Derek Mortensen/CFL.ca
Kory Sheets turned a lot of heads this CFL season.
Now the Saskatchewan Roughrider running back is working on getting his head straight as the team prepares for the 101st Grey Cup.
The compact Sheets blew through defences like a tornado this year, finishing second in rushing to Calgary’s Jon Cornish. He is one reason why the Riders are looking to claim their fourth Grey Cup in team history Sunday with a win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Confidence and bravado are part of the DNA of many professional athletes, but at times this year it looked like Sheets was more focused on his personal goals than those of the team.
The 28-year-old from Purdue engaged in a Twitter exchange with Cornish prior to a game late in the season against Calgary that decided first place in the West. During that Rider loss Sheets got in an animated argument on the sidelines with offensive coordinator George Cortez after not getting the ball on a failed Rider scoring attempt.
Some thought Sheets’ head had got too big for his helmet.
“In that one game I acted out of character,” Sheets said. “That’s not me.
“When it happened everyone was surprised. I can honestly say that will never happen again. That’s not something I want to do or something I want to be portrayed as.”
Rider coach Corey Chamblin said during the playoffs Sheets has exchanged me for we.
“Kory did have an attitude change,” said Chamblin. “He took his attitude from a more individual type attitude during the season, accomplishing his individual goals, to getting a team goal.
“I thought he did a good job in that last game just locking in, being focused, and taking us from one level to the next.”
Bringing a swagger onto the field is as important for Sheets as strapping on his helmet. He has come to realize he’s part of a bigger whole.
“Confidence is everything,” he said. “When you get the ball and you are running into a hole, but you’re not sure the hole is going to be there, you might bounce it too early or you might hit it too fast to create something that is not there.
“Being patient and trusting the guys up front of you, that they are going to do their job, that makes your job a little bit easier.”
At five-foot-11 and 208 pounds, Sheets uses his vision and quickness to find a hole, then blasts through the opening. He started the year rushing for
100 or more yards in seven of Saskatchewan’s first eight games and looked on track to shatter Mike Pringle’s record of 2,065 yards in a season.
A knee injury knocked Sheets out of three games. He returned to rush for 376 yards on 74 carries in Saskatchewan’s final four regular-season games. He finished the year with 1,598 yards and 12 touchdowns on 287 carries.
Cornish led the league with 1,813 yards on 258 carries.
In the Western Semi-Final against the B.C. Lions Sheets had 68 yards on 17 rushes. He found his legs in Saskatchewan’s 35-13 win over Calgary in the West Final, rumbling for 177 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries.
Sheets showed some of his newfound maturity in the lead up to the Western Final. He kept his mouth shut and Twitter account silent.
“We handled business,” he said. “The only thing we were worried about was winning the game.”
Slotback Geroy Simon said some players take time to learn how to play the game and others even longer to understand what it means to be a professional.
“Kory, he’s a guy that is new to this league,” said the 15-year veteran. “A lot of guys come into this league and they have individual goals that they want to accomplish.
“As they get older and more mature they understand if the team plays well, then the individual goals will come. I think he’s starting to figure that out.”
Stopping Sheets will be a priority for the Tiger-Cats. In Saskatchewan’s two regular season wins against Hamilton Sheets had a combined 270 yards on 49 carries.
Containing Sheets has become more difficult since the Riders have started incorporating Jock Sanders more into their offence. Used mostly as a punt returner, Sanders can also make people miss as a running back and has sure hands as a receiver. He collected 61 yards on eight rushes in the win over Calgary.
“We’ve been searching for ways to get Jock involved for a long time,” said quarterback Darian Durant. “We knew before the season ended we had an opportunity to get him in there. Teams weren’t prepared for him.
“We brought him out at the right time. It’s worked perfectly for us and he’s going to be a big part of what we do.”
At five-foot-six and 185 pounds Sanders can hide behind the large offensive linemen, then squeeze through a hole. Playing in his first Grey Cup is a special thrill for Sanders because the 25-year-old from St. Petersburg, Fla., has never won a championship at any level.
“This is the first time I have ever been to a championship game,” he said.
Sheets said Sanders give the Riders a one-two punch coming out of the backfield.
“Now Jock steps on the field they don’t know whether to treat him as a receiver or a running back,” he said.
Sheets may be bringing more maturity into the championship game, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost any confidence. After a Rider practise he was asked to compare himself to Hamilton back C. J. Gable.
“I’m a different type of runner,” said Sheets. “I am the better one, but we’re not going to get into that right now.”
