's offensive coordinator. He added that Durham had "more ability than anyone I've seen here since Isaac Curtis".

As a freshman at San Diego State University in 1979, Durham had just two catches. He improved slightly as a sophomore in 1980 with 15 receptions as a backup.{{cite news|first=Don|last=Norcross|title=Good times catch up with Aztecs' Durham|date=October 7, 1981|newspaper=The Times-Advocate|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-advocate/142152376/ D-1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-advocate/142216988/ D-4]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-advocate/142152376/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}} Tollner said that Durham struggled to adjust to the college game's different defensive coverages and harder hitting.{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Dolan|title=Aztecs' Durham Finds Out There's a Catch to Waiting Game|date=November 4, 1981|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|at=part III, pp. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/142153603/ 1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/142153869/ 5]| url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/142153603/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}} A starter in 1981 under new Aztecs head coach Doug Scovil, Durham had seven catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in a week 2 win over Oklahoma State.{{cite news|first=Tim|last=Colishaw|title=Pokes Lose By Inches, Turnovers|date=September 27, 1981|newspaper=The Sunday Oklahoman|page=B9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-oklahoman/142278434/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 28, 2024}} It was his best game to date with San Diego State,{{cite news|title=Aztecs take how to UNM|date=October 2, 1981|newspaper=Times-Advocate|page=C1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-advocate/142278488/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 28, 2024}} and the first touchdown of his college career. In November, he caught 11 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns in a 59–14 victory against UTEP. The catch total and receiving yards were season highs for the Aztecs, who scored their most points since beating Cal State Fullerton by the same score in 1975.{{cite news|first=T.R.|last=Reinman|title=Records fall in Aztec victory|date=November 23, 1981|newspaper=Evening Tribune|page=D-6|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6CB81C5E443C@NGPA-CASD-185BB51B23E85517@2444932-18594A6193DE6252@50-18594A6193DE6252@|url-access=subscription|via=NewsBank|access-date=March 5, 2024}} The following week in their regular season finale against Air Force in the Mirage Bowl in Japan, Durham needed nine receptions to pass Darrin Nelson of Stanford for the most receptions in the nation.{{cite news|title=San Diego St. Faces Air Force in Tokyo|date=November 28, 1981|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|agency=AP|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/142733354/|at=part III, p. 6|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 5, 2024}} He had five catches for 100 yards in the first half, which San Diego State led 16–0, but caught only one pass in the second half, as the Aztecs lost 21–16.{{cite news|first=Wayne|last=Lockwood|title=It's Sweet And Sour Season For Aztecs|date=November 30, 1981|newspaper=The San Diego Union|page=C-1|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@NGPA-CASD-13CCA59D1600E7F9@2444939-13CCA3C6A7473BC7@22-13CCA3C6A7473BC7@|url-access=subscription|via=NewsBank|access-date=March 5, 2024}} Durham finished the season ranked third in the country with 65 receptions for 988 yards and seven touchdowns. He received honorable mention from the Associated Press (AP) for its All-America team and was named to the All-WAC second team.{{cite news|first=Boyce|last=Garrison|title=Aztecs' Rowe deftly running right routes|date=August 28, 1991|newspaper=The North County Blade-Citizen|at=Football '91, p. 44|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-county-times/142137880/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}}{{cite news|title=Bavasi quits as president of Blue Jays|date=November 24, 1981|newspaper=The Evening Tribune|page=E-2|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6CB81C5E443C@NGPA-CASD-185BB520576814F2@2444933-18594A6578A7F10A@48-18594A6578A7F10A@?|url-access=subscription|via=NewsBank|access-date=February 27, 2024}}

Durham entered the 1982 season named as a preseason honorable mention All-American by a pair of national publications.{{cite news|first=Derry|last=Eads|title=Aztecs defenders unsung|date=August 30, 1982|newspaper=El Paso Herald-Post|page=C-2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/el-paso-herald-post/142134512/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}} Through the first five games, he had just 13 catches while often facing double coverage.{{cite news|first=Hank|last=Wesch|title=Aztecs' Durham Still Reaching For A Few Goals|date=October 28, 1982|newspaper=The San Diego Union|page=C-2|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@NGPA-CASD-13D2EE55CC4F784F@2445271-13CCAC2A8A721D1E@38-13CCAC2A8A721D1E@|url-access=subscription|via=NewsBank|access-date=February 27, 2024}} His production dropped that year to 45 catches for 781 yards and four touchdowns. Again named an AP honorable mention All-American,{{cite news|title=College All-America Teams|date=December 8, 1982|newspaper=The San Diego Union|page=C-6|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@NGPA-CASD-13D3420126CE1013@2445312-13CCAC1776AA0BEA@39-13CCAC1776AA0BEA@|url-access=subscription|via=NewsBank|access-date=February 27, 2024}} Durham was also a first-team All-WAC selection and voted the Aztecs' most valuable player.{{cite news|title=SDSU's Durham earns first-team All-WAC honors|date=November 26, 1982|newspaper=Times-Advocate|page=C3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-advocate/142151587/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}}{{cite news|title=Aztecs MVP Honor Goes To Durham|date=December 3, 1982|newspaper=The San Diego Union|page=C-8|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@NGPA-CASD-13D0B4CB6EE34A2C@2445307-13CCAC12A8D7DF7E@58-13CCAC12A8D7DF7E@|url-access=subscription|via=NewsBank|access-date=February 27, 2024}} He finished his career ranked fourth at the time in school history in career receptions with 127. Durham needed three catches in the season finale against Oklahoma State to pass Craig Scoggins (129) for third place,{{efn|Ahead of them were Tim Delaney (180) and Gary Garrison (148)}} but he exited the game in the first quarter after pulling a hamstring and did not return.{{cite news|first=Hank|last=Wesch|title=Cowboys Corraled By Aztecs|date=November 28, 1982|newspaper=The San Diego Union|pages=[https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@NGPA-CASD-13D0EFF8844D8EFC@2445302-13D0EB31E7E173EB@94 H-1], [https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@NGPA-CASD-13D0EFF8844D8EFC@2445302-13CCAC0C26687736@97-13CCAC0C26687736@ H-4]|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@NGPA-CASD-13D0EFF8844D8EFC@2445302-13D0EB31E7E173EB@94|url-access=subscription|via=NewsBank|access-date=February 29, 2024}}

After ranking among the top college receivers in the nation at the beginning of the season, Durham fell on NFL scouting reports, while fellow Aztecs receivers Clint Sampson and Phil Smith went past him. Scouts did not like his 4.6 time in the 40-yard dash.{{cite news|first=John|last=Maffei|title=Receiver Sampson heads list of Aztecs players in the draft|date=April 25, 1983|newspaper=Times-Advocate|page=D1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-advocate/142134692/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}}

Durham was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 10th round of the 1983 NFL draft. Fellow Aztecs receivers Sampson and Smith were chosen in the third and fourth round, respectively.{{cite news|title=Sampson, Seabaugh Head List of Aztecs Picked in NFL Draft|date=April 27, 1983|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|at=part III, p. 10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/142738236/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 5, 2024}} The Buccaneers released Durham before their second preseason game, citing a pulled muscle as one of the reasons.{{cite news|first=King|last=Thompson|title=Newest 49ers happy to be ex-Buc|date=December 1, 1983|newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/142140704/ F1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/142140818/ F5]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/142140704/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}}{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Pugliese|title=Solomon: 49ers, Bucs inconsistent|date=December 1, 1983|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|page=6-C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune/142140297/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}} He disputed that his hamstring was an issue, instead saying that the team had "some bad [scouting] information". Wanting to play in the NFL, Durham declined offers to sign with teams in the Canadian Football League and the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League. On November 30, 1983, he signed with the San Francisco 49ers prior to their game against Tampa Bay.{{cite news|title=49ers replace Horn with Darius Durham|date=November 30, 1983|newspaper=San Francisco Examiner|page=F8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/142135202/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}} He was active for their last three regular season games and their two playoff contests, serving as the 49ers' fifth wide receiver behind Dwight Clark, Freddie Solomon, Mike Wilson and Renaldo Nehemiah.

In 1984, Durham was limited after a knee injury in training camp,{{cite news|title=49ers camp notebook|date=July 24, 1984|newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner|page=D3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/142355477/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 29, 2024}}{{cite news|first=Chuck|last=Hildebrand|title=49ers will open with a 'cast of thousands'|date=August 3, 1984|newspaper=The Peninsula Times Tribune|page=D-6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-peninsula-times-tribune/142355455/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 29, 2024}} and San Francisco cut him during preseason to meet the NFL deadline to trim rosters to 70 players.{{cite news|first=Dennis|last=Weber|title=49ers test player during Mile High loss|newspaper=The Press-Tribune|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-press-tribune/142135372/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2024}} The 49ers ended the season winning Super Bowl XIX over the Miami Dolphins. Unable to play, Durham called it "the worst feeling to have to watch that."

Durham worked in customer service and sales, as well as the Boys & Girls Club. He also became the athletic director for OC Vision Basketball, a youth organization training players throughout Southern California.

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{Buccaneers1983DraftPicks}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Durham, Darius}}

Category:1961 births

Category:Living people

Category:American football wide receivers

Category:Players of American football from Long Beach, California

Category:San Diego State Aztecs football players

Category:San Francisco 49ers players

Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players