Darren Mustin Going Home

While the University of Alabama football team will be playing its first road game of the 2007 season, senior linebacker Darren Mustin will be headed home this weekend as the Crimson Tide opens Southeastern Conference play against the Vanderbilt Commodores this Saturday in Nashville.

“I’m from Nashville and I’m excited about going home,” Darren Mustin said at Alabama’s media day on Monday afternoon. “I’ve got a big family, so I need a lot of tickets. I’m trying to get everybody in to see me play.”

Alabama and Vanderbilt will meet in the first Southeastern Conference game of the year for both teams on Saturday in Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville. Kickoff will be shortly after 11:30 a.m. with regional television coverage by Lincoln Financial.

A native of Brentwood, Tenn., Mustin began his playing career at Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro. Both Brentwood and Murfreesboro are near Nashville. In his two-year career with the Blue Raiders, he played in 19 games and recorded 29 total tackles at linebacker. He played all 11 games a freshman (2003) and had his best season as a sophomore, with 19 tackles, including 1 ½ tackles for loss (-3) in eight games the following year.

Mustin transferred to Alabama in 2005 and after sitting out one year due to NCAA transfer rules he played in 10 games in 2006 as a junior and finished with eight tackles.

After a coaching change at Alabama, Mustin had to prove himself to the Tide’s new coaching staff. Coach Nick Saban noticed Mustin’s hard work in spring practice and summer workouts and awarded the senior a scholarship prior to fall camp.

Mustin continued his hard work preseason camp and earned his first collegiate start last Saturday against Western Carolina. He was the Tide’s second-leading tackler with seven stops and one tackle for loss. For his efforts he was named one of the UA coaching staff’s defensive players of the week.

The Vanderbilt game will mark Mustin’s first in his hometown since leaving Middle Tennessee after the 2004 season. He last played in front of the home folks on Nov. 13, 2004 as the Blue Raiders beat UL Monroe 37-24 in Murfreesboro.

“It’s exciting,” Mustin added. “It’s one of those feelings, you think of it as another game, but it’s something special. You want to play really well in front of your home town. I’m going to be in front of brothers and sisters that haven’t seen me in awhile. My mom and dad are coming to the game. I want to do well.”