Former Towson working again Darius Victor has discovered a house — even when it’s not the one he might need initially envisioned.
After transient stints with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals, Victor has flourished as a member of the USFL’s New Jersey Generals. He leads the eight-team league in each dashing yards (524) and landing runs (9) and ranks second in carries (113) and fourth in dashing yards per sport (65.5).
“At any time when I’ve performed soccer, I’ve felt at house, that’s the place I’ve felt peace,” he mentioned. “So I can say that as a result of the USFL has given me a possibility to play soccer.”
With the 28-year-old Victor on their aspect, the Generals lead the league in each dashing offense (165.0 yards per sport) and whole offense (354.1 yards per sport) and rank third in scoring (22.6 factors per sport). Since a season-opening 28-24 loss to the Birmingham Stallions on April 16, New Jersey has gained seven consecutive video games and clinched a playoff berth with three video games left within the common season.
Working backs coach Jay Locey in contrast Victor favorably to Golden State Warriors ahead Draymond Inexperienced for his toughness and aggressive streak.
“I believe the gorgeous half that he does is, he's a type of guys that elevates and takes on particular groups, and each side that he does is efficacious to him,” Locey mentioned of Victor. “He brings individuals with him.”
Victor was unsure he would discover stability in skilled soccer. After his senior yr with the Tigers in 2016, the Hyattsville native and Northwestern Excessive grad joined a crowded Saints backfield that included Mark Ingram II, Alvin Kamara and Adrian Peterson for coaching camp in 2017, however he was minimize in September. Two months later, he was signed to the Cardinals’ follow squad and endured quite a lot of releases and re-signings earlier than getting waived forward of the 2018 season opener.
To make ends meet, Victor labored as a supervisor for a delivery company and a gross sales operation supervisor for an automotive merchandise firm. Then in October 2019, he was chosen within the ninth spherical of the XFL draft by the New York Guardians and completed the 2020 season ranked fifth within the league in dashing yards (238) and sixth in dashing common (4.3 yards per sport), however didn't attain the tip zone.
The coronavirus pandemic minimize brief the XFL’s return, and the league filed for chapter in April. Victor returned to Miami, the place he offered safety at a number of federal buildings.
Regardless of the setbacks, he continued to coach to remain in soccer form, typically returning house at 8 p.m., gorging down some meals, going to sleep, and waking up earlier than 6 a.m. to repeat the cycle.
“That was sort of powerful doing that for such a very long time without end,” he mentioned. “It was like two full-time jobs as a result of in my head, I used to be nonetheless an expert athlete, and I ready like that.”
Victor mentioned he was contacted by the USFL a number of weeks earlier than the league’s preliminary draft in February. However no groups picked Victor, who was pissed off till the Generals took him within the sixth spherical of the supplemental draft the next month.
“I used to be like, ‘Wow, not this once more.’ However I saved the religion and received picked up a pair weeks after within the supplemental draft,” he mentioned. “I’m older now, so I can deal with disappointment higher. I sort of spoke it into existence.”
Locey, who labored with vast receivers and tight ends earlier than being promoted to affiliate head coach at Oregon State, mentioned he was shocked Victor was nonetheless accessible. Locey mentioned Victor, who's affectionately known as “Vito” by these near him, is hard to sort out because of his 5-foot-8, 209-pound body powered by 30-inch thighs.
“He’s constructed low to the bottom,” Locey mentioned. “It’s arduous to get beneath him. The time period ‘bowling ball’ has been used fairly a bit when describing Vito.”
Towson coach Rob Ambrose can attest to the problem of tackling Victor. He mentioned when Victor turned a junior in 2015, the coaches have been compelled to maintain him out of short-yardage and goal-line drills as a result of he had a behavior of working over his defensive teammates and injuring them.
“To be sincere, I’ve received to imagine that a part of the rationale why he’s not within the NFL is a gentleman’s settlement as a result of no one desires to sort out him,” Ambrose mentioned with tongue firmly planted in his cheek. “There are nice gamers, however Darius is not like any soccer participant I’ve ever seen. … I used to be a loopy soccer participant 1,000,000 years in the past, and I swear to God I might not ever wish to sort out him.”
After posting 66 dashing yards and nil touchdowns in that loss to the Stallions, Victor discovered the tip zone 5 instances in his subsequent 4 video games after which 4 instances in his final two video games, together with three touchdowns and 87 yards in a 29-18 victory over the Pittsburgh Maulers on June 3.
“I’m benefiting from the chance,” he mentioned. “I do know for a indisputable fact that it may very well be over with a snap of the fingers. So it is a big blessing, and I’m glad that I’m profiting from it as a result of it could be very wasteful if I didn’t.”
Whether or not Victor’s performances are making an impression with NFL scouts stays to be seen. Whereas many NFL groups are choosing pass-heavy offenses, Ambrose famous that the Ravens and Tennessee Titans are persevering with to depend on run-based assaults, which could go well with a participant of Victor’s caliber.
“This has completed nothing however opened up all people’s eyes that he's an expert athlete,” Ambrose mentioned. “It doesn’t matter in the event you’re the CFL, the NFL, the XFL, the USFL. Darius Victor is an expert.”
Victor mentioned he doesn’t wish to distract himself with ideas in regards to the NFL. He mentioned he’d fairly deal with serving to the Generals seize the USFL title at Tom Benson Corridor of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on July 3. He’s by no means gained a championship in soccer, although he reached the 2013 NCAA Soccer Championship Subdivision title sport with Towson.
“Simply profitable a championship ring would imply the world to me,” he mentioned. “In order that’s what we’re attempting to do.”
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