Stamps’ Hughes still sack dancing with the best

By George Johnson

The man’s hit the floor with more dance partners than Fred Astaire.

“Uh, Mike Labinjo would’ve been the first,’’ reckons Charleston Hughes, taking time to scroll back through a personal list of defensive-end bookend buddies.

“Then there was Tearrius George.

“Chris McCoy. Then (Cordarro) Law. (Shawn) Lemon.

“Uhhhhhhhhh … Fred Bishop. Frank Beltre. Ja’Gared Davis.

“I know there’s been a lot of different people lined up opposite me.”

A reflective pause.

“But that’s it …

“I think.”

That’s enough.

Over nearly nine seasons, Hughes has tailed quarterbacks for the Calgary Stampeders with the single-minded resolve of a gumshoe in a Dashiell Hammett mystery novel tracking a shadowy business partner or promiscuous sibling for a client.

Shawn Lemon, Charleston Hughes and Keon Raymond celebrate a sack during the 2014 season (David Moll)

While change has swirled around him through the passing of the years, he has become the constant.

And at 32, showing no signs of slowing down, an appetite for the hunt undiminished, there he is again, pushing to plant his flag in the CFL’s sack summit.

One of those old rush-end pals, Shawn Lemon of the Toronto Argos, is currently out front of the sack pack with 12 QB takedowns, hotly pursued by the inevitable Hughes, Hamilton’s John Chick and Alex Bazzie of the Lions at 10 apiece.

In his time, Charleston Hughes has hit the charts more often than Rihanna.

“He’s our mainstay, our staple,’’ praises defensive coordinator DeVone Claybrooks, once a teammate, now a mentor. “He’s played at a high, high level for a number of years now but continues to get better, to evolve his craft.

“That rubs off on everyone.

“I don’t think anyone takes him for granted, exactly, but people have become accustomed to him playing that high level I talked about.

“We have a rookie Mike linebacker (Alex Singleton). Most of the time, you’d be hesitant to do that but having a veteran D-end, a CFL all-star, allows it to happen.

“It’s a testament to Charleston’s character that he’s willing to do that because it’s what we need for the betterment of the team.”

For someone like that grass-green CFL freshman middle linebacker Claybrooks spoke of, having a force of nature such as Hughes close by as backup is such a comfort.

“He just gets it done,’’ marvels Singleton, a decade No. 39’s junior, “under the radar or in the spotlight. Just flies around.

“He’s here at 6:30-7 every day. Sets an example for all of us. That silent leader who just does his job, always in the right place.

“He’s playing linebacker 50 per cent of the time this year, so with that you can cut his sack total in half, and he’s still at or near the top of the league in that stat.

“That’s incredible.”

Defensive ends Freddie Bishop III and Charleston Hughes at the 2015 Labour Day Classic (The Canadian Press)

If, as you so often hear, consistency can be considered the currency of a hallmark athlete, then Charleston Hughes is worth his weight – 244 pounds – in gold (which would net you $4.46 million based on current prices).

“I take pride in that, man,’’ says Hughes. “To be at or near the top every year. A lot of factors enter into it, so maybe you can’t be first all the time but to see players come and go, head off to the NFL and maybe come back here, it’s rewarding to know that maybe I’ve taught those guys something.”

One of his previously-mentioned former partners in quarterbacking terror — Lemon — lies in wait for a Thanksgiving Monday matinee, eager to slam the brakes on an astounding 11-game Stampeder win streak. Law could be making his return to the Stamps lineup after rejoining Calgary last week.

While Bo Levi Mitchell, his hogs up front, tailback Jerome Messam and a cornucopia of top-end receivers draw the lion’s share of headlines, Claybrooks’ superb defence often gets overlooked.

With mainstays Juwan Simpson and Keon Raymond departing, more responsibility has been placed on Hughes and defensive back Brandon Smith, the greybeards of this extraordinary group.

“Oh yeah, Brandon and I, we’re the last sole survivors,’’ laughs Hughes. “The last of the Class of 2008. We talk about it all the time, try to figure out who’s going to outlast the other guy.

“Hopefully we can retire together. Maybe it’ll be a package deal.

“But not for a few years yet.”

With his first sack of this season, Hughes passed Stu Laird and into second on the franchise’s all-time list and his next will be No. 83, 16 shy of leader Will Johnson.

Before he’s done, there’s likely to go through at least a couple more dance partners, and ring up a whole bunch more sacks.

“Man, I still feel good.  I’ve only won one sack title (2013, with an astounding 18) but I’d like to win another one. And another one after that.

“As far as I’m concerned, you can never have enough.”

Hughes looks on during the 2015 season (David Moll)

For a dynamic young player such as Alex Singleton, looking to make his mark, prove his year-after-year worthiness in this league, there simply could not be a better example than Charleston Hughes.

It’s like being back in class at Montana State, cramming for a PhD in Defensive Excellence.

“Do I watch him?’’ asks Singleton. “Of course: 100 per cent. He’s kind of the model, the player you aspire to be.

“A lot of guys on the field are asking questions. He doesn’t ask questions. Doesn’t have to. He knows his assignment. He knows what the rest of the D-line is doing and what the ’backers are doing.

“So he just goes out and does his job, the right way.

“We follow his lead.

“He’s one of those guys who can do everything.

“And will probably keep doing everything until he’s … oh, I dunno. Fifty?”