#1  Darius Butler

Redshirt Senior
Cornerback/Wide Receiver
5-10, 187
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Coral Springs Charter

A fifth-year senior who is one of the BIG EAST’s top corners.

Career: A two-year team captain who has started all of his 35 career games played at cornerback … His 10 career interceptions rank amongst the BIG EAST career leaders … Has made 140 career tackles, including 4.5 for a loss … Broken up 22 career passes in addition to his 10 interceptions.

2007: Team captain … Started all 13 games in 2007and has missed just one start in his three-year UConn career … Made 54 tackles this year, intercepted two passes and broke up seven more though most teams do not throw his way … Also had 2.5 tackles for loss, one each against Maine (Sept. 8) and Pittsburgh (Sept. 22) … Had either four or five tackles in nine of UConn’s 12 games … Forced a fumble and had seven tackles, including a half of a TFL, in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against Wake Forest (Dec. 29) … Forced a fumble and made three solo stops against Syracuse (Nov. 17) … Intercepted a pass, broke up two more and made three tackles against Louisville (Oct. 19), a game in which he helped hold Harry Douglas to just 19 receiving yards, his lowest total since 2005 … Returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown in the season-opener at Duke (Sept. 1) while making four stops.

2006: Started every game except for Syracuse (Nov. 18) which he missed with a sore hamstring … Made 50 tackles on the year, 36 of them solos, and a pair of TFLs … Intercepted four passes, tying teammate Danny Lansanah for third in the BIG EAST … Also broke up seven passes … Made a career-high nine tackles, eight of them solos in the season finale at Louisville (Dec. 2) … At Rutgers (Oct. 29), had six tackles, including a half of a TFL, and one pass break-up … Picked up UConn’s defensive game ball after the win over Army (Oct. 14) in which he picked off two passes, broke up two more and made two tackles … Had seven tackles against Navy (Sept. 30) including a TFL … Intercepted a pass and made four stops in the win at Indiana (Sept. 23) … Intercepted a pass in the season opener against Rhode Island (Aug. 31), making two tackles.

2005: Started all 11 games at cornerback, the only defensive back to start every contest … Perhaps UConn’s best freshman performer in 2005 …  Proved to be a top cover corner as the year progressed while also making an impact on special teams, earning BIG EAST weekly honors in both disciplines during the season … Recorded 36 tackles on the year (24 solo) with four interceptions, eight break-ups and one forced fumble …  Returned 10 kickoffs for 338 yards with one touchdown … Became the first Husky to score both a defensive and a special teams touchdown in the same season … Returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown against USF (Nov. 26) to earn the special teams game ball while also intercepting a pass in the game. Named the BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts against the Bulls … Nearly broke a kickoff return free for a touchdown at Pittsburgh (Nov. 12), returning three in the game for 102 yards (34.0 avg.), including a 65-yard scamper … Broke up three passes against Rutgers (Oct. 22) and made five stops … Forced a fumble, broke up a pass and had four tackles in the win over Syracuse (Oct. 7) … Had a landmark game at Army (Oct. 1) as he intercepted three passes, which he returned for a school-record 122 yards, including an 86-yard touchdown. That run back was the third longest in school history and UConn’s longest interception return since Dave Korponai ran one back 100 yards against Rhode Island on Nov. 17, 1962. The 122 return yards set both UConn and Michie Stadium records while ranking second-best in BIG EAST annals … Earned UConn’s defensive game ball after the Army game and was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week.

2004: Redshirted … Named the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Week prior to the Duke game (Sept. 11).

High School: The first student-athlete to ever sign a national letter of intent from Coral Springs Charter … Listed amongst the top 20 recruits in talent-rich Broward County by the Miami Herald despite not playing football until his junior year … Named All-County by both the Herald and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel … An honorable mention All-State selection … Playing quarterback in an option offense, he both rushed and passed for over 1,000 yards in 2003 while also starting at safety on defense … Totaled 2,491 total yards as a senior and was responsible for 25 touchdowns … Finished third in Broward County in rushing yards in 2003 and was second in completions, attempts and passing yards … Selected for the Dade-Broward All-Star Game … Team captain … Named preseason All-County in basketball and scored over 1,000 career points.

Personal Profile: Darius J. Butler … Born on March 18, 1986 …  One of eight siblings … Uncle, Gene Atkins, played in the NFL from 1987-96 with the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins … Cousin of Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee, an All-American at Miami in 2002 … A sociology major.

YEAR     GP-GS   UT        AT       TT      SKS     TFL        INT      PBU

2005     11-11    24      12      36      0-0     0-0       4        8

2006     11-11    36      14      50      0-0     2-6       4        7

2007     13-13    37      17      54      0-0     2.5-5     2        7

Totals   35-35    97       43       140     0-0      4.5-11 10        22

DARIUS BUTLER’S CAREER HIGHS

Most Tackles: 7, 3x, last vs. Wake Forest, 12/27/07

Most TFL:      1, 3x, last at Pittsburgh 9/22/07

Most INT:      3, at Army, 10/1/05

Longest INT Return:  84, at Army, 10/1/05

Most Kickoff Returns: 4, vs. USF, 11/26/05

Most KR yardage:     148, vs. USF, 11/26/05

Longest Kick Return: 90, vs. USF, 11/26/05