Youth Movement: Stamps receivers using age to advantage

Kristina Costabile

CFL.ca

@kcostabile1

With the departure of a few pieces this off-season, the Calgary Stampeders have a new look heading into 2018.

Jerome Messam (33), Rob Cote (31) and Marquay McDaniel (34) are just three of the more notable veterans who will not be returning to Calgary this season.

Instead, the Stampeders will boast a youthful roster, especially on the receiver side, and pass-catcher DaVaris Daniels says they’re going to use that to their advantage.

“The guys in the receivers room, we all have that same drive,” Daniels said during Mark’s CFL Week last month, explaining how the youth will affect the Stamps this season. “We all have that same mindset. We all have the same focus. We’re all really on the same page because we’re all around the same age. We all have the same vision for ourselves.

“We know how to push each other as opposed to always hearing advice from somebody above or older than you. It’s like you’re talking to your peers, taking to my friend.”

Michel, Daniels and Jorden pose together at the TSN shoot at Mark’s CFL Week in Winnipeg (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

Along with the 25-year-old Daniels, Marken Michel (24), Reggie Begelton (24), Juwan Brescacin (25), Lemar Durant (25), Julan Lynch (23), Anthony Parker (28) and Kamar Jorden (28) are all available to catch passes for the Stampeders this season.

“I feel like it’s a lot of hunger,” said Jorden during the off-season’s biggest event in Winnipeg. “A lot of guys that want to prove themselves. There’s going to be a lot of guys on our team who really didn’t play that much last year. It’s going to be the opportunity to show the CFL who they are.”

This season will be an opportunity for Brescacin, Begelton and Lynch to showcase their talents.

Begelton stepped in when necessary last year, playing in nine games and catching 304 yards and a touchdown. Brescacin, in his second campaign in Calgary, hauled in 260 yards on 19 catches while Lynch, a Stampeders 2017 draft pick, played in seven games and made two catches for 19 yards.

Michel, however, won’t need to show the Canadian Football League who he is after he enjoyed a standout first year in Cowtown, playing in 13 games and catching 41 passes for 780 yards and three touchdowns. Instead, he’ll be looking to make an impact in the locker room.

“He wants to step up and be a leader,” Daniels said of Michel, who was the West’s nominee for Most Outstanding Rookie. “He let that be known from day one. He wasn’t shy about talking or anything. If he had questions, he always asked.

“You knew from day one he was going to make the team in camp. You knew he was going to be a big part of our offence.”

With Calgary parting ways with McDaniel – he did not re-sign with the team after becoming a free agent in February – the No. 1 receiver spot is now up for the taking. Stamps quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell looked to McDaniel more often than not – the 34-year-old pass-catcher led the team in receptions with 65 – and now he’ll be searching for a new favourite target.

But if you ask Jorden, he says there isn’t going to be just one person that Mitchell goes to.

Jorden (left), Begelton (middle) and Michel (right) warm up in the snow before the Western Final in 2017 (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

“The thing about Bo is, Bo is going to throw the ball to who he trusts and who is open and who can make plays and stuff like that,” Jorden said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a rookie or a seven-year vet. Bo is going to give it to the guy that is going to make plays.”

Michel, Daniels and Jorden will likely be taking the bulk of the receptions this season for Calgary after all three had stellar seasons in 2017. Jorden finished the year with 717 yards and six touchdowns on 52 catches in 10 games while Daniels hauled in 743 yards and four touchdowns on 47 catches in 13 contests.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Daniels, explaining how the trio will fit in the Stamps offence. “We just know a lot of us are going move all over the field. It’s kind of scary to have the three of us on the field at the same time.”

Despite Jorden being the elder pass-catcher in the Stampeders offence, he understands that age doesn’t mean he automatically has to lead the charge.

“With the receivers, I’m the oldest but in actuality half the guys in our room have more experience than me, played more games than me,” admitted Jorden. “I’m not about to be the guy talking at every meeting just because I’m the oldest. I don’t feel like it’d work like that. I feel like we all have experience.

“We all play this game. We all did our thing. We should be able to talk to each other and take accountability for each other as a group, not just as one leader.”

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