If you haven’t noticed, there’s a big story in the football world unfolding in Hamilton.
If you’re reading this, you have noticed and that’s primarily why you’re here.
That story in Hamilton is getting a lot of attention, but there’s a vocal contingent of you out there that take up a lot of space, whether it’s in comment sections on articles or just in responses to tweets that routinely make it clear that you don’t want to hear about that story.
Think of this space as your refuge, a hub for the haters, those that are maxed out and the indifferent alike.
So let’s start with a 25-year-old rookie QB that made his CFL debut on the weekend.
Bear with me here.
1. LIONS’ QB RICKY LLOYD
Preseason games being the caveat that they are, Ricky Lloyd made a big impression in the BC Lions’ win over Calgary. He made 15 of his 23 passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns, helping to spark a 19-point third quarter for the Lions, winning in a stadium that hasn’t been friendly to them over the last few years.
Lloyd is a great story. He landed at Minnesota State, Mankato (where Brandon Zylstra played his college football), when the team’s offensive coordinator tweeted out that they were looking for a quarterback. Undrafted by a NFL team in 2017, he was invited out to a Lions free-agent camp over the winter. He was only supposed to get a quarter of playing time last week but Cody Fajardo’s injury opened a door for him. Travis Lulay is being eased into training camp and this season. It’s very possible that a free-agent camp body could be backing up Jon Jennings on opening week.
Also worth mentioning here is Winnipeg rookie QB Chris Streveler, who was a perfect 10-10 passing for 140 yards and one TD in the Bombers’ lopsided win over Edmonton.
2. ARGOS’ BACKUP QB BATTLE
Sticking with QBs, if you’d penciled James Franklin in to back up Ricky Ray over the last few months, Marc Trestman might have you nervously tapping the eraser end of your pencil on your depth chart. Trestman said throughout the off-season that there would be a competition to determine Ray’s backup and frequently praised McLeod Bethel-Thompson leading into camp. Trestman gave Bethel-Thompson the start in the Argos’ win over Hamilton and will flip the script this week, starting Franklin against Ottawa.
Crowned as the CFL’s next great starting quarterback for at least the last two seasons, there’s no way Franklin envisioned himself as a prospective third-stringer on a depth chart after leaving Edmonton but following their game yesterday in Guelph, it will be interesting to see where he lands on the depth chart as Argos head right into Week 1 prep this weekend.
3. THE RETURN OF TERRENCE TOLIVER
There’s a comeback of the year candidate (that award isn’t officially handed out, FWIW) making his way back onto the field in Hamilton. Terrence Toliver was coming off of a 1,036-yard season in 2016 and looking for bigger and better things in 2017. He tore his ACL on the second play of the game in the season opener.
He only re-joined his teammates in practice this past week. The road back isn’t fully complete yet — he’ll likely get on the active roster for Week 3 — but Toliver is a proven talent that at six-foot-five could make a big splash in June Jones’ offence when he gets all the way back physically.
4. BOMBERS’ RB JOHNNY AUGUSTINE
Johnny Augustine wouldn’t qualify as a comeback player, but he may have gotten his foot in the door with the Blue Bombers after a heartbreaking 2017 season. Augustine starred at last year’s national combine presented by adidas, but went undrafted. As a free-agent, he watched the door close on him in Edmonton and Saskatchewan before arriving in Winnipeg.
He got an opportunity in that game against the Esks and ran eight times for 81 yards and a touchdown. He gave Blue Bombers writer Ed Tait this great quote after the game:
“You’ve got to seize the opportunity,” he said. “You know, people see us in the game. They see the flashy moments. They see the touchdowns. What they don’t see is us training behind the scenes, or me being up until three in the morning studying my playbook.
“We go through so much and people only see us on the field and if we score or not. It’s the little things that matter and I’ve really been working on my craft.
“I wouldn’t tell Andrew this,” added Augustine, nodding toward Andrew Harris’ locker, “but when I’m not taking physical reps, I’m taking mental reps. Every time he runs, I’m watching and taking the mental reps.
“Those runs tonight… I saw them coming because I’ve been practicing in my head, too. I’m not going to lie, I’m back in my dorm room every night studying and I’m operating on not a lot of sleep right now.
“I mentioned it to you earlier in rookie camp, but what the last year has taught me is to never ever be satisfied. What makes a true man is how you respond to adversity. I’ve been at the lowest and, at this point, I’m ready for anything because I’ve already experienced everything.”
5. RIDERS’ SUPPORT IN HUMBOLDT COMMUNITY
We’ll leave this one province to the left, in Saskatchewan. The Riders spent the day in Humboldt as an outreach to the community that’s still healing from its junior hockey team’s horrible bus crash that claimed 16 lives and injured 13 others. They also announced that their June 30 date with the Alouettes will be a “Humboldt Strong” themed game.
The Riders organization has invited the families of all 29 occupants of the bus, as well as first responders and members of the Humboldt community to the game. They expect upwards of 250 guests from the community to step into Mosaic Stadium.
The Riders will have a video dedication to the Humboldt Broncos, with Humboldt community members taking part in the anthem and pregame coin toss. Country band The Hunter Brothers, from Shaunavon, Sask. will sing the national anthem and give a halftime performance. Long touted for their passionate fan base, this could be the Riders’ best crowd of the year.
