Darren Lewis, an all-time great for the Texas A&M Aggies, passed away on Friday.
Lewis, who was 55 at his time of death, died earlier today following a battle with cancer. Texas A&M’s Athletics Communications then shared a release on the news this afternoon.
“Darren Lewis, a two-time All-American running back and the all-time leading rusher in both Texas A&M and Southwest Conference history, passed away after a battle with cancer,” they wrote. “Lewis was born Nov. 7, 1968, in Dallas.”
Darren ‘Tank’ Lewis played for Texas A&M from 1987 to 1990. He played under both Jackie Sherrell and R.C. Slocum while in College Station.
In total, Lewis rushed for 5,012 yards and 44 touchdowns on 909 carries, good for 5.5 per touch, in his career. The yardage and carries are the most all-time in school history while the rushing scores are second-most. The yardage also remains at No. 1 in the history of the Southwest Conference.
Lewis’ sophomore and senior seasons were the highlights of his four years as an Aggie. Both of them earned him All-American honors as well as consideration for The Heisman Trophy.
In 1988, Lewis rushed for 1,692 yards to set the single-season record at Texas A&M. That would stand until Trayveon Williams broke it back in 2018. That earned him recognition as an All-Southwest Conference Selection, as the SWC Offensive Player of the Year, and as the runner-up for the Heisman behind only Barry Sanders.
Then, in his final year in 1990, Lewis rushed for another 1,691 yards and a career-high of 18 touchdowns. That season included his career-best rushing game with 232 yards against Texas Tech, another 200-plus rushing yard outing against SMU, and two performances of four-scores against the Mustangs as well as Houston.
Lewis had a three-year pro career in the NFL after being a sixth-round pick by the Chicago Bears in the 1991 NFL Draft.
In 1998, Texas A&M would remember Lewis’ career around a decade later with his induction into their Athletics Hall of Fame.
Importance of Texas-Texas A&M rivalry returning: ‘They hate each other so much’
Texas and Texas A&M have been bickering with one another for over a century. Rarely will you find something the two agree on, especially when it comes to their football matchup. Seeing Texas move into the SEC has not helped the situation either.
“They can’t agree on anything,” On3’s Andy Staples said. “They hate each other so much.”
Being in different conferences meant the past decade was filled with pure disdain for the other. Not playing each other in football may have added more fuel to an already bitter rivalry.
“I think it’s possible they hate each other way more because they haven’t been in the same conference,” Max Olson of The Athletic said during ‘Andy Staples On3’. “The rhetoric, the online fighting. We’ve had a lot of coaches, a lot of ADs pass through in that interim time. But there is absolutely no love.”
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