Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
EDMONTON — Thinking about any other team but his own using the home team locker room at Commonwealth Stadium at the end of November doesn’t sit well with Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly.
“I don’t want somebody else sitting in my locker changing, getting ready for that game,” Reilly told the media during the Edmonton’s season preview call on Friday afternoon. “That’s not something that we’re going to allow. If there’s any way of stopping it from happening, that’s by getting to the game ourselves.”
Having the idea that the 106th Grey Cup presented by Shaw will be played in their own stadium in the back of their minds heading into the 2018 season really doesn’t change how head coach Jason Maas is looking to approach the year.
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Mike Reilly will be looking to build on his excellent 2017 season this year (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
“The only difference with it being in your own backyard is there is added motivation,” Maas said, who joined Reilly on the call. “As far as you don’t want anybody else being in your locker room and things like that. There’s more things to protect, I will say.”
Led by 2017’s Most Outstanding Player, the Eskimos have a good chance of making it to that final contest.
The team traded for tailback C.J. Gable near the end of the season to fill a void from injuries that occurred during the season to John White, Travon Van and LaDarius Perkins. But despite the carousel of running backs in the back field for the green and gold, the team still finished the season second in rushing yards (1,734).
Reilly also finished 2017 at the top of the league in passing yards (5,830) and passing touchdowns (30) while the Eskimos led the CFL in passing yards (5,972).
It’s the balance of rushing and throwing that made Edmonton’s offence so unique in the pass-heavy Canadian Football League and that’s what Reilly thinks is going to make the difference this season.
“I believe that we’re the most balanced that we’ve been at all positions,” said Reilly. “There’s no weak link and I think mini-camp really proved that in the sense of the ball was getting spread all over the field and to all the different wide receivers that we had.”
Even though Edmonton lost their two star receivers – Adarius Bowman and Brandon Zylstra – they still have weapons that are available at Reilly’s disposal.
Will Duke Williams be ‘the guy’ for Mike Reilly in 2018? (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Duke Williams had a stand-out rookie season, playing in 13 games and catching 46 passes for 715 yards and four major scores. Vidal Hazelton also found success in Jason Maas’ offence, suiting up in 11 games and catching 709 yards and four touchdowns on 55 catches. And Derel Walker also enjoyed a stellar season, catching 634 yards and two touchdowns in the eight games he played after returning from a stint in the NFL.
“No matter who’s out there we’re going to have five weapons that the (other team’s) defence is really going to have to worry about,” Reilly said of his receiving group. “I thought Vidal Hazelton did a great job of stepping up into that role that’s kind of been left on the board with Adarius leaving. Duke (Williams) came into camp and looked great. He’s in great shape and he looks like he’s ready to take the expanded role on.
“Our Canadian guys in Nate Behar and Natey Adjey, both those guys showed that they’re not going to be an after thought on the field. They’re guys that can line up and we use to attack a defence.”
Speaking of defence, this off-season Brock Sunderland and co. decided that they needed to re-tool their defence, and more specifically the defensive line.
Odell Willis, John Chick, Marcus Howard, Phillip Hunt and Euclid Cummings were all off-season departures, leaving a younger group behind to lead the charge this season.
Alex Bazzie and Kwaku Boateng will be the two key pieces on the ends while Sewell and Da’Quan Bowers will likely line up in the middle.
“Went out and signed Alex Bazzie who we think is a veteran that can help fill that void right away,” said Maas. “He’s young with experience. Then obviously Kwaku Boateng last year was our draft choice and he came in and did a lot of special things and he’s young.”
The question now becomes whether or not the Eskimos team that fell short in the Western Final last season can get over that hump and make it to the final show down at the end of the season.
“It refines our focus,” said Maas, explaining how the pressure of hosting the Grey Cup will affect them. “And gives us a little bit better effort going into the season.”
