THE CANADIAN PRESS
The Urban Dictionary defines ‘class clown’ as the funniest person in the class and the kid who makes you laugh with raw humour.
Eskimos defensive end Odell Willis fits that description. When you watch the Eskimos practice the one discernible voice you hear is of Willis. Laughing, joking, and to be truthful at times annoying the heck out of his teammates and coaches. He’s been playful to the media, never minding a chance to be interviewed and at the same time holding your microphone. He’s a practical joker and he will rib you to death.
Willis has been all business on the field this season as he’s enjoying quite likely his best campaign in the Canadian Football League. 24 defensive tackles, 11 quarterback sacks (second in the CFL), two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. Willis has also recorded three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
When you talk to Willis, he’s says this season hasn’t been any different when compared to previous seasons.
| Career Year |
|---|
|
With the help of a dominant defensive line and rookie head coach Chris Jones, Odell Willis is on his way to a career season. His 11 sacks are just two away from a career high, set in 2011 with the Blue Bombers. |
“It’s the football I’ve always been playing, this is Odell Willis football,” Willis said. “People look at that one year in Saskatchewan as a down year (21 defensive tackles, and six quarterback sacks). It was a disappointing year but I’ve always played Odell Willis football. For the first three years in the league it was sacks, sacks, plays, plays and it’s the same thing this year. I’m not doing anything different, I’m doing no more, no less — I’m just being me, enjoying life, thanking God for allowing me to have this oppourtunity and I’m just taking advantage of it.”
Willis burst on the CFL scene with the Calgary Stampeders in 2009, with whom he recorded six quarterback sacks in his first nine games. He added four more sacks after being traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers that season. Willis would enjoy two outstanding seasons in Winnipeg, recording 24 sacks and 52 defensive tackles helping the Blue Bombers reach the Grey Cup in 2011.
The Eskimos signed Willis during the 2013 free-agency period which was seen a risk by many considering his down year in Saskatchewan. Willis fought off a slow start to register nine quarterback sacks and 22 defensive tackles.
Head coach Chris Jones knows Willis very well and both were in Calgary when Jones was the team’s defensive coordinator in 2009. Jones says he has seen Willis grow and mature greatly this season.
“Odell has been an outstanding individual and again I’ve known him for a long time and I’ve seen him grow,” Jones said. “He’s always been a great athlete and he’s been his own worst enemy from time to time. As far as my time around him this year, he has been nothing but positive. He comes to work every day, he’s in the meetings, he’s attentive in the walkthroughs and he’s produced.”
Willis has had to go through some tough lessons earlier in his CFL career. During Grey Cup week in 2011, he sent a tweet saying he’d rather be back home in Mississippi with his family than be in Vancouver for Grey Cup Week. It was American Thanksgiving and he was missing his family, but Willis learned the power of social media and there a some things you shouldn’t says at times, and how the Twitteverse can twist the meaning of your words.
Willis used to get into Twitter wars with fans, especially Rider fans after he signed with the Eskimos who felt who he dogged it for a year with the Green and White.
And then there was Swaggerville. Remember, he was the Mayor of Swaggerville in Winnipeg during his time with the Bombers, which seemed more about him than about the team.
Near the end of the Eskimos’ 24-0 win over Saskatchewan last Friday, Willis sported a Mayor of Commonwealth shirt. Uh oh right? Wrong? He didn’t make the shirt, a fan sent it to him and Willis was not only honouring that fan by showing the shirt, but the entire Eskimos fan base that has fully embraced him.
Willis has been helped by a strong defensive line, which has helped the Eskimos to second best team sack total in the CFL (45). Also a secondary which leads the CFL in interceptions with 17.
Chris Jones says he’s harder on Willis than any other player because he knows him so well. I suspect it’s also because of the talent Willis has, and because he’s the type of person that you have keep challenging to get the best out of him.
Willis is producing and he says you can expect more.
“This is Odell Willis and this is what you are going to get.”
The Mayor has spoken.
