Skidmore opts for Marietta
BUTLER TWP — At 5-foot-9, 190 pounds, Darin Skidmore is considered under-sized as a defensive end.
The Butler senior could be labeled as over-energized at the same time.
“He's an old-school downhill player,” Butler football coach Eric Christy said. “For a defensive end, he is under-sized, but he has long arms and he's explosive moving forward.
“Darin's not one of those defensive guys who drops back into coverage. He likes to attack. He's a tough kid and with his quickness, he's better lining up with his hands on the ground.”
Marietta College — a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference — apparently feels the same way. Skidmore recently signed a letter of intent with the Pioneers, who will keep him at defensive end.
Gannon and Lock Haven were among Skidmore's other collegiate options. He carries a 3.8 grade point average and plans to major in engineering.
“They have a great bio-engineering program and that's what I want to study,” Skidmore said. “And it's a winning program that's on the way up.”
Marietta is coming off a 7-3 season. The Pioneers finished 6-4 in 2017 — their first winning campaign in 11 years.
Andy Waddle is entering his seventh year as Marietta head coach. He was 8-32 in his first four seasons before orchestrating the program's turnaround.
“They didn't have any seniors at defensive end last year,” Skidmore said. “But I'm going into camp with the understanding that if I prove myself, I can get on the field as a freshman. That's my immediate goal.
“I want to develop into a leader and help the team win a championship.”
Marietta has 10 defensive linemen — many of them freshmen this year — returning next season.
Skidmore had 26 solo tackles for Butler last season and led the Golden Tornado with four quarterback sacks.
“He was never injured. Darin stayed on the field all season,” Christy said. “That's another plus for him. He's a very durable kid.”
He can be an amusing one as well.
“We were working a fish fry last year and I was offering a prize to the player who was most friendly and offered up the most high-fives,” Christy said, laughing. “Darin was high-fiving everyone in sight and won the thing by a mile.
“I saw him in the parking lot, giving an impromptu dance lesson to someone by a car. That's just who he is, very outgoing.”
Skidmore was a wrestler at Butler until his sophomore year, when he decided to concentrate on football.
“What I got the most out of football was work ethic,” Skidmore said. “Work hard and it pays off. I know I'm under-sized at my position, but I've already gotten on a weight program to get a little better.
“I'll carry that work ethic into college.”
