Broken Arrow Linebacker Darryan Moss Listed Among Top 100 Players in Oklahoma

By MIKE MOGUIN
GTR Sports Writer

A quick glance in the VYPE Oklahoma Pigskin Preview issue and readers will find Broken Arrow linebacker Darryan Moss listed among the top 100 players in the state.
The publication says he uses his “strength, quickness and nose for the football to rip through opponents’ blocking schemes to punish ball carriers.” 
Readers can be sure Moss agrees with the article 100 percent.
“It’s true,” Moss said.
He definitely backed it up in the Tigers’ 14-7 win against Union on Sept. 4. Moss made 13 tackles in that game, which included a key fourth-down stop in the second half, two quarterback hurries and a sack. 
The fourth-down stop came when Union made its best drive of the second half. The Redskins drove to the BA 41-yard line. A low snap caused quarterback Rovaughn Banks to drop low, giving Moss time to storm in and drop him for a four-yard loss. 
“I just stuck to what my coach called,” Moss said. “I filled the gap and made the play.”
As far as his own evaluation, Moss just saw his performance as average. 
“I did okay,” he said. “I moved from outside (linebacker) to middle (linebacker). I still have a lot to improve on.”
Moss made 95 tackles in 2019, helping Broken Arrow to the Class 6AI semifinals. 
He said that playing defense as a hard-nosed, prototype linebacker, “is tough.” 
Favorite NFL linebackers of Moss are Kenneth Murray, Isaiah Simmons and the legendary Ray Lewis.
Murray is a former OU star who is now a rookie with the Los Angeles Chargers. Simmons played at Clemson and is now a rookie with the Arizona Cardinals. Lewis won two Super Bowls during a 17-year career with the Baltimore Ravens. His last season was in 2012, when the Ravens won their second Super Bowl. 
“Ray Lewis is the greatest of all-time, Isaiah Simmons, he has good speed, and Kenneth Murray is just a big prototype linebacker,” Moss said.
Things didn’t go Broken Arrow’s way when it fell 32-6 to top-ranked and Class 6AI state champion Owasso the week following the Union game. 
“We’ve got to go to work and keep getting better,” Moss said.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Moss said that workouts have been more of a challenge. 
“It’s been hard trying to get in shape,” he said. “We usually have a lot of time to get in shape. The big difference between the first game and every game afterwards is we’re in better shape.”
As of the middle of September, the Tigers, ranked third in 6AI, were 2-1 going through an off week. Before Union, it opened the season with a 50-23 win against Springdale (Ark.) in a nationally televised game on ESPN2. 
Broken Arrow had a home game against Westmoore cancelled in late September. 
In October, the Tigers play at Jenks (Oct. 2), host Edmond Memorial (Oct. 9), travel to Yukon (Oct. 15), Edmond Santa Fe (Oct. 23) and return home to play Norman (Oct. 30). They conclude the regular season on Nov. 6 at Enid.