Ahead of the Curve: Mulumba-Tshimanga enjoying unexpected reps

Don Landry

CFL.ca

@CFLLandry

If things had gone according to plan, Christophe Mulumba-Tshimanga would not likely have seen too many reps on defence for the Edmonton Eskimos in 2017.

You probably already know at least part of the story, though. The Eskimos have spent a large part of their season battling something much more than a mere “bug” when it comes to injuries. More like an injury elephant, or whale. Most every portion of their roster has been affected and early on in the year, no unit was decimated more than the one made up of linebackers.

That meant the 24-year-old’s progression was accelerated, and a crash course in the unfamiliar came calling early on.

“It was pretty crazy, to be honest,” said the former Maine Black Bear, of his being tossed into the pool on defence so early. “I didn’t expect that.”

Christophe Mulumba-Tshimanga has started games at WILL and MIKE for the Esks (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

Mulumba-Tshimanga has been just what the Eskimos hoped he’d be, albeit earlier than expected. In taking the native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 22nd overall in last May’s draft, perhaps they could have predicted his 12 special teams tackles. They probably would not have predicted he’d have nineteen defensive tackles and three sacks at this point in the season, considering he was behind a trio of veterans at his earmarked position.

He was supposed to be brought along more slowly. After all, the jump to pro football can be a daunting one and there was good Canadian depth ahead of the rook on the Edmonton roster. So, there was time to gradually work the youngster in as the season progressed while he first learned how to play on those special teams — something he hadn’t done much of at all while at Maine.

Then, it all happened. During training camp, starting weakside linebacker (WILL) Cory Greenwood was lost for the season with a knee injury. Adam Konar and Blair Smith, Greenwood’s understudies, went down early in the season, and some time during the Eskimos’ fourth game, Mulumba-Tshimanga rose from fourth on the depth chart to first.

“Coming in and playing right away, it was a blessing,” he said. “I was excited. I’m very grateful. To play as a rookie, many don’t do that.”

Besides learning how to play special teams, Mulumba-Tshimanga was suddenly a starting weakside linebacker and, by the way, he’d never played WILL before in his life.

“Christophe had the right mindset and attitude entering the game (in) his first start as a young pro football player. He played with a high level of energy, and good technique.”

Defensive Coordinator Mike Benevides on Mulumba-Tshimanga

“I’m definitely more comfortable playing MAC (middle linebacker),” he said, when asked about the learning curve he faced at a foreign position. “I made mistakes but I learned from them.”

“Christophe had the right mindset and attitude entering the game (in) his first start as a young pro football player,” said Edmonton defensive coordinator Mike Benevides through e-mail. “He played with a high level of energy, and good technique.”

At Maine, Mulumba-Tshimanga was a force in the middle, a three-time all-star who racked up 347 collegiate tackles. The middle of the field was his home and he made it that way after just a few years of playing football, taking up the sport in his teens. His family had left Congo when he was just one, living in Belgium for a handful of years before settling in Montreal when Mulumba-Tshimanga was five.

There, he played a lot of hockey as a child – he remains a staunch supporter of Les Canadiens – before turning his attention to the gridiron. After a stellar career as a Black Bear, he was snapped up in the third round of the CFL Draft. With a load of Canadian linebacking talent, Mulumba-Tshimanga was seen as a futures project, with no hurry necessary in his trip up the depth chart. But you know what they say about plans.

After starting four games at WILL, Mulumba-Tshimanga dropped back to second on the depth chart for a game, but by the time Week 12 arrived, more linebacking injuries occurred. Star middle linebacker JC Sherritt was already out of the picture, having suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during the team’s regular season curtain-raiser. Korey Jones – Sherritt’s replacement – hit the injury list, too, and that meant Mulumba-Tshimanga was now a starter at his much more familiar position.

The Esks’ rookie linebacker lines up Bombers running back Andrew Harris (Jason Halstead/CFL.ca)

“I was very happy,” he said, adding that his tour of duty on the weak side gave him a good crash course in aspects of the Canadian game that he would need inside, anyway. Even middle linebackers have to be strong on pass defence in the CFL.

“It helped me a lot with coverage,” he said. “Getting deeper in my drops and stuff like that. That’s stuff I wasn’t used to, playing MAC. It helped me be more responsible in coverage.”

If Mulumba-Tshimanga has been able to impress despite the imperfections of his accelerated circumstances, he knows he has a number of people in the Edmonton organization to thank and one of them is Benevides.

“I love playing for Coach Bene. He’s an intense guy, very smart. I’ve learned a lot from him and Coach (Demetrious) Maxie, my linebacker coach. I’m glad I met those guys, they’ve helped me be a better football player. It’s fun playing here.”

Maxie provides a report card on Mulumba-Tshimanga’s progress, and gives a sense of what skills make the rookie linebacker stand out.

“Plays with a sense of urgency, effort and toughness,” said Maxie, through email. “Always alert and ready to get into the action.”

“Christophe has a great mindset with his approach to the game, and makes big plays often. Very effective with his hand placement and striking ability,” he said, adding that he’s pleased with Mulumba-Tshimanga’s development when it comes to his growing understanding of pass defence.

After being number one on the Edmonton depth chart at middle linebacker for the last five games, it is uncertain as to whether Mulumba-Tshimanga will be there for a sixth, when the Eskimos take on the Lions in BC on Saturday. Jones returned to the line-up last week and was on the field when the Eskimos were trying to fend off a last-minute comeback drive by the Toronto Argonauts, pulling down a deflected Ricky Ray pass in the dying seconds to cement the win.

“I don’t really stress it,” said Mulumba-Tshimanga when asked about the possibility that he could drop down a rung. “So far, every time they needed me I came in and I answered. If they need me, I’ll be ready.

“Whatever I gotta do, I’m gonna do it.”

VETERAN DEFENDERS AID IN THE ROOKIE’S PROGRESS

Outside of Benevides and Maxie, there are a couple more “coaches,” if you will, adding to Mulumba-Tshimanga’s growing confidence and comfort.

The aforementioned Sherritt is one and he is providing the rookie linebacker with some very good role-modelling.

“Even though he’s not playing,” said Mulumba-Tshimanga of Sherritt, “he’s here at six in the morning and he’ll just be ‘let’s go watch film, just a couple of plays from practice we gotta check’. He always makes sure, even on the sideline, after every drive. He comes up to us and we study the iPad.

“He’s somebody I look up to. He’s a very, very good football player and I can learn a lot from J.C.”

And then there’s Cauchy Muamba, the veteran safety who rejoined the Eskimos in late July. Like Mulumba-Tshimanga, Muamba was born in the Congo, his family emigrating to Canada when he was a child. The two have that in common as well as the ability to speak to each other in languages other than English.

“I love Cauchy, he’s a good dude,” said Mulumba-Tshimanga. “We always talk French, Lingala (a language spoken in the Congo as well as several other central African countries), whatever. He reminds me of home. I appreciate him being here for me and stuff because he’s a good friend, he’s a good dude.

“He’s been around the league for a while so I can always take advice from him.”

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