The day I witnessed a future Super Bowler

Posted 2/12/23

I covered Javon Hargrave's first three seasons with the S.C. State along with future NFL Rookie of the Year linebacker Darius Leonard. 

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The day I witnessed a future Super Bowler

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Having covered high school and college sports since 1997, it’s always fun to watch the progress of the athletes who reach the highest level of their respective fields.

Working at the Times and Democrat in Orangeburg, I saw outfielder Brett Gardner go from college walk-on at the College of Charleston coming out of Holly Hill Academy to World Series champion with the New York Yankees.

In football, I witnessed former high school standouts nose tackle Chartric “Chuck” Darby of North, defensive back Tim Jennings of Orangeburg-Wilkinson and wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey of Calhoun County go on to win Super Bowl rings. 

In the case of Darby, he’s one of seven Super Bowl champions to emerge from S.C. State. The others are four-time champion Donnie Shell (Pittsburgh Steelers), fellow Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson (New York Giants), wide receiver Charlie Brown (Washington), tight end Arther Love (New England Patriots) and defensive backs Christian Thompson (Baltimore Ravens) and Alex Brown (Kansas City Chiefs).  

Looking to join that list is Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive lineman Javon Hargrave. I covered the Salisbury, N.C. native’s first three seasons with the Bulldogs along with future NFL Rookie of the Year linebacker Darius Leonard. 

It was during Hargrave’s third year that he proved the adage “the league will find you” accurately with a record-setting performance. 

On Oct. 25, 2014 at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on Willie Jeffries Field, South Carolina State faced then-13th/14th ranked Bethune-Cookman in a critical Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference battle. 

Over the years, the road team had enjoyed the advantage in this rivalry. Entering this latest contest, the Bulldogs had Hargrave listed as “doubtful” as he battled lingering injuries. 

Not only did he start, Hargrave had a game for the ages. His 11 tackles, six for losses, proved instrumental in the Bulldogs defeating the Wildcats 20-14. 

What put Hargrave’s performance into legendary status was his six sacks. In NCAA Football Championship Subdivision history, only three players had accomplished this feat. 

Unlike Hargrave, the previous recordholders tallied their sack totals against Division II teams. 

“Dang!” head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough said after hearing Hargrave’s numbers (he really used a different word). 

The Bulldogs needed every one of Hargrave’s sacks and tackles on this day as well as his quarterback hurries and forced fumbles. One of his hurries resulted in an interception return for a touchdown by senior linebacker Justin Hughes to tie the game at 7-7.

The Bulldogs took the lead on a 91-yard kickoff return by future NFL player Antonio Hamilton. Offensively, S.C. State struggled with freshman quarterback Calvin Giles-McClary starting in place of hobbled senior Andrew Pollack and it finished with 126 total yards. 

The play of Hargrave and the defense kept S.C. State ahead, holding Bethune-Cookman to 175 total yards, 2-13 on third-down conversions and forced four turnovers. 

The final minute played out like a movie. With 50 seconds left, the Wildcats tied the game on a play which looked like a reenactment of “The Fumble” (or the “Miracle at the Meadowlands”) that took place during  the 1979 game between the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. 

Giles-McClary played the role of New York quarterback Joe Pisarcik, trying to hand the ball off near his endzone. Instead, he lost the football which bounced off the turf and right into the hands of senior defensive back Donald Smith. He then turned into Eagles’ cornerback Herman Edwards and returned it three yards to tie the game.

After a failed onside kick attempt gave S.C. State the football at the Bethune-Cookman 49, Pough brought in Pollack. On first down, he threw a quick pass to Austin Smith near the home sidelines.

As the 3-4 Wildcat players tried to strip the football away, a resilient Smith kept running up field and fought his away across the goal line for the go-ahead touchdown with 33 seconds left. 

Bethune-Cookman blocked the extra point but was unable to move the football after regaining possession. Fittingly, the game ended with Hargrave’s record-tying sack. 

“I ain’t never seen a D-lineman take over a game like that with my own two eyes,” said former Bulldogs running back and Hargrave’s close friend Jalen “Scoot” Simmons. “To be there as it happened was just eye-opening. That’s crazy.” 

For Hargrave, the game “put him on the map.” It especially caught the eye of the Pittsburgh Steelers who drafted him in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. 

Four years later, Hargrave signed a three-year, $39 million contract with the Eagles. A year after making the Pro Bowl, he looks to add “Super Bowl Champion” to his list of accolades just months after being named to the S.C. State Athletics Hall of Fame.

Thomas Grant Jr. is the Chronicle's sports editor.

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