Darrow enters his fourth season with the Privateers and will oversee the pitching staff. Darrow was previously at Oklahoma where he served as the Sooners' volunteer assistant last season. In addition, he previously was an assistant from fall 2010 through the end of the 2013 at his alma mater and fellow Southland Conference member, Nicholls State University, and spent four seasons as a professional player in the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves organizations.
In 2018, the Privateers had their best pitching season in a long while. With a staff ERA of 4.31, 580 strikeouts (School Record), ranked 21st in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings last season. Under Darrow the Privateers have seen three pitchers in the last two season get either drafted or signed to an MLB team. Shawn Semple (2017, New York Yankees), Brian Warzek (2018, Los Angeles Dodgers), and Kyle Arjona (2018, Philadelphia Phillies).
While at Oklahoma for the 2016 season, Darrow helped the Sooners finish 30-27-1 overall record, including a pair of victories in the Big 12 Conference Tournament. As the team's recruiting coordinator and catchers' coach, he oversaw the development of four backstops who handed an OU staff that posted a 4.41 ERA and a .265 opponent batting average to go with a 1.69 strikeout-to-walk ratio courtesy of 432 Ks and 255 bases on balls. Darrow played an integral role in the Sooners landing 17 new recruits for the 2017 campaign: 10 true freshmen and seven transfers, including five from the junior-college ranks.
During his time as an assistant at Nicholls, Darrow originally rejoined the Colonel program as a volunteer assistant for the 2011 season before serving as the team's pitching coach his final two years in Thibodaux. He helped lower the team ERA each season he oversaw the staff, including a 4.18 mark in 2013 – which was the Colonels' lowest team ERA in 15 years. In 2012, Nicholls led the Southland Conference with a 2.07 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 323 punches while issuing just 156 free passes.
Among the hurlers Darrow oversaw at Nicholls, Brad Delatte became the second-highest player ever drafted out of Nicholls as the southpaw was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 Major League Amateur Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Between his previous collegiate coaching stints, Darrow spent two seasons at Norman North High School as the assistant coach. During his time with the Timberwolves, Darrow helped the team to back-to-back appearances into the Oklahoma 6A West Regional Tournament and set a school record with a 2.49 team ERA in 2015. He also served as the pitching coach for the Waterloo Bucks of the Northwoods League in summer of 2011, as the team finished fourth in the South Division and posted a 4.17 ERA.
A native of Perkins, Oklahoma, Darrow was a standout pitcher and wrestler at the prep level and began his college playing career at Labette Community College in 2002. He transferred to Nicholls in fall 2004 and, after missing his first Division I season with an injury, led the Colonels with six saves and 20 appearances in 2006 while posting a win and 20 strikeouts in 20.1 innings of work out of the bullpen.
That year, he was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 32nd round of the MLB Draft. Darrow pitched in 113 games at the Minor League level, twice reaching Double-A with call ups in 2008 and 2009 to the Erie SeaWolves and Mississippi Braves, respectively.
Darrow is married to the former Jessica Schuartz and they have two daughters, Rooney and Danni. They reside in Mandeville.
