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and pickup basketball at the Ramsey Center on the UGA campus.

He is a fan favorite. Even though they are keen on the image of him catching a ball in traffic and hurdling would be tacklers, they can’t fully appreciate the inside story of his career without sitting down in a video room with his coach, Todd Hartley, and seeing the many times his blocking made a difference, leading to a big gain, a first down or a touchdown.

Operating in a cloak of selflessness, Darnell says, “When I make a good block, I appreciate that I am having an opportunity to help a running back make a big gain or score a touchdown.”

“He was disappointed that he fell in the recent draft, but that has made him more motivated than ever,” says Todd Hartley, his position coach in Athens. “The good news is that he is really happy to be in Pittsburgh. He really likes the Steeler staff. I believe Pittsburgh is the perfect place for him.”

While the size and weights of NFL linemen will be greater than what Big O saw in the SEC, Hartley has long marveled at the Bulldog tight end’s ability to move the line of scrimmage which he will be called on to do “in the league.”

“That,” Hartley continues, “is very hard to do—it is very rare—but he gets it done because he is good at it but also because of his unselfish mentality. He is the ultimate team player.”

Hartley says it is difficult for a tight end to get credit for the “dirty work,” he must do, the infighting on the line where one substantial move can give him the leverage to make a difference on a given play. “He doesn’t say much, he lets his action in close combat do the talking, but he can get emotional about football because he loves the game so much.”

Darnell’s marquee plays also excite his Bulldog coach, who became a friend early on in their association. When Big O hurdled a defender in the Oregon game in 2021 and raced another 20 yards downfield, nobody was whooping and hollering more than Hartley, but just as spectacular was a block he made in the 2nd national championship game in January.

“Stetson Bennett hit Brock Bowers in the flat on a drive which led to a score,” Hartley remembers. “As soon as Darnell saw Brock catch the ball, he turned and spotted a defender and made the most unbelievable block I think I have ever seen. He literally drove the defender 40 yards down the field.”

As a parting shot, Hartley said with almost familial pride. “He was a good student. He always went to class, and we never worried about him failing. I am confident that he will come back to Athens and graduate.”

Bulldog fans can thank Todd Hartley for his recruiting efforts. It was Todd who influenced Big O to “keep Georgia on his mind.”