Darren McFadden Joins Forces With the Silver and Black
“This is a guy that really loves football.”--Raider Head Coach Lane Kiffin

By Barbara Mason 4/28/08
Raiderdrive.com/Bay Area Sports

It’s the day that football fans around the world await each spring.  It’s the day that many die-hard fans offer up a litany for the chosen one, the one that will lead them to the Promised Land.  There is of course always the chance that the latter rounds will provide another Tom Brady but face it; how often does that happen.  What the draft does provide are the building blocks to eventually turn the tide for struggling teams and grooming players to take over the positions that year after year become available on every team in the NFL.  A football career as we all know is not forever and retirement is reality.

In the case of the Oakland Raiders, it would appear that there is a need to surround quarterback JaMarcus Russell with a cast that can give him what he needs to succeed, the time to throw, a front line to protect him and a running game that will keep opponents off balance.  With all that in mind, the Oakland Raiders chose as their fourth pick in the first round Darren McFadden because of not only his speed but also his multi-dimensional  abilities.

“I knew months ago that this was the guy that we had to have, and we had to figure out a way to get him,” said Coach Lane Kiffin at a press conference after Oakland’s pick was announced.  “He is a dynamic pass catcher and obviously with his speed and acceleration you can use him outside.”  Kiffin is adamant in his approach to how he starts any of the new players and it all has to do with timing.  While fans were screaming last year for the long awaited appearance of JaMarcus Russell, Kiffin stood firm in his decision to make sure the time was right for the new quarterback.  “You get so excited about these guys and you start doing all these things with them, and they don’t get good at really anything. The last thing we want to do is do too much where he is not becoming a great running back.” 

McFadden’s checkered past was brought up to Kiffin who was more than willing to address it.  “I can’t find a person who will tell me that when he walks in the building and the time that he leaves that they’ve ever had any type of issue, whether it’s been a weight room issue or the way he practices or his relationships with coaches.  This is a guy who really loves football and really is passionate about football, passionate about the way he prepares for it, the way that he works out for it,” he said.  When McFadden sat down with Kiffin recently, McFadden was the first to admit that he did make poor choices in the past, some poor decisions and that he has learned from them

Kiffin also addressed his expectations from his offense.  “We’ve added a lot of speed with Javon and Darren.  It’s going to help JaMarcus a lot.  It gives him another tool to work with.  We need to surround him with better talent, and we think that we’ve done it with this off-season.  That’s how young quarterbacks do really well,” he said.  “There’s not a better way than having a great running game and adding to that having a guy that can also catch the ball as well.”  McFadden’s ability to block is another dimension to this athlete that at times has also been overlooked.

Not long after he was picked the Raiders had McFadden on conference call to answer questions from the media.  This long awaited day was just the beginning for this talented athlete who now will have the opportunity of a lifetime and much of the strides that he makes will depend on him.  “It’s something I’m very proud of.   I’m very happy to be able to go to Oakland,” said McFadden.  He is also looking forward to being a part of the famed Raider Nation and all the tradition that comes with it.  “I love the Raider Nation, I’m very fascinated with that.  It’s going to be great being out there and playing for them.”  He has in the past faced JaMarcus Russell and now he looks forward to being able to play alongside him.  “It’s going to be great being in the huddle with him. I played against him a couple of times in college.  I’d much rather be on the same side of the ball he’s on,” he said. 

McFadden’s plans for now consist of moving out to the Bay Area with his sister to as he put it, “help me around the house.”  When asked if he meant that she would be doing “women’s stuff” he laughed.  “I guess so,” he chuckled.  “You know, she can help out and wash clothes a little bit for me.”  He comes across as being a good-natured young man although on a serious note, having family here for him will be a plus and will help with the transition that comes with an extensive move of this nature. 

By the time this weekend comes to an end, there will be 252 new faces on team rosters across the nation.  Draft day seems to be the day that football gets back into action in earnest.  There will be mini-camps leading into training camp as these young men struggle to adjust to a whole new level.  How many of these choices pan out could take years, it doesn’t happen over night and is a concentrated building process. 

Only time will tell how each of these players will fare, but for the Oakland Raiders there is only one player that they are worried about and the immediate impact he will hopefully have on the Silver and Black.