by Eric C. Paulsen
Editor in Chief
As Darren MacLellan goes, so does the University of La Verne football team. He may not be the strongest, biggest or fastest player on the field but the senior running back is a winner.
For MacLellan this year has been a career year. The senior has gained 1,379 yards and is one of the main reasons the Leos are 9-0 and repeated as Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) champions, advancing to the Division III playoffs for the first time in school history.
MacLellan, a 5-8, 188-pound spark plug, has quietly taken the weight of the team on his shoulders as the team’s featured back. Growing up, the Leo running back admired the running styles of Walter Payton, Earl Campbell and John Riggins and has tried to incorporate their different strengths into his game. “I would classify myself as a hard nose runner,” he said.
“Going into a game I just tell myself to shoot for my goal, which is a hundred yards, and to do my part to help the team win,” MacLellan said.
MacLellan has done his part putting up some impressive numbers making him a legitimate candidate for the SCIAC offensive player of the year. He is currently the second leading rusher in La Verne history with 2,396 yards over a three year career, averaging 6 yards per carry. Against Occidental he broke the career touchdown mark scoring his 30th touchdown in the 30-6 Leos’ victory.
Other records which have fallen to Maclellan were the single season rushing mark held by Chris Nance, MacLellan also broke his own record of 268 yards in a single game with a 295 yard game against Claremont-M-S.
“You never expect anything, you can shoot for it,” explained MacLellan, “I was hoping to have a good year. I didn’t know how much we were going to run the ball this year.”
MacLellan isn’t one to take all the glory for himself. He thanks the guys who make the holes for him starting with senior Jeff Drouin, juniors Javier Arreola and Eduardo Quezada, sophomores Andrew Moran and Pat Samsonas and freshman Dan Fewx and fullback, senior Bill Zernickow.
“They have been tremendous. They are the best line I have run behind. Without them I wouldn’t have the yards and the team wouldn’t be successful,” said MacLellan.
MacLellan’s accomplishments on and off the football field haven’t gone unnoticed by the coaching staff either.
“It surprises us a little bit that we’ve run for as many yards as we have. Darren is so good at being able to see the blocking and recognize where the hole is and to get up through it quickly. He sees his blocks very well. He has an uncanny way of stopping completely to change his direction and going full speed. Rarely does one guy bring him down,” said Head Coach Rex Huigens.
“He is a completely unselfish player, and is a really good athlete who catches the ball extremely well,” said Offensive Coordinator Don Morel.
MacLellan hasn’t always been the main man in the backfield. Last year the Leos used the speed of transfer Danny Pasquil and moved MacLellan to fullback, who helped paved the way for Pasquil to gain over a thousand yards and win the SCIAC offensive player of the year.
“It was tough at first, knowing I was not going to get the ball that much. But as the season went along I accepted the role and played as hard as I could to help Danny get his yards,” said MacLellan.
“You have to hold him down and beat him to get about three words out of him, he says very little. He is a guy you can’t help but like because he just goes out, has fun does what he is supposed to do and goes in,” said Huigens, “You kinda of wish everyone would respond the way he does.”
MacLellan first heard of La Verne from former All-American quarterback Willie Reyna, who was MacLellan’s teammate at Arroyo High School.
“He (Reyna) got me interested in La Verne. I came and talked to the coaches and really liked the school. I like the small atmosphere,” said MacLellan, “It gave me a chance to show what I had.”
Although he is enjoying a successful senior season he understands that the possibility of life without football is quickly approaching. He plans to graduate this May with a degree in Physical Education, however he wants to go back to school and get a degree in special education to help out the less fortunate.
“It has been great. Everyone wants their senior year to be their best year and to go out with a good year. It has been a lot of fun going 9-0 and in the playoffs. It has just been great,” said MacLellan.
Although the season is not over yet, MacLellan and the other Leo players are preparing for the Division III playoffs against St. John’s University.
“It was a goal of the team, last year after going 7-2 we talked about going 9-0, being back to back champions and then going to the playoffs. That was a goal for the whole team,” he explained.
MacLellan feels confident about the teams chances tomorrow. “If we play together and click on all cylinders offensively and defensively there aren’t too many teams out there that can beat us. We have so many weapons offensively and defensively.”
Eric C. Paulsen
