BC Lions
The waiting was hard. Not allowing his confidence to be eroded was even harder for Alex Hoffman-Ellis.
The former Washington State Cougar linebacker will see action for the first time this season when the BC Lions (9-8) end their CFL regular season against the Calgary Stampeders (14-3) Friday at BC Place Stadium. Hoffman-Ellis will fill in for Adam Bighill who will miss the game after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his left hand. Bighill is expected to return for the playoffs.
Signed as a free agent in May, Hoffman-Ellis spent most of the season on the practice roster. He summed up the experience in one word.
“Frustrating” said the 25-year-old from Los Angeles.
“Mentally for sure it wears on you. You keep wondering why can’t I get out there, do they (the coaches) not think enough of me? That’s just doubt. You just push that out of your mind and know that you are here for a reason.”
At 6’0” and 230 pounds, with flowing red hair tied back in a ponytail and decorated with tattoos, Hoffman-Ellis is an imposing figure. In 35 games over three seasons with the Cougars he had 178 defensive tackles and four interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
Replacing Bighill, a CFL all-star the last two seasons, won’t be easy but Hoffman-Ellis is anxious for the chance.
“All I can bring to the table is myself and my tools,” he said.
Asked what his tools consisted of, Hoffman-Ellis grinned.
“I’m an athlete and I’m a dog,” he said.
Dog?
“I’m a dog chasing after a bone, after a cat. Whatever.”
In a 2011 interview with a Cougar’s website, Hoffman-Ellis recalled a checkered past. Without going into details he said he was kicked out of one high school and had a couple of encounters with police.
“I fell in with the wrong crowd,” he explained in the story.
He didn’t play football until his senior year of high school because of academic ineligibility. Once he got on the field, his speed and athletic ability earned him a spot on a junior college team.
After not being taken in the NFL draft Hoffman-Ellis signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Rams in 2012, but was released. After the long wait he’s looking forward to playing again.
“It will be fun,” he said. “I think I know what I’m doing out there.
“I can’t wait to play with my guys.”
Hoffman-Ellis will be suiting up for a team that was eviscerated in a humiliating 37-3 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos last week. The BC defence, a major reason why the Lions have stayed in the playoff hunt this season, gave up 559 yards of offence, including 241 yards along the ground.
An anemic offence managed just seven first downs and 161 yards. It wasn’t the performance the Lions wanted, especially against a team they could meet in the West Semi-Final.
“Last week was embarrassing,” said linebacker Solomon Elimimian. “I think it left a taste in everyone’s mouth.”
“We want to get better. We want to show a lot about who we are.”
Elimimian had 12 tackles against the Eskimos, giving him 137 on the season. That broke the CFL record of 130 set by Edmonton’s J.C. Sherritt in 2012. The bruising five-year veteran is the Lions’ nominee for CFL outstanding player and outstanding defensive player.
The recognition is nice but Elimimian has his eyes on a bigger prize.
“My biggest goal is the Grey Cup,” he said. “All the accolades are something you appreciate because you worked hard for it.
“I want the award I can share with the whole team.”
| Stampeders vs. Lions Friday night |
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 The BC Lions host the Calgary Stampeders as they try to stay West in the playoffs with a win clinching them third place and keeping them out of the crosover spot.  |
This week’s game means little to the Stampeders, who have first place wrapped up in the West. It will help determine if the Lions remain in the West for the playoffs or cross over to the East.
A Lions win, or a loss by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in their season-ending game against Edmonton, gives BC third in the West and keeps them out of the crossover spot.
Some argue the Lions would be better crossing over to the East. Elimimian said losing to Calgary isn’t an option.
“We have to win,” he said. “We have to beat Calgary.”
“If you set yourself up to lose that’s a bad mindset.”
Quarterback Kevin Glenn struggled against the Eskimos, completing just 9 of 17 passes for 68 yards. There was speculation that backup John Beck, who has experience with four NFL teams over six seasons, might get the start against Calgary.
Coach Mike Benevides said Glenn will start but doesn’t rule out Beck seeing some action.
“They both will get work,” said Benevides.
“Kevin is the experienced guy. Kevin is the guy who has done everything we’ve asked him to do. We have to make sure we give him the opportunity again.”
Glenn said the Lions have to forget about last week.
“What happened, happened,” he said. “There is no need to dwell on it.
“You learn from it and move on.”
The Stampeders will likely rest some of their veterans but Glenn said the Lions can’t take them lightly.
“They are not going to lay down,” said the veteran quarterback who took Calgary to the 2012 Grey Cup. “We are going to have to come out and still play.”
