Darian Hagan
Encyclopedia
Darian Hagan is a former American football
and Canadian football
player, who, since February 2005, is an assistant coach of the University of Colorado Buffaloes
football team.
quarterback
at Colorado from 1988 to 1991, Hagan produced impressive offensive statistics operating Coach Bill McCartney's "I-Bone" offense. Due to veteran quarterback Sal Aunese being stricken with cancer, he took over the starting duties as a sophomore. When Aunese died, Hagan and the rest of the Buffaloes dedicated their season to their fallen comrade. In that 1989 season, he burst on the college football scene, and became the sixth player in the history of NCAA Division I-A to gain more than 1000 yards passing and more than 1000 yards rushing in the same season. He was the starting quarterback in 1990 when Colorado won a share of the NCAA Division I-A national football championship, and in 1989 to 1991 when Colorado was the Big Eight Conference
champions. His record as quarterback for Colorado was 28–5–2 (20–0–1 in Big Eight). In Heisman Trophy
voting he was 5th in 1989 with 242 points, 17th in 1990 with 17 points and 20th in 1991 with 12 points.
Hagan was inducted into the University of Colorado
Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. He is also considered by many alumni as the best football player in CU history.
in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft
, but never played for the team. He played five years in the Canadian Football League
for three teams: the Toronto Argonauts
(1993–94), the Las Vegas Posse
(1994), and the Edmonton Eskimos
(1995–96). He mostly played as a defensive back and on special teams.
in sociology
. When his professional football career ended, Hagan turned to jobs in marketing and then in coaching. He became the defensive technical intern in 2004 for Colorado. The following year he was hired by Gary Barnett
as an offensive assistant coach. In 2006, he was one of only two assistant coaches kept by new head coach Dan Hawkins
as the running backs assistant coach where he remains at today.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
player, who, since February 2005, is an assistant coach of the University of Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
football team.
College career
As an optionOption offense
The option offense is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of offensive systems in American football. Option offenses are characterized as such due to the predominance of option running plays employed in these schemes. Option offenses have traditionally relied heavily upon running...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
at Colorado from 1988 to 1991, Hagan produced impressive offensive statistics operating Coach Bill McCartney's "I-Bone" offense. Due to veteran quarterback Sal Aunese being stricken with cancer, he took over the starting duties as a sophomore. When Aunese died, Hagan and the rest of the Buffaloes dedicated their season to their fallen comrade. In that 1989 season, he burst on the college football scene, and became the sixth player in the history of NCAA Division I-A to gain more than 1000 yards passing and more than 1000 yards rushing in the same season. He was the starting quarterback in 1990 when Colorado won a share of the NCAA Division I-A national football championship, and in 1989 to 1991 when Colorado was the Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
champions. His record as quarterback for Colorado was 28–5–2 (20–0–1 in Big Eight). In Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
voting he was 5th in 1989 with 242 points, 17th in 1990 with 17 points and 20th in 1991 with 12 points.
Hagan was inducted into the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. He is also considered by many alumni as the best football player in CU history.
NFL career
After college, Hagan was drafted by the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft
1992 NFL Draft
The 1992 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1992. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft...
, but never played for the team. He played five years in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
for three teams: the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
(1993–94), the Las Vegas Posse
Las Vegas Posse
The Las Vegas Posse was a Canadian Football League team that played the 1994 season as part of the CFL's short-lived American expansion. The Posse was one of the least successful CFL teams, both on the field and off.-On the field:...
(1994), and the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
(1995–96). He mostly played as a defensive back and on special teams.
Coaching career
Before his last season, he graduated from Colorado with a bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
. When his professional football career ended, Hagan turned to jobs in marketing and then in coaching. He became the defensive technical intern in 2004 for Colorado. The following year he was hired by Gary Barnett
Gary Barnett
Gary Barnett is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Fort Lewis College , Northwestern University , and the University of Colorado at Boulder , compiling a career college football record of 92–94–2...
as an offensive assistant coach. In 2006, he was one of only two assistant coaches kept by new head coach Dan Hawkins
Dan Hawkins (coach)
Dan Hawkins is a sportscaster and former American football player and coach in the United States. He served as the head football coach at Willamette University, Boise State University, and the University of Colorado at Boulder, compiling a career college football record of 112–61–1...
as the running backs assistant coach where he remains at today.