James Starks life and biography

James Starks is an American football running back for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL.

• Missed his senior season due to a shoulder injury that required surgery.
• In three years, became University at Buffalo’s all-time leader in rushing yards (3,140), rushing TDs (34) and points scored (222).
• Set single-season school records for carries (272), rushing yards (1,333), points scored (102) and all-purpose yards (1,694) in 2008 despite missing two-plus games with injuries.
• Became first running back drafted into the NFL from his school and the first player drafted by the Packers from his school.
• Originally recruited as a quarterback, was converted to cornerback and then running back in college.
• At Niagara Falls, N.Y., played on the same high school basketball team as Syracuse alum and current Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jonny Flynn.

COLLEGE :

Productive college running back who missed his entire senior season due to a shoulder injury, which likely led to his falling all the way to the sixth round of the draft... Finished his career as the University at Buffalo’s all-time leader in rushing yards (3,140), rushing touchdowns (34) and points scored (222) despite missing that final year... Became the first player in school history to post back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons (2007-08) and the first running back drafted into the NFL from his school... Was chosen by the Packers with the 193rd overall pick, the 13th running back taken in the draft and the first player ever drafted out of the University at Buffalo by Green Bay... Played 36 games in three seasons, rushing 698 times for 3,140 yards (4.5 avg.) with 34 TDs, adding 127 receptions for 898 yards (7.1 avg.) and three more scores... Reception total ranks seventh on the school’s all-time list... His 3,140 yards broke the previous record of 3,103 held by Anthony Swan (1994-97), his 34 rushing TDs broke the previous record of 29 by Lee Jones (1965-67) and Swan, and his 222 points topped the previous record of 184 by Alan Bell (1989-92)... His 12 100-yard rushing games fell one shy of Swan’s mark, and his 698 carries are also second to Swan (812) in school annals... One of only four players in school history to generate more than 4,000 all-purpose yards, finishing with 4,045... Was recruited as a quarterback, converted to cornerback during his redshirt season in 2005 and then became a part-time starter at running back in 2006... After a 1,000-yard season as a full-time starter in 2007, had his most decorated year as a junior in 2008, when he set single-season school records for carries (272), rushing yards (1,333), all-purpose yards (1,694) and points scored (102), all of which helped to put him on preseason All-American and Doak Walker Award watch lists heading into his senior 2009 campaign... A shoulder injury limited him in spring drills, though, and after trying to play through it, opted for season-ending surgery in August to repair a torn labrum... Graduated with a degree in sociology.

2009: Sat out the entire season after undergoing surgery on his shoulder in August... Was limited by the shoulder injury during spring camp in March, tried to play through it and aggravated the problem, which turned out to be a torn labrum... Began the year as a preseason All-America and All-MAC selection and was on the Doak Walker Award watch list as one of the nation’s top running backs.

2008: Despite missing two-plus games with injuries, set single-season school records with 1,333 rushing yards on 272 carries (4.9 avg.)... Yardage total topped O.D. Underwood’s 1,189 yards in 1986, while the attempts topped his own mark from the previous season... Earned honorable mention All-America from The NFL Draft Report and was named first-team All-MAC by the league’s coaches and media... Ranked third in the MAC and 15th in the nation in rushing with 111.1 yards per game, topping 100 six times, one shy of the single-season school record held by Swan (1996) and Underwood (1986)... Rushed for 16 TDs, tying a school record first set by Jones in 1966... Scored at least one TD in each of the final nine games and multiple TDs in four straight... Added a TD receiving, as he ranked second on the team with 52 receptions for 361 yards (6.9 avg.)... Also set school records for points scored (102) and all-purpose yards (1,694), beating Jones’ point total of 96 (1966) and Andre Forde’s yardage mark of 1,556 (2002)...Vs. Texas-El Paso (Aug. 28): Rushed 31 times for 179 yards... Vs. Temple (Sept. 13): Rushed eight times for 20 yards before leaving game in first quarter with what turned out to be a hip bruise, which forced him to miss the next game at Missouri (Sept. 20) .

2007: Earned All-MAC second-team honors for the second straight year with 251 carries (a single-season school record he would break the following year) for 1,103 yards (4.4 avg.) and 12 TDs... Added 41 receptions for 311 yards (7.6 avg.) and two more TDs... Ranked fifth in the MAC in rushing with 91.2 yards per game and fourth in school history with 1,414 all-purpose yards... Topped 100 yards four times and scored multiple TDs in four straight games... At Temple (Sept. 8): Caught three passes for 83 yards, including a career-long 74-yard TD reception... Vs. Baylor (Sept. 22): Had 14 carries for 62 yards and two TDs, plus four catches for 33 yards and another TD... At Ball State (Sept. 29): Rushed 19 times for 47 yards and two TDs.

2006: Moved from CB to RB and started seven of 12 games played, leading the team in rushing with 704 yards and six TDs on 175 carries (4.0 avg.), good for second-team All-MAC honors... Finished second on the team with 34 catches for 226 yards (6.7 avg.)... Vs. Temple (Aug. 31): Recovered a fumbled kickoff for a 7-yard gain and had 14 carries for 86 yards and game-winning TD in overtime in collegiate debut... Vs. Miami of Ohio (Oct. 15): Rushed for 113 yards and a TD on 19 carries, his first 100-yard game, and added five receptions for 68 yards... At Ohio (Oct. 21): Caught season-high six passes, a total he matched the following week vs. Boston College (Oct. 28)... Vs. Kent State (Nov. 4): Ran for season-high 162 yards and three TDs on 24 carries to earn MAC East Player of the Week.

2005: Redshirted... Initially recruited as a QB, practiced on the scout team at CB.

PERSONAL:
Born James Darell Starks in Niagara Falls, N.Y., nicknamed Buck... Single... Says his two uncles, who are pastors, have been a big influence on him as an athlete... Has worked as a counselor at sports camps, made hospital visits and worked with a local Boys and Girls Club among his charitable endeavors... Hobbies include drawing and playing basketball... Lists Above The Rim as his favorite movie and R&B and rap as his favorite types of music... Residence: Niagara Falls, N.Y.

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