Texas Southern running back and 2023 SWAC & All-HBCU leading rusher, LaDarius Owens, shares about his career and future.
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00:00 It's been a long journey, you know.
00:04 Like you said, I didn't finish how I wanted to, but I'm forever grateful for
00:08 TSU, Coach McKinney as well.
00:11 Because without Coach McKinney, I wouldn't even have this position,
00:14 I mean, this position to even accomplish what I accomplished here at TSU.
00:20 So it feel real good, and I wanna thank everybody on the coaching staff,
00:26 the whole TSU nation, you know what I'm saying, for
00:30 just sticking by us the whole time, you know what I'm saying?
00:33 Cuz it ain't too many people that really believed in us at the beginning of this
00:37 thing, and now people starting to see the real TSU.
00:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:43 >> Marius, this season in particular, when it started,
00:49 you had some goals set, where you had to,
00:53 not just for yourself, but for the team,
00:58 as far as you getting to where you wanted to go.
01:01 >> Yes, sir, I'm very happy with the team and how this season,
01:06 but even though this season ain't how we want it,
01:10 at the beginning of the year, we didn't accomplish a lot.
01:13 From now to back when we started, we didn't accomplish so much.
01:19 And shoot, we can't, you know what I'm saying, we can't control it.
01:25 But we're just happy for another opportunity to do this again.
01:29 >> Take us to the fumble, what happened there?
01:34 >> I feel like the ref made a bad decision.
01:37 When I was the only one at the bottom of the pod, I came up with the ball,
01:42 I had the ball, gave it to the ref in his hand.
01:45 But hey, I don't know what happened.
01:49 Ref just made a bad call.
01:50 >> Yeah, I saw you were pretty animated coming off the field about that.
01:55 Was there any thought about asking for a replay?
02:01 >> I believe Coach McKinney said we couldn't replay that fumble or
02:06 something like that.
02:07 So if it was a replay, I most definitely would have told Coach McKinney to go
02:12 ahead and replay.
02:14 >> How did, when you came here, you were above average as a running back,
02:19 as a member of this team.
02:22 How did they help you improve here?
02:26 >> They helped me improve with strength and conditioning, you know what I'm saying?
02:31 Being able to come here and little did nobody know,
02:35 I had a new running back coach ever since I got here.
02:39 Every year, I had a new running back coach since I stepped foot on this campus.
02:43 And every running back coach that taught me a little something different on
02:47 becoming a better running back in college football and at the next level.
02:53 So I feel like every one of my coaches then tweaked me a little bit on
02:57 how to read the holes, how to finish runs,
03:05 all the little things to become a great back.
03:08 So I feel I thank every single one of the coaches that came to TSU and
03:12 became part of this staff.
03:13 >> How did you graduate next month?
03:17 Talk about that for a moment.
03:19 >> I'm happy, I can't wait.
03:21 I can't wait.
03:22 This is everything I've been wanting, graduating, you know what I'm saying?
03:26 Send my mama proud, my daddy proud, my family.
03:30 You know what I'm saying?
03:31 This is the moment I've been waiting for, is to make them proud.
03:34 And I'm glad to be able to make them proud.
03:37 >> But Darius, do you know you are the number two running back in all FCS?
03:42 >> Yes, sir.
03:43 >> As well as you have just won not only the SWAG Championship for
03:48 rushing, but all HBCU top running back for the 2020 preseason.
03:55 >> Yes, sir.
03:56 >> How does that feel?
03:58 >> It made me feel great, gave me a lot of, going into the next journey,
04:05 it really feels on a high note right now.
04:09 Finishing up my senior year, you know what I'm saying?
04:11 Being one of the top running backs in the SWAG,
04:14 even though I already knew I was one of the top running backs in the SWAG.
04:17 I just had to put it on the field and show it.
04:19 But now I'm glad that all my hard work and
04:22 everything that I put in in the offseason is paying off now.
04:25 >> I understand you got the invitation to the HBCU Legacy.
04:30 >> Yes, sir.
04:31 >> Have you accepted?
04:32 >> Yes, sir, I accepted and signed up already.
04:34 >> Yes, sir, see you there.
04:37 >> Two more questions.
04:38 [BLANK_AUDIO]
04:41 >> What's your degree?
04:43 >> My degree is in education with health science.
04:48 So I wanna become a coach, but
04:51 I wanna first pursue my dream of becoming a pro football player.
04:55 [BLANK_AUDIO]
04:57 >> What does TSU mean to you?
05:00 >> TSU mean everything to me.
05:03 They opened up doors that I didn't even think could be open.
05:07 And I'm forever grateful for TSU and
05:10 everything, everybody I work with here at TSU, I'm just forever grateful for them.
05:15 >> Congratulations.