Fifth-year senior and club’s returning starter at cornerback.
2016: Started all 11 games at cornerback as a junior, accounting for 31 total tackles and 5 pass break-ups ... Tallied 5 total tackles and 4 solos in win at Murray State (9/10/16) with a season-high 5 solos at UNI (10/22/16) ... Notched 4 tackles in three different games -- vs. North Dakota State (10/8/16), at Illinois State (11/12/16) and vs. Youngstown State (11/19/16) with a tackle for loss and PBU at Illinois State ... Contributed multiple solo tackles in 6 games and pass break-ups in 5 games ... Earned MSU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll distinction for fall and spring semesters ... Also named to MVFC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award and MVFC Honor Roll.
2015: Saw action in 7 games his sophomore campaign with starts in three straight games in the month of October … Injury caused him to miss the final four games of the season … Finished with 15 solo stops and 21 tackles in all … Logged 3 tackles and an interception at South Dakota (10/24/15) … Had season-highs with 4 tackles against Indiana State (10/3/15) and at Southern Illinois (10/10/15) … Had 3 solo stops at Memphis (9/5/15) in season opener, at SIU, and vs. Illinois State (10/17/15) on homecoming with a forced fumble against the Redbirds ... Had a solo tackle in the Maroon and White Spring Game (4/11/15).
2014: Played in 6 games as a redshirt freshman, including significant reps on special teams ... Posted first career tackle with a solo stop against North Dakota (9/13/14) in the home opener ... Later tallied an assisted tackle in homecoming win over South Dakota (10/18/14) ... Had 6 tackles, including 5 solo stops, in Maroon and White Game (4/26/14).
2013: Redshirted his first season at Missouri State.
High School: A two-time 3A all-state and three-time all-conference performer for Coach Waylon Dunn’s Indians at Marked Tree (Ark.) High ... Scored 124 points, including 18 rushing touchdowns behind 1,500 rushing yards as a senior ... Also recovered a pair of fumbles, snagged 2 interceptions and averaged 23.6 yards per kickoff return in 2012 ... Rushed for 11 touchdowns and 729 yards his junior season, (2011) and produced 1,502 all-purpose yards with 116 points ... Was the 2011 and 2012 conference MVP in football and is also an all-state guard/forward in basketball for Coach Barbara Wilburn.
Personal: Legally changed his name to Darius Daniel in 2016 ... Born Darius N. Ivy on 11/9/94 in Marked Tree, Ark. ... Has five siblings: De’Angelo, Shantell, Justice, Kingston and Nyjelika ... Majoring in Sport and Park Administration.
