Doggett a surprising ‘monster’ on special teams

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This article was published 05/09/2009 (5927 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IT happens all the time in pro football that one team’s garbage can turn out to be another’s gold, and Blue Bombers special-teams ace Derrick Doggett is just that kind of player.

The Edmonton Eskimos released Doggett this spring and the Blue Bombers immediately snatched the linebacker up on the recommendation of secondary coach Rick Campbell and the results have been pleasant.

The 25-year-old linebacker from Oregon State has rapidly climbed from obscurity to game-film favourite.

“We’ve been watching film of them all week and Derrick Doggett is a monster. Maybe the best special-teams player in the league right now,” said Saskatchewan Roughriders personnel man Brendan Taman. “He’s having a great season and he really stands out when you watch the film.”

Doggett has appeared in just four games for the Blue Bombers this season but already ranks second in the league in special-teams tackles with 15 including a breakout game against the Montreal Alouettes when he collected seven special-teams tackles.

“He’s athletic and has good football instincts,” said Campbell. “I know Derrick quite well. I saw him play at Oregon State a number of times and that’s why I got him to go to Edmonton last season. He played well in Edmonton and when they decided to go in a different direction I definitely recommended we pick him up because he’s a good football player. When he gets his shots on defence, and we’ve been integrating him in, he’ll make plays on defence as well.”

Campbell marvels at what Doggett has done in a short time with the Blue Bombers.

“We have many guys that do good things but he’s a guy that has been making plays of late,” said Campbell, who is the club’s special-teams co-ordinator in addition to his defensive-secondary role. “He had seven tackles in a game, which is pretty ridiculous. That never happens. He’s second in the league in special-teams tackles and he didn’t even play the first four games of the season. You need guys like that and he’s an inspiration to other guys who want to try and keep up with him.”

Doggett is glad for the opportunity to play pro football.

“Since I got here, I’ve just been trying to go out and make tackles on special teams and do my best,” said Doggett, who played in four games collecting six tackles on special teams as a rookie with the Eskimos last season.

“I was real happy to come over here and play for coach Campbell and coach Kelly. It’s worked out real good for me. It’s a lot of fun.”

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca