Derrick Vickers hopes to build on his stat-stuffing season

Kyle Cortez, Managing Editor

Derrick Vickers is one of the starting wide receivers on the BC football team and he currently leads the state with 13 touchdowns. Through six games, Vickers has 8 rushing touchdowns, 4 receiving touchdowns, and he has returned a kickoff for a touchdown. His 8 rushing touchdowns put him third in the state and first in the National Northern Conference (NNC). He averages 95.7 yards per game receiving, which puts him eighth in the state and first in the NNC. He has the most all-purpose yards in the state with 1357. That comes out to an average of 226.2 yards a game. The next closest person has 931 yards, which is about 155.2 yards a game. He has also accounted for 78 points, which puts him first in the state.

“I’ve played okay. I still have a couple things that I need to work on myself. I’ve played all right. I just want to keep getting better every week. I just want to do what I can to help my team get the win,” said Vickers.

Vickers first started playing at BC back in 2014 after graduating from Bakersfield High School (BHS). He then took last year off to take care of his newborn son. He’s come back this year and has been the playmaker for the Renegades and has helped lead them to a 4-2 record so far this year after only going 2-8 last year.

“We’ve been playing good. There’s a lot of nicks and tweaks that we need to fix, but all-around I think we’re going to come together as a really good team,” said Vickers.

Vickers said he first got interested in football at the age of six after watching it. Then one of his friends from elementary school asked him to play football and he just fell in love with it. Coming out of high school, Vickers said he had a ton of scholarships, but he unfortunately didn’t have the grades to go.

He’s currently majoring in criminal justice at BC and he’s looking to become a correctional officer in the future if football doesn’t pan out.

“There’s not really a specific college that I want to transfer to. It’s all in God’s hands. Whoever gives me an offer, that’s probably where I’ll end up going. I just want to play as long as I can,” said Vickers. “The thing that motivates me now is my son. I had a son last year in August. That’s really my motivation and he just keeps me going.”

Vickers said that it was tough at first to go to class, play football, and care for his son, but he’s figured out how to manage his time.

“I have everything all balanced out now, I’m used to it now. It takes a lot of time, but I have to understand that I have to balance school, football, and focus on what’s going to get me to the next level also,” said Vickers.

The Renegades’ have four games left in their season and Vickers is hoping to continue to build on his incredible season.