Fresno State Athletics
2021 Football Roster
Roster
Bland, DaRon
DL
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Jersey Number 1
DaRon Bland
- Position:
- DB
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 200
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Modesto, Calif.
- High School:
- Central Catholic HS
- Prev School:
- Sacramento State
Bio
Last updated on Jan. 21, 2022
2021 (SENIOR*): Appeared in all 13 games, started in the final nine games as a cornerback … totaled 45 tackles (34 solo) - fifth on the team, second among all defensive backs and the leading cornerback tackler … had at least one tackle in every game on the season … had a season-high seven tackles (six solo) at San Jose State (Nov. 25) … had one forced fumble, at then-No. 13 UCLA (Sept. 18) … had two interceptions on the season - his first against Nevada (Oct. 23) and his second against Boise State (Nov. 6) … added five broken up passes on the year … part of a Bulldog defense who only allowed 20.5 points per game this season, while also holding two opponents scoreless. It was the first time since 2017 that a Fresno State team had multiple shutouts in a season … helped Fresno State to two wins over ranked opponents, both on the road. It was the first time Fresno State defeated two Top 25 opponents in a season for the first time since 2004, and the first time both wins came on the road in the 100 year history of the program … played in the 2022 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl … also received an invite to the Tropical Bowl.
*Utilized the additional year of eligibility approved by the NCAA in the fall of 2020. The NCAA approved a blanket waiver for all 2020 fall sports student-athletes to retain a year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PRIOR TO FRESNO STATE: (2020) No football in the fall - FCS. (2019) Named first team all-Big Sky as a defensive back and earned the team’s Outstanding Defensive Back award … started all 13 games at cornerback and finished the year with 43 total tackles, including 30 solos … also added a sack, 6.5 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, forced a pair of fumbles, recovered a fumble and had eight pass breakup … was responsible for at least one tackle in all 13 games and had two or more tackles in 11 contest … biggest game came in the win over No. 5 Montana where he had a season high seven tackles with 1.5 TFLs and a sack and also intercepted a pass … picked off a pass in the end zone and returned it 43 yards in the season opening win over Southern Oregon. (2018) Started all 10 games at cornerback … recorded 44 total tackles, including 33 solos … recorded his first career interception at Weber State and returned it 47 yards … had at least three tackles in nine games … was credited with a season high seven tackles against North Dakota and at Weber State … led the team with five pass breakups … had three tackles-for-loss … also competed in track & field where he qualified for the Big Sky Championships during the indoor and outdoor seasons … scored points for the team after placing sixth in the long jump with a personal best of 24-feet, 0.75-inches. (2017) Played in the final seven games of the season as a true freshman … recorded five tackles during the year … had three stops at Eastern Washington in his first collegiate game … was credited with a solo tackle against EWU, Cal Poly and UC Davis … also competed in track & field for the Hornets.
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2017 graduate of Central Catholic HS in Modesto, Calif. … named second team all-state medium school by Cal-Hi Sports as a senior … was the Valley Oak League Defensive Player of the Year … named first team all-district large school by The Modesto Bee and first team all-area by BlackHatFootball.com … recorded 44 tackles as a senior and also had a pair of interceptions … returned an interception 104 yards for a touchdown against Manteca HS … also played on offense where he had 24 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns … grabbed four passes for a season-high 104 yards and a TD against Kimball HS … as a junior, he had 1,089 all-purpose yards, scored eight touchdowns and was credited with 48 total tackles … played three seasons of varsity football and helped the Raiders to a Sac-Joaquin Section and California State championship as a sophomore.
PERSONAL: Majoring in kinesiology … parents are Dwight Bland and Adrienne Topkins … brother, Keane, ran track at Fresno State and LSU.
2021 (SENIOR*): Appeared in all 13 games, started in the final nine games as a cornerback … totaled 45 tackles (34 solo) - fifth on the team, second among all defensive backs and the leading cornerback tackler … had at least one tackle in every game on the season … had a season-high seven tackles (six solo) at San Jose State (Nov. 25) … had one forced fumble, at then-No. 13 UCLA (Sept. 18) … had two interceptions on the season - his first against Nevada (Oct. 23) and his second against Boise State (Nov. 6) … added five broken up passes on the year … part of a Bulldog defense who only allowed 20.5 points per game this season, while also holding two opponents scoreless. It was the first time since 2017 that a Fresno State team had multiple shutouts in a season … helped Fresno State to two wins over ranked opponents, both on the road. It was the first time Fresno State defeated two Top 25 opponents in a season for the first time since 2004, and the first time both wins came on the road in the 100 year history of the program … played in the 2022 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl … also received an invite to the Tropical Bowl.
*Utilized the additional year of eligibility approved by the NCAA in the fall of 2020. The NCAA approved a blanket waiver for all 2020 fall sports student-athletes to retain a year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PRIOR TO FRESNO STATE: (2020) No football in the fall - FCS. (2019) Named first team all-Big Sky as a defensive back and earned the team’s Outstanding Defensive Back award … started all 13 games at cornerback and finished the year with 43 total tackles, including 30 solos … also added a sack, 6.5 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, forced a pair of fumbles, recovered a fumble and had eight pass breakup … was responsible for at least one tackle in all 13 games and had two or more tackles in 11 contest … biggest game came in the win over No. 5 Montana where he had a season high seven tackles with 1.5 TFLs and a sack and also intercepted a pass … picked off a pass in the end zone and returned it 43 yards in the season opening win over Southern Oregon. (2018) Started all 10 games at cornerback … recorded 44 total tackles, including 33 solos … recorded his first career interception at Weber State and returned it 47 yards … had at least three tackles in nine games … was credited with a season high seven tackles against North Dakota and at Weber State … led the team with five pass breakups … had three tackles-for-loss … also competed in track & field where he qualified for the Big Sky Championships during the indoor and outdoor seasons … scored points for the team after placing sixth in the long jump with a personal best of 24-feet, 0.75-inches. (2017) Played in the final seven games of the season as a true freshman … recorded five tackles during the year … had three stops at Eastern Washington in his first collegiate game … was credited with a solo tackle against EWU, Cal Poly and UC Davis … also competed in track & field for the Hornets.
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2017 graduate of Central Catholic HS in Modesto, Calif. … named second team all-state medium school by Cal-Hi Sports as a senior … was the Valley Oak League Defensive Player of the Year … named first team all-district large school by The Modesto Bee and first team all-area by BlackHatFootball.com … recorded 44 tackles as a senior and also had a pair of interceptions … returned an interception 104 yards for a touchdown against Manteca HS … also played on offense where he had 24 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns … grabbed four passes for a season-high 104 yards and a TD against Kimball HS … as a junior, he had 1,089 all-purpose yards, scored eight touchdowns and was credited with 48 total tackles … played three seasons of varsity football and helped the Raiders to a Sac-Joaquin Section and California State championship as a sophomore.
PERSONAL: Majoring in kinesiology … parents are Dwight Bland and Adrienne Topkins … brother, Keane, ran track at Fresno State and LSU.
FB Media Availability [9/9]: Ezekiel Avit, Jadon Pearson, Tim Thomas
Tuesday, September 09
FB Weekly Press Conference [9/8]
Monday, September 08
FB highlight at Oregon State [9/6/25]
Monday, September 08
Post-Game Press Conference [9/6]
Saturday, September 06
