Hall of Fame
Position: Center
Years: 1939-1941
Place of Birth: Pettis County, MO
Date of Birth: Jun 06, 1919
Place of Death: Independence, MO
Date of Death: Sep 16, 1986
Jersey Number: 42
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190
High School: Higginsville, MO (Higginsville HS)
A faultless ball-handler, Missouri's Darold Jenkins was a mid- line magician during the early 1940s. He played the unheralded role of center, making coach Don Faurot's split-T formation click through a 22-7 record. On defense he played middle linebacker. In 1941, Jenkins captained the Tigers and led them to one of their most exciting seasons. They lost to Ohio State, 12-7, in the season opener, then ran off eight victories before bowing to Fordham, 2-0, in the Sugar Bowl. Missouri won the Big Six Championship that year and Jenkins was named All-Conference and All-America. Jenkins was the leading center of his day and Faurot considered him a "play- maker" because of his ability to get the offense moving. After college, Jenkins served six years in the U.S. Army Air Corps logging 27 combat missions over Germany. He spent 16 months as a prisoner of war. When he retired from the military, Jenkins held the rank of lieutenant colonel. He returned to study law and, in 1952, became a practicing attorney, eventually joining the Missouri State Highway Commission. He died September 16, 1986.
