Wednesday, November 14, 2001
Dugans is making his role special
WR says work on special teams has paid off
By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer
If you're the former Florida state prep champion in the triple jump and averaged 20 points a game for the defending state basketball champions — and neither one is even your best sport — you have skills and confidence.
But nothing in the background of Bengals wide receiver Ron Dugans could prepare him for playing special teams in the NFL.
“Sometimes you've got to give up your body — that's the only way you're going to make plays,” he said. “A lot of guys don't want to do that. It's a hard thing to do. When I ran track, I didn't have to do it. When I played basketball, I didn't have to do it. At Florida State playing (wide) receiver, I had to do a lot of cracking back on linebackers and D-ends. But even that's different.”
How so?
“Let's say you go in motion (as a receiver) and you know you've got to crack a guy 5 yards from where you are,” Dugans said. “On special teams, you've got to go on a 50- or 60-yard sprint and try to take out an offensive lineman — two of them, actually — who are coming at you. It's hard, but you've got to do it. You've got to psyche yourself up, get hyped.”
“Going mental” — the phrase made famous by former Saturday Night Live character Ed Grimley — is something Dugans cultivates.
Dugans said he tries to play “a game within a game.” That is, “I try to get my teammates pumped up. I say, "OK, we just scored, let's go make a tackle inside the 20.'” he said. “We make friendly bets.”
Whom does he bet?
“Robert Bean on punt coverage — he's the other "flyer,'” Dugans said. “We say, "OK, whoever makes the first tackle gets taken out to dinner.' Something like that. Canute Curtis, Chris Carter. JoJuan Armour. Whoever has the most tackles at the end of the year gets rewarded. Last year, when I first got on (special teams), I'd be thinking, "I'm not going to do this (for long).' And some of the other guys would say the same thing. Now, when I go to meetings, there's a buzz: "I bet I got more tackles than you.' I like that. It makes you want to be on special teams to make plays.”
Dugans' 16 special teams' tackles are six more than those of runners-up Carter and Armour. Dugans had three tackles apiece in the big victories over Baltimore and Cleveland.
Al Roberts, the Bengals' special teams coach, has said Dugans hits like a strong safety. A wide smile crosses Dugans' face when he hears that compliment.
“But I'd rather play corner,” he says, laughing.
The extent of Dugans' special teams participation at Florida State was covering one punt in the national title game against Florida “when a cover guy got hurt, so they just threw me in there.” Twice he was tossed into the special teams fray as a Bengals rookie last year. On the first of those, an amazing thing happened:
“I caused a fumble,” he said.
And the second time?
“I made the tackle,” he said.
That left no question in his mind about whether he could play special teams in the NFL. The question was: Did he want to?
Wideout is a tough enough position when it comes to open-field hits. Dugans wanted to have a career as a receiver, not have it busted up on special teams.
“At the beginning of this season I was thinking, "What if I get hit real hard?'” he said. “You're going against offensive linemen, linebackers, safeties and tight ends. You're not going against other (wide) receivers. In the back of your mind, you're thinking: "If I take this wedge out, will I be able to play the next play?'”
Early on, he came to realize if he played well on special teams, it could prolong his NFL career. He threw himself into it with gusto. An interesting thing happened while Dugans was making himself into an impact special teams player.
“The physical part of special teams — taking a hit, delivering a blow — has made me a better receiver,” Dugans said. “When I catch a ball over the middle now, I'm used to that contact. And when you're flyer-release (on special teams), you're usually trying to get off the ball against two defenders at a time. That helps you (at wideout), especially when you've got only one guy to beat.”
Last week, he caught four balls for 51 yards, both personal bests as a pro. Who's his NFL role model? He didn't have an immediate answer but gave thought.
“(Oakland's) Tim Brown,” he said. “He's a great receiver. And when he (first) came in, they threw him back at punt (returner). I see him doing some things that a lot of other receivers don't have to do. He's been good his whole career, but he doesn't get the credit like Jerry Rice and some other great receivers.”
At Florida A&M University High School in Tallahassee, Dugans played every position except offensive line. The Florida Gators liked his play so much at DB, they tried to recruit him to play safety.
And he isn't kidding now when he says he'd like to play corner.
“I'd like to go both ways. I'd like to try it. I don't want to be known as just a special teams guy. I want to be a slasher, a guy who can play any position. If you need to throw me at safety, corner, wide receiver, tight end, go ahead. Whatever it takes for the team. I just like playing football.”
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Dugans is making his role special