The list of teams Jaelon Darden has played for, or was expected to join, during his football journey points toward a restless soul. The Houston native played at two high schools, was forced to sit out part of his senior season after transferring, and committed to three colleges, including one that pulled his scholarship offer. Darden never found a long-term home until he landed at North Texas, where he's become a cornerstone for the Mean Green. The senior is in his third year as a starter, ranks second in program history with 24 career touchdown catches and has emerged as a team leader as well as one of the more productive players in college football in a pandemic-impacted season.Darden leads the nation in touchdown catches with five heading into the Mean Green's Conference USA opener against Southern Miss (0-3, 0-1) on Saturday at Apogee Stadium, despite the fact UNT (1-1) has played just two games. "The journey has been hard, but then again, it wasn't with the things I have been through," Darden said. "They didn't faze me at all. I just took it on the chin and ran with it." - Denton Record