Teddy Dargan’s senior season got off to a rough start.

The Maryland commitment and Milford Mill defensive tackle broke a bone in his leg in June, putting his final year of high school football in question. But in early September, Dargan got some good news on the injury front.

“He got cleared a week before the first game,” said Milford Mill head coach Reggie White. “He was cleared to practice light ... but he wasn’t completely ready. Teams were double-teaming him and he was very apprehensive about his leg ... I knew he was a tough kid. He was like, ‘I’m going to get through this regardless.’”

As the season progressed, Dargan became more comfortable on his leg. He rebounded from his slow start to record 57 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles.

But during the week of the Franklin game -- the third to last game of the year -- Dargan came down with a nasty flu bug. The illness sidelined Dargan for the rest of year, which included single-digit Milford Mill losses to Franklin and Perry Hall.

“He makes us win [those games],” White said. “We lost one by seven (Franklin) and one by three (Perry Hall). We were on the goal line vs. Perry Hall and we would’ve run behind him because he plays offensive tackle as well.”

While it wasn’t the ideal senior year, White was pleased with Dargan’s ability to play through adversity and grasp some of the nuances of the defensive tackle position.

“He’s got to get faster, stronger, meaner,” White said. “[But] like I said, he’s a fast learner. He learned a lot of stuff real quick and was able to adapt to some of my teaching. He took a lot of stuff to the field. He learned to play at a lower level.”

Following a standout career at North Carolina A&T, White moved on to a five-year NFL career, starting with the San Diego Chargers in 1992. White’s tenure with the Chargers coincided with Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen joining San Diego’s staff.

Having played under Friedgen and developing "a lot of respect for the entire staff" over the years, White believes the Maryland coaches will do their best to keep Dargan motivated and continue his learning curve and overall development.

“Well I’ll tell you what, I think Maryland’s a great fit for him,” White said. “He’s going to be shocked to realize these guys are bigger and faster and stronger than him. He’s going to have to play and use the leverage tools [we’ve worked on]. But he’ll get adjusted. He’ll get his butt whipped, but then he’ll get adjusted. ... Everybody needs a good swift kick some time.”