Darren Krein had an inauspicious beginning to his Miami football career with a lawsuit attempting to get out of his National Letter of Intent. Krein signed with Miami while Jimmy Johnson was still the head coach. When Dennis Erickson succeeded Johnson, Krein stated his signed to play for Johnson, not Erickson.
When the lawsuit stalled during the summer before his freshman year, Krein decided to report to eventually report to Miami. Once Krein settled in Coral Gables he was labeled an outcast for the lawsuit. Eventually, after sitting out as a freshman in 1989, Krein became a key part of the Hurricanes defense from 1990-93.