Lions’ Hoffman- Ellis gets starting linebacker role
The Achilles heel of any football team is injuries. Besides taking an awful toll on their reputation as a contending football team, Saturday’s 52- 22 beatdown at the hands of the Hamilton TigerCats left the B. C. Lions crying for player help.
The saving grace is they didn’t have too look far to find it.
Alex Hoffman- Ellis, a demon on special teams, will play a more prominent role as a starting linebacker following a season- ending Achilles injury to Solomon Elimimian, the Canadian Football League’s most outstanding player in 2014 when he set a league record with 143 defensive tackles.
“We understand this is a physical, violent game, and injuries happen,” said linebacker Adam Bighill, the CFL’s tackles leader in 2015. “Solly caught his toe in the turf wrong. That’s kind of what did it. It was a freak injury. He can’t believe it really happened. That reality will set in more as time passes. The good thing about Solly is, he’s a very positive person.”
Elimimian was the Lions’ fearless, reckless middle linebacker before Bighill became the team’s fearless, reckless middle ‘ backer in 2012 while Elimimian was vainly pursuing a job in the National Football League.
It’s expected that Bighill will return to that spot, with HoffmanEllis and second- year player Bo Lokombo rotating or switching off at Bighill’s former position.
“We’re not really sure how we’re going to attack it yet,” said Bighill as the Lions look ahead to Thursday’s game against the Montreal Alouettes, a team they’ve owned at BC Place Stadium since the 2000 season.
“It’s a blow, no doubt about it,” said head coach Jeff Tedford. “He’s ( Elimimian) a great player, a great leader for the team, player of the year. But ( in football) it’s Next Man Up. We’ll fill in. There are guys who are excited to play. Alex has had a lot of playing time. So it’s not like he’s coming off the bench. He understands the speed of the game. With him and Biggie working together, we’ll be fine.”
An ankle injury to starting left tackle Tommie Draheim might be just as problematic, considering it disrupts the continuity on the offensive line that had played together with the same five starters for the first six games. Draheim was on crutches Monday as the hastily summoned Josh Aladenoye worked in his place.
Aladenoye, another first- year player, was released from the practice roster last week a couple of days before the Lions flew to Hamilton. But he stayed within shouting distance — his apartment overlooks the Lions’ training facility in Surrey — and he became convenience personified when Draheim went down.
On Monday, both Aladenoye and Tedford played down a report that suggested there had been “confrontation” between the coach and the 6- foot- 6, 325- pound lineman on more than one occasion this season.
“We had a very civil, adult conversation about opportunities and what you have to do with your opportunities,” Tedford said. “It’s a long season. Who knows what may happen? His chance happened sooner than we expected.
“He’s ( Aladenoye) not a bad guy. He’s still in town. And he knows the offence.”
The Lions also had veteran Dean Valli working at guard with the first team offence Monday, with starter Kirby Fabien hobbled slightly and T- Dre Player needing a bit of a wake- up call.