Darren Studstill
Quick Facts
Biography
Darren Studstill (born August 9, 1970) is a former starting quarterback for West Virginia University during the 1990s. He was part of the Mountaineers' undefeated 1993 team. In 1994, he was drafted 191st overall in the 6th round by the Dallas Cowboys to play in the defensive backfield. He is now pursuing a career in coaching currently at the high school level.
College career
During his college career Studstill was often in a shared playing time situation with Jake Kelchner. Both quarterbacks were very talented but with very different skill sets. Kelchner was the prototype pocket quarterback, while Studstill was the all around athletic star. Head coach Don Nehlen never named a starter it was always very clearly a shared position throughout the tenure of both players.
National Football League
Studstill was not considered a pro style quarterback entering the NFL in 1994 because of his inaccuracy. He played defensive back for one season with the Dallas Cowboys, and two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Coaching career
After being named head coach of Royal Palm Beach High School just one season earlier Studstill was fired in August 2009 just days before the start of training camp for the 2009-2010 season despite great success on the field in his inaugural campaign. He was dismissed partly because he and Principal Guarn Sims differed over the way Studstill handled finances and supervised his assistant coaches, though no one has alleged deliberate wrongdoing by Studstill. In one season under Studstill Royal Palm Beach went 11-2 and reached the regional finals, and he was a finalist for the county's Lou Groza Coach of the Year award. Before being fired Studstill was given at least two opportunities to resign but declined. An official for the school was quoted as saying "In no way is it an attack on his personal or professional character. This is an isolated issue that directly deals with the direction of the football program." He will also retain his position at the school as a disciplinarian.