completely random ShanDerrick Charles post

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

I have absolutely no idea why, but as I was listening to the Ponies this weekend I suddenly thought of ShanDerrick Charles. Absolute shooting star. For I think one season he looked like the next coming of Walter Payton. As I recall, he then got hurt and never played again. So here's my question:

How good was ShanDerrick? Had he stayed healthy, do those who remember think he would have been a special player in SMU football lore? Just curious if anyone has any thoughts about whether he was really as good as he looked for about 8 games.

[ponyboy]

The guy was unbelievable and had an amazing ability to make tacklers miss. I believe it was his single game touchdown record that Zach Line just broke.

[Junior]

The guy was unbelievable and had an amazing ability to make tacklers miss. I believe it was his single game touchdown record that Zach Line just broke.

you are correct, so the SDC reference is completely relevant. they probably even mentioned it on the radio broadcast.

[rich59]

Watching him when he was a freshman I thought he was much better than Eric Dickerson as a freshman. It was said he was much better than his younger brother who played at TU and I believe is still in the NFL.

[PonyKai]

Watching him when he was a freshman I thought he was much better than Eric Dickerson as a freshman. It was said he was much better than his younger brother who played at TU and I believe is still in the NFL.

He just shredded his knee yesterday; out for the season.

[Junior]

Watching him when he was a freshman I thought he was much better than Eric Dickerson as a freshman. It was said he was much better than his younger brother who played at TU and I believe is still in the NFL.

yeah, he was the starting back in KC til he tore his ACL yesterday.

[Donnell88]

He injured his back very badly while weightlifting in the off-season and never recovered.
He was going to be starting his sophomore season the year that Phil Bennett took over but was never able to suit up again.

A real tragedy for Mustang nation.

[GRGB]

I heard he fell awkwardly on his back playing pickup basketball

[GRGB]

Recent news
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sport ... 407545.php

[Junior]

either way, he was gonna be a superstar the next season. loved hearing his name on the PA: ShanDerrick Charles up the middle for a first down!

[SmooPower]

I either never knew this or just forgot, but found it interesting:

Before yesterday, SMU freshman ShanDerrick Charles had carried just once for no yards. But against San Jose State, Charles ran the ball 26 times for 243 yards, the second-highest total in SMU history, and only 1 yard short of Mike Richardson's school record. Doak Walker, Eric Dickerson and Craig James never had as big a game.

"I've heard of him," Charles said of Dickerson. "I've even seen some films of him. And he's got to know he's got another one coming right behind him."

SMU coach Mike Cavan could have sent Charles into the line from the Spartans' 1 in the closing seconds to possibly tie the record, but Cavan let the clock run out instead.

"I didn't know he was that near the record," Cavan said, "but I would not have run him for a play for the record anyway at that point. He'll have his chances."

Charles would not have had the opportunity if Keylon Kin- caid, the Mustangs' leading rusher, had been healthy. Kincaid sustained a concussion last week and did not make the trip. Cavan was not certain whether Kincaid or Charles would start in SMU's next game, but said: "Ever hear of Wally Pipp?"

[PonyPride]

Not to split hairs, but several players had run for four touchdowns in a game — ShanDerrick Charles was the most recent (vs. UTEP in 2001).

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

It's a darn shame what happened to ShanDerrick. For half a season, I thought we had found the new Pony Express. And then it ended just as quickly as it began. I have to say, during the dark years of SMU football (1989-2008), I think those few games where ShanDerrick was tearing it up in 2001 may have been some of the most exciting SMU games of that whole era for me.