Erick Dargan could only smile Wednesday when the viral video was brought up.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders linebacker became what one website called “the reluctant internet star” in September of 2014 after he was smoked during an NCAA game between his University of Oregon Ducks and the Michigan State University Spartans.
Then a Ducks safety, Dargan intercepted a Connor Cook pass and returned it 36 yards up the left sideline in the Sept. 6 clash. The return ended abruptly when Spartans offensive tackle Jack Conklin — all 6-foot-6 and 303 pounds of him at the time — obliterated Dargan with a thunderous hit.
Asked Wednesday about the play, Dargan tried to accentuate the positive.
“I-N-T; it was a great play by me,” he said with a chuckle after the CFL’s Roughriders practised at Mosaic Stadium. “But he made a good play too, coming up and getting a hit. I thought my lead blocker was going to block for me, but he gave me the short end of the stick and let (Conklin) come through.
“(The lead blocker) has got to get in the way and slow him down at least. I ate it. But I took the hit like a man. We live and we learn.”
Dargan claimed he didn’t watch the video on the Internet or read the follow-up stories. When he saw that the video had gone viral, he “just laughed at it.”
It wasn’t because of the hit, but Conklin eventually laughed all the way to the bank. He was selected in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2016 NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans, who signed him to a four-year, $15.89-million contract (including a signing bonus of $9.76 million).
“I probably helped his draft stock,” Dargan noted with another laugh.
Dargan, a two-time All-Pac 12 performer at Oregon, tied for third in the NCAA with seven interceptions as a senior. The 5-foot-11, 213-pounder signed with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent after leaving the Ducks, but was cut in August of 2015.
No one signed Dargan, leaving him without a team or a league to play in.
He spent the rest of that season and the 2016 campaign working out in hopes of finding a place to play. He also returned to his hometown of Pittsburg, Calif., and helped coach his old high school team.
“I just had to stay around football as much as possible,” said Dargan, 24. “Because I was around it, I was thinking about it. It helped me keep a football mind.”
At no point did Dargan think about hanging up his cleats — but he does admit that not having the game for a year was difficult.
“It hurt, just because I know I’ve got the talent level and I can play with the best of them,” he said. “But I knew I’d get another opportunity. I just had to be ready for it.”
That opportunity came after he worked out for Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones.
Saskatchewan signed Dargan in January of this year and he since has survived mini-camp in Florida in April, training camp in Saskatoon in May and June, two pre-season games and one regular-season contest.
Jones initially thought that Dargan would be a safety or a strong-side linebacker in the Roughriders’ defensive scheme. But Dargan’s size and willingness to hit — or be hit, if the Conklin video is to be believed — convinced Saskatchewan’s coaches to install the CFL rookie at weak-side linebacker.
“He reminds me of a quiet Marcus Ball,” Jones said, referring to the Toronto Argonauts linebacker. “(Dargan) is very instinctual like that, he ends up where the football ends up and he’s a good tackler. He can man-cover and he’s versatile. He can bounce out and play Sam linebacker for us as well as Will.”
Dargan admitted he was surprised when the Roughriders asked him to play linebacker since he had never played the position. But when he looked at the Will linebacker’s responsibilities, he realized the position was similar to playing safety — just a little closer to the line of scrimmage.
After focusing on his responsibilities in Saskatchewan’s run defence, Dargan played the new position for the first time in a regular-season game Thursday. He had four defensive tackles in the Roughriders’ 17-16 loss to the Montreal Alouettes.
Dargan remains thankful for the opportunity Jones has given him, but he wants to do more for the Roughriders — and for himself.
“I’ve been able to make some plays and contribute, but I’m not satisfied or done yet,” said Dargan, who is expected to start again at Will linebacker on Saturday when the Roughriders play host to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“Each week, I want to prove myself not only to my teammates and my coaching staff but to the league that I can play. My mindset each week is to find how I can get better.”
