Derrick Moncrief scored a perfect 10 in his first game of 2018.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ strong-side linebacker had eight tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass knockdown in Friday’s 27-19 victory over the Toronto Argonauts at Mosaic Stadium.
As a result, Moncrief leads the CFL after Week 1 with 10 so-called “defensive plays” — the highest-such number in the league through its first four games.
Now the 25-year-old product of Prattville, Ala., wants to stay at No. 1.
Moncrief said after Monday’s closed practice at Mosaic Stadium that he has set “some great goals” for himself for the 2018 season. Asked how high those goals are, he replied: “Highest numbers in the league.”
“I’m trying to make it happen, man,” he added. “I’m trying to be the most impactful and the best defensive player in the league and lead my team to a championship.”
If he can do those things, it will be a remarkable turnaround for a linebacker who didn’t want to play the position in college.
Moncrief started his post-secondary career at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. By the end of his second season at the school, he was the top-ranked safety in the U.S. junior college ranks.
He then accepted an offer to play at Auburn University and appeared in every game for the Tigers during the 2014 season.
But prior to the 2015 season, Auburn changed defensive co-ordinators — and Will Muschamp decided he wanted to move Moncrief from safety to outside linebacker.
Moncri
ef initially was OK with the idea, but then he balked. He sought and received his release from Auburn and transferred to Oklahoma State.
“I wanted to prove myself (as a safety at Auburn),” explained the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder. “I always believed in my ability. I knew I could play both, but they brought me in as a safety.
“I was the No. 1 safety in the (junior college recruiting) class, so I wasn’t going to say, ‘OK, I’m going to move to linebacker.’ ”
Actually, he did — albeit briefly. He left Auburn after spring practice.
After sitting out the 2015 season due to NCAA transfer regulations, Moncrief played safety for the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the 2016 campaign. As his college career played out, he wondered if a pro career was in the offing.
“There was a little doubt, going from being ranked No. 1 (as a safety in the junior college rankings) to barely playing and switching positions and switching schools,” Moncrief recalled. “But I just stayed down, stayed humble, believed in God and believed in my abilities.”
The Roughriders signed Moncrief after they opened training camp in 2017 and he began the season bouncing between the injured list and the practice roster. He made his regular-season debut Aug. 13 against the visiting B.C. Lions — and ironically did so as a linebacker.
“This is my living,” he said when reminded that he once left a team after being asked to play that position. “I’m a versatile player, so I feel like I can mix it up all over the field.
“As long as I’m making plays and making the defence better and communicating with guys, I feel good about everything.”
Moncrief learned a valuable lesson early in the third quarter of his first game.
After intercepting a Jonathon Jennings pass at the Saskatchewan eight-yard line, Moncrief began returning the pick. Ten months later, he can still laugh about a 54-yard jaunt that ended with him running out of gas and being tackled from behind by the Lions’ Chris Rainey.
“I caught the pick and everybody caught me,” said a chuckling Moncrief, who was passed on the play by defensive linemen who were looking to block for him. “They were waving at me like, ‘C’mon! C’mon! Pitch the ball.’ That was a fun moment.”
Will that happen again this year?
“Oh, no,” Moncrief replied. “Touchdown, definitely.”
He took a different approach to his training this off-season, putting more of a focus on cardiovascular work. He also changed his diet and dropped 15 to 20 pounds.
“He’s in a little bit better physical condition,” 
Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones said. “He has always been a very instinctual player, but conditioning was a problem with him that first year.
“He was a little bit too heavy (so) he wasn’t quite as quick as what he should be at that position. But he has done a good job in the off-season coming back and he’s a lot thinner than what he was a year ago. He’s able to run and run for longer.”
Moncrief was placed on the six-game injured list after his debut last season, but returned for Saskatchewan’s final five regular-season games and two playoff contests. He finished the regular season with 15 tackles, three quarterback pressures, three knockdowns and one interception.
He increased his film study during the off-season and combined that with the experience he gained during the season in preparation for what he hopes is a breakout 2018 campaign.
He was all over the field during the early stages of Saskatchewan’s 39-12 pre-season loss to the Calgary Stampeders on May 27 and finished his stint with four tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass knockdown.
He was even more impressive during Friday’s victory over the Argos, showing the speed and instincts that Jones wants to see out of his Sam linebacker.
“(The first game) went pretty well, but I can always get better,” Moncrief said. “There’s always room for improvement. This was just Game 1 and I’m in a Grey Cup mindset, taking it one week at a time and trying to make our defence better.”
