In 2008, Darnell Carter was done playing football. After being suspended for academic reasons, the former Virginia linebacker was back in his home state of New Jersey working as a dispatcher for a locksmith company. But the 6-foot-3, 240-pound 22-year-old wasn't suited to sitting around taking phone calls all day. Carter returned to the team in 2009, when he saw some playing time in the season's first three games. Knee and hamstring injuries, however, took a toll on the rest of his season.
"Ever since then, I guess [former coach Al Groh] gave up faith in me," Carter said. "I just didn't play too much after that."
Carter appeared
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