Wednesday. January 27. 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Offensive lineman tackles future career possibilities
Senior attracts NFL prospects with key plays
Senior offensive tackle Dan Dercher blocks a University of North Texas player during the final home game. Dercher is exploring his chances at a NFL career. Photo by Graham K. Johnson/KANSAN
By Mike Harrity
Kansan sportswriter
Dianne Dercher didn't recognize the look in her son's eyes.
Never during any of the countless post-game talks with her 22-year-old son had she seen this before.
What's the matter? she thought
She stood by her son that third Saturday last November in Ames, Iowa, still reeling from the 23-20 loss to Iowa State — her son's final football game at Kansas.
"Mom, I don't want to do this anymore," senior Dan Dercher said.
"Well, then don't," said Dianne, who sidled up to her 6-foot-6, 292-pound son, comforting him as only a mother can. "You gave it everything, and your father and I enjoyed every moment."
Dianne braced herself for the end of her son's football career, which would no doubt leave a void, considering that she had missed only three of her son's games since his freshman year of high school.
The unexpected attention gave Dan Dercher a change of heart — something that a dream on the verge of realization can do.
During the ensuing weeks, calls from NFL scouts and Federal Express packages from sports agents began finding their way to the Dercher home in Mission.
"The past couple of months have been crazy," Dan said. "I thought I was done playing, and now I have a chance to finally do something I've
a l w a y s
dreamt of
doing—play
in the NFL."
This dream may not have materialized if it hadn't been for a meeting with head coach Terry Allen on Oct. 13, 1997. During the meeting, Allen asked Dercher to
Dercher: Trying to get a spot in the NFL.
"If it would help the team win, I'll do it." Dercher told Allen.
switch from his position as a reverse defensive lineman and move to the offensive side as a left tackle. Allen said he thought this change would help bolster the struggling line.
Offensive line coach Walt Klinker said this example of selflessness summed up what kind of person Dercher was.
"We asked a few other defensive linemen to switch, and they wouldn't do it." Klinker said. "Switching to offense was a great sacrifice on Dan's part. If only he had played left tackle for four years, he'd really have a great chance of being considered one of the top prospects in the NFL."
The switch paid immediate dividends a week after Dercher's first start on offense when Nebraska came to Lawrence. Although Kansas lost 35-0 in a driving rainstorm, Dercher turned in a solid performance against defensive end Grant Wistrom, who was a two-time All-American at Nebraska and was selected sixth overall by
the St. Louis Rams in last year's NFL draft.
"That game against Nebraska really started boosting my confidence and made me realize, 'Hey, I can do this.'" Dercher said.
And now Dercher, with just 16 games of experience as an offensive lineman, has the attention of NFL scouts and has committed to sports agent Jack Mills, whose client list includes Dercher's idol, Jacksonville Jaguars perennial Pro-Bowl left tackle Tony Boselli. Still, the NFL idea is going to $ ^{13} $
Still, the NFL idea is going to take some getting used to.
Dercer played with some of the nation's top college players on Jan. 16 in the East-West Shrine Bowl in Palo Alto, Calif. But it wasn't the nearly flawless week of practices that excited Dercer when asked about the game. As he waited to go through yet another drill during practice, he looked next to him and standing there was Mike Ditka, New Orleans Saints' head coach and NFL Hall-of-Famer.
"It's still kind of hard to believe that I'm standing there next to Ditka or meeting with (Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach) Tony Dungy and (Indianapolis Colts head coach) Jim Mora." Dercher said. "But I do believe I deserve the chance to show I belong in the NFL."
Three days out of next month may have more of an impact on Dercher's future than any game tape. From Feb. 18 to 21, Dercher will be in Indianapolis, enduring the rigors of the NFL scouting combine, where team officials critique a prospect's every move — from the way he runs a 40-yard dash to the way he looks in a pair of boxers. His performance could mean the difference between being drafted or signed as a free agent. In short, the difference could be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"I get kind of nervous every time I think about it," Dercher said. "There's a lot pressure, but it's not
"It's still kind of hard to believe that I'm standing there next to Ditka or meeting with Tony Dungy and Jim Mora. But I do believe I deserve the chance to show I belong in the NFL."
Dan Dercher
Offensive lineman
like there's not going to be a lot of pressure when you're out there with two minutes to go, and you have to score a touchdown to win the game. Hopefully, I will erase all that around me and do well, but it'll be touch."
Dercher's parents chuckle when they think of how much attention their son has been getting. But things haven't always run so smoothly for Dan.
Dianne remembers Dan's first basketball game in second grade when he tripped over his own feet and broke his two front teeth. Or there was the time after football practice as a freshman in high school when he fell and broke his collarbone while chasing a teammate who was carrying a box of doughnuts.
"He's always been a late bloomer," said his father, Larry, who started at defensive tackle for the Jayhawks from 1965 to '67. "People seem to be really enthushed about him, so I told him to go after it with everything he's got."
"If it works out, great; if it doesn't, that's OK, too," she said. "Hopefully, he'll get to do something he loves and go a long way with it."
No matter what the coming months hold for her son, Dianne's view never will change.
Information Session 8:00 p.m. in the Regionalist Room on the 5th floor of the Kansas Union on January 27th, also at 8:00 p.m. February 2nd in the Parkers Room on the 5th floor of the Kansas Union.
Learn How To Make A Difference By Volunteering!
Center For Community Outreach The University of Kansas Volunteer Headquarters 864-4073
EVERYTHING BUT ICE BEDS • DESKS CHEST OF DRAWERS BOOK CASES LAYAWAY FOR SUMMER unclaimed freight & damaged merchandise 936 Mass.
Artwork Needed
The Kansas and Burge Unions are looking for "Garden Art"for the Kansas Union Atrium
Please bring a color photo or slide of artwork to the SGA Office, Level 4, Kaiz Union by Friday, Feb. 5, 1999. Completed application must include name, phone number, address, size of artwork and its media. Donates art and artwork pri to $200.00 will be considered. A committee will vote on applications. Slides photos can be picked up after March 8, 1999 in the SGA Office.
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7 p.m. Wednesday, January 27
Studio 242, Robinson Center No solo material required. For further information, call 864-4264
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