Bert Faibish
CFL.ca
Perhaps it’s his laid back, humble persona that leaves him in the background when his more vocal teammates are getting all the attention from the average fan and the media.
Maybe it’s his business-like attitude on the football field and his reluctance to engage in the big celebration after a big play.
But it seems that Ticats linebacker Markeith Knowlton doesn’t receive nearly as much recognition as he deserves.
“The people he plays against are certainly aware of Markeith’s ability, as are the people that play with him and coach him,” said Defensive Coordinator Greg Marshall.
“He just goes about his business, he’s not guy who goes out there and showboats, so maybe he does get overlooked from time to time,” he said.
One thing is certain; there is no player you’d rather have on your team when you need a big play out of your defence.
Last season, he had a crucial goal lone strip against B.C. and a key interception in the end zone against Edmonton that helped decide the game for his team. This season he’s blocked two punts, had a pivotal interception in the end zone against Winnipeg, and last Saturday’s interception, sack and forced fumble against B.C. add to his impressive list of clutch performances.
Add 94 tackles, four picks and two defensive touchdowns to last year’s stats and he had what many believed should have been a year worthy of a Most Outstanding Defensive Player nod.
“I can’t take all the credit for the plays I’m able to make, it’s the other 11 guys on the field that put me in that position most of the time,” said Knowlton.
Knowlton plays what many consider to be the most difficult position on a CFL field; the strong-side linebacker.
“It’s definitely not a position you can just come in and pick up in a few weeks,” said Knowlton.
“It’s like anything else, the more you do it the better you get and now I’m very comfortable with it,” he said.
One part defensive back, one part linebacker, the SAM linebacker is asked to do absolutely everything. Rush the quarterback, cover receivers in man coverage, play the run, anything a coach needs, the SAM linebacker is his man.
“It’s tough to find the right person to play his position,” said coach Marshall.
“Sometimes he’s asked to cover the other team’s best receiver, sometimes play deep in coverage in a zone, other times he’s blitzing off the edge and he does all those things well,” he said.
Part of the reason Knowlton may fade into the background is the two stellar linebackers with which he plays; the tackling machine also known as Jamall Johnson and the feisty veteran Otis Floyd, who would sure be hard to miss.
The thing is that while those two are great players in their own right, neither is as well rounded as Knowlton. While Johnson and Floyd might rack up the tackles, neither can cover like Markeith and he can get after the quarterback at least as well as each of them.
When asked, both said that Knowlton was the fastest player of the three.
So don’t be surprised this season when Hamilton needs a big play late in the fourth quarter and its number 25 who comes up with the ball, hands it to the ref and jogs back to his sideline.
