The Canadian Press
The talent, it appears, is there for the Calgary Stampeders on their offensive line. But after that, the questions are many.
Does the team play two imports or four non-imports on the line? Or do they have the talent to play all Canadians on the line?
While they have a number of returning veterans, they also have very promising rookies draft Billy Peach and Brett Jones. Room needs to be found for them. How far along is NFL veteran but CFL rookie Canadian Dan Federkeil?
All of these questions confront the Stamps as they prepare for their pre-season opener against the B. C. Lions.
Sorting out the issues along the lines belongs to John Hufnagel and veteran line coach Mike Gibson.
“We’re a work in progress,” said Gibson, “We come out here every day just trying to get better. We’ve improved every day since day one and that’s what we’re looking to do.”
As the Stamps continue their training camp regime, no player has drawn more attention than Dan Federkeil. Federkeil, temporarily sidelined with knee tendonitis, starred at the University of Calgary as a defensive lineman. He was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts, but never played a game for them. Instead he wound up with the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL.
After retiring due to concussion issues three years ago, he launched a comeback this year.
“He’s done a nice job, you can tell he’s a football player,” said Gibson, “he’s been well coached, and he understands schemes. He’s done a real nice job; we just have to make sure to keep him healthy.”
Federkeil is just one part of the on-going questions for the team’s offensive line. They are also trying to work with draft choices Billy Peach and Brett Jones.
Peach, a Newfoundland native, was a 2012 Stampeder draft choice after spending his senior year at Jacksonville, before turning professional. Jones was a highly touted lineman from the University of Regina who fell to the second round as teams were uncertain about whether he would play football or attend medical school.
The Stampeders took a chance in the second round, uncertain of his medical school application. Turns out he was not accepted to this year’s class of medical students at the University of Saskatchewan, so the Stampeders ended up with a top prospect.
“I think we stole him as the sixteenth pick,” smiled Gibson. “He’s a good football player. No matter where we put him, he knows what to do. He’s smart, he understands leveraging and things like that.”
He also had words of praise for Peach.
“Billy Peach is a young man we moved from guard to center and that’s quite an adjustment,” noted Gibson. “He’s a young man, like Spencer Wilson who could possibly play all three, so that’s an interesting guy to have around.”
Those are just some of the fourteen offensive linemen on the Stampeders training camp roster. The challenging of sorting out the personnel and exactly where they fit in, begins on Friday night at McMahon Stadium.
