Kyle Myers
Ticats.ca
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Henry Burris is leading the CFL in passing yards.
It’s the second straight week that Smiling Hank has been at the head of the pack, totalling almost 1,000 yards over the first three games of the season. It’s nothing new for Burris; he’s coming off a 2012 season in which he set new Tiger-Cats records for passing yards and touchdowns, and he’s eclipsed over 4,000 passing yards in a season nine times since becoming a CFL starter in 2000.
But like so many other games throughout his career, some of the biggest plays in the Ticats victory on Saturday weren’t made with Hank’s arm, but instead with his legs.
Burris led all Ticats in rushing in week three, just as he did in week two. In fact, the 38-year-old quarterback leads the Tiger-Cats in total rushing yards through three weeks of CFL action, and his 113 yards on the ground are good enough for 9th overall in the CFL.
All this from a man who has, in his own words, played about “500 seasons” in the CFL, and experienced the wear and tear that one would expect from a veteran his age. Despite this, Burris continues to cradle the ball and run, putting his oh-so valuable body on the line with each headfirst dive for extra yardage.
But Burris insists that though the headfirst dive leaves him vulnerable to hits, he’s never been a fan of the hook-slide, in which the quarterback renders himself unhittable, but also unable to gain additional yardage.
“I’ve never been a hook-slide type of guy” he said. “I’ve seen guys slide feet first and get their heads taken off. I’d rather them hit me in the back than in the head, so it’s all about protecting my body.”
Aside from the personal protection issues, it’s clear that Burris isn’t the type of the player to take the easy route. If he was a running back or a receiver, he would be fighting tooth and nail for each additional yard. He’s just that type of player.
“It’s all about moving those chains, and doing whatever I can to get there” said Burris. “It shows my desire to the guys, keeps the chains moving and keeps the offence on the field.”
A leader on and off the field, Burris’ desire and dedication to his craft is obvious, and infectious. The Tiger-Cats offence has continued to thrive this season, even with reliable veterans like Dave Stala on the nine-game injured list and Andy Fantuz sidelined the past two games due to a lower-body injury.
Young receivers like Ed Gant, Greg Ellingson, and Sam Giguere have all had their chance to shine so far in 2013, and to a man, each will attest to just how helpful Burris has been in their development as receivers.
“He’s been excellent,” said Gant. “He’s a Hall of Famer, and he’s helped get me up to speed really quick. He’s been a great help.”
But if you ask Burris, he’s the one who’s benefitted from the depth of the Ticats receiving corps.
“We have Greg Ellingson, Sam (Giguere) playing the way he did (Saturday), Bakari (Grant) coming on the way he is, Ed Gant making the plays he’s making,” said Burris. “Our young receiving corps is starting to mould into that group we knew they can become, and the work will continue this week going against a strong defence in Saskatchewan.”
In Saturday’s win, Burris’ two touchdown passes against the Blue Bombers put his career total at 306, into a tie with Matt Dunigan for fourth-most all-time in the CFL. He’ll have an opportunity to surpass him this Sunday in Saskatchewan, though it’ll be difficult against a 3–0 Riders team, especially in the unwelcoming confines of Mosaic Stadium.
Always the optimist, Burris downplayed the negative effects of a rowdy crowd on a visiting team, and even finds a way to draw motivation in the boos (and sometimes debris) which can often rain down on players emerging from the tunnel.
“When you go into an environment like this, it actually builds more excitement than distraction,” he said. “You go in there like the world’s against you, that’s when guys usually respond in a positive fashion.”
Looking ahead to Hamilton’s date with the only remaining undefeated team in the CFL, Burris was sure to emphasize the importance of ‘the process:’ constantly improving each and every week.
“We know the things we didn’t do well this past week so we’re going to work our butts off to make sure we’re much better this week Burris said. “I tell my young guys, stay focused like you do every week. (Playing in Sasketchewan) is one of the greatest experiences in football.”
When the time comes for Burris to hang up his cleats, he will be an automatic inductee into the Canadian football Hall of Fame, and will go down among league legends like Calvillo, Lancaster, McManus, and Allen. But until that day, expect the Ticats pivot to continue to run for the tough yards, and take hits in the pocket so that he can find the open receiver. Those lucky enough to talk to him know that Burris is a man who couldn’t be less concerned with his own statistics, and values the success of the team, and his teammates, above all else.
After all, he’s just that type of player.
