Arden Zwelling
CFL.ca
The Edmonton Eskimos have just two wins this season, but rookie safety Corbin Sharun can say he was responsible for one of them.
Down 14-0 early in the second quarter of his team’s week nine matchup with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Sharun burst through the Riders punt blocking unit and smothered kicker Eddie Johnson’s punt. The ball ricocheted into the open field where Eskimos slotback Jason Barnes scooped it up and ran it 31 yards to the Saskatchewan eight to set up an Edmonton touchdown.
The timely play sparked the dreary Eskimos who added a field goal in the third quarter and a touchdown in the fourth to win the game 17-14 – holding the Roughriders off the scoreboard for the final three quarters.
It was a small bright spot in what has been a forgettable season for the 2-8 Eskimos.
“That was easily the first time that’s ever happened for me,” Sharun said of the tide-turning punt block. “I was surprised because originally what was supposed to happen was [defensive end Kenny] Pettway was going to go through and get in free for the block but they double-teamed him and I was open so I just went and got it.”
The papers the next day sung Sharun’s praises for providing the spark the Eskimos needed to win just their second game of the season.
But even bigger than the individual accomplishment for the humble Sharun was the fact that his team won a close game over a division rival and proved there is hope for this Eskimos franchise that has been in a near tailspin for most of the season.
“I couldn’t be happier to make a play like that, especially to help the team out,” Sharun said. “It’s a team sport – you need 11 other guys on the field with you. It was just huge to make something happen and switch that momentum.”
Born and raised in Edmonton, Sharun took an unusual path to the pros, dropping out of St. Francis Xavier University – where he spent most of his time serving as the backup quarterback – after two years to play in the Canadian Junior Football League with the Edmonton Wildcats.
Obviously Sharun wanted to play more than he was at St. Francis Xavier, but he didn’t leave for selfish reasons. Far from it – Sharun’s father Terry was diagnosed with colon cancer in early 2008, bringing Sharun back home to Edmonton to be with his family.
Once he returned to Edmonton, however, things quickly began going his way. His father had surgery and made a recovery and Sharun’s football career began to take off.
“I owe a lot to the Wildcats,” Sharun said. “Going to Junior really helped me get a chance with the Eskimos this year. If it wasn’t for the Wildcats I don’t know if I would be here right now.”
It was with the Wildcats that Sharun realized he would have to move out from under centre to the defensive side of the ball if he was ever going to have a shot at a job in the CFL.
Of course, not many young football players take the junior football route to the pros – in fact, hardly any do. It was an imposing challenge for a 20-year-old kid from Edmonton trying to learn a new position.
“Everybody always says you’ll never make it coming out of Junior. They say it’s not good enough football and you’ve got to be playing CIS and NCAA if you want to make it,” Sharun said. “But I always thought ‘why not?’ If you’re successful and [scouts] can see your work ethic and you show them that you can play it’s possible.”
That was all the motivation that Sharun would need.
Although he wasn’t invited to the CFL’s annual Evaluation Camp in March, Sharun ran the circuit of private workouts and combines with a host of CFL teams ahead of the draft, including attending an Eskimos open tryout in late April.
He obviously made a good enough impression on the Eskimos coaching staff at the public try-out – they selected him with the 43rd pick of the draft, leaving most onlookers scratching their heads at who this stocky defensive back from the junior leagues was.
“When people say to me ‘hey, you’re an Eskimo’ I still kind of take a step back and say ‘wow, I’m a professional football player,’” Sharun said. “Everything I ever worked for finally came true and it’s kind of overwhelming a bit sometimes but it’s starting to wear in a little bit.”
Already worn in for the 22-year-old is his new position on the defensive side of the ball. Even though he’s only been playing the position for two years, Sharun is making a name for himself as a solid, athletic safety that can come up to stuff the run or drop back in coverage.
And he swears he doesn’t even miss playing quarterback.
“It’s been fun. Obviously it’s been a learning process — that’s the biggest thing. But I think I’ve been picking it up pretty well,” Sharun said of the move to defence. “The different concepts are a bit tough. On offence you’re trying to find holes in the zones but on defence you’re really trying to hide that. It’s different for sure.”
Sharun has also had a major impact on special teams, a unit he says he loves to play on. Even though he’s spent part of the season on the practice roster, Sharun has still managed to make six special teams tackles and his now infamous blocked punt.
“The tackles just happen – I guess I’ve been in the right place at the right time, but I’m just trying to follow through with what coach (Noel) Thorpe is telling me to do,” Sharun said.
Following coach’s orders is always a good idea for a young football player – especially one who hopes the next chapters of his football career will be less tenuous than the first few.
“I’ve got to keep working and getting better every day,” Sharun said. “You can’t predict the future. If you just worry about yourself and do all the work, things find their way of working out.
