Defensive depth facing test against Redblacks
Injuries have sidelined key players for Stamps’ Friday season opener in Ottawa
Even Dave Dickenson isn’t entirely sure who will be wearing red and white in the Calgary Stampeders’ defensive secondary this weekend.
Brandon Smith is out, that much seems certain, but it’s still not clear whether Tommie Campbell and Jamar Wall will be ready to play in Friday’s season opener against the Ottawa Redblacks, although there are encouraging signs that both could be in the lineup.
If they’re not, rookies such as Tunde Adeleke, Marvin Ross and Patrick Levels will be called upon to make their Canadian Football League regular-season debuts.
‘We don’t even know who is going to suit up, so we’re giving everybody (a shot at practice),” Dickenson said Monday from McMahon Stadium. “We’re moving Tommie along … Jamar Wall practised today, so hopefully he takes another step.
“We’re going to have a good group out there, they’re going to need to communicate and they’ll have a great challenge.”
Ideally, the Stampeders would probably like to give Levels and Ross a little more time to observe the Canadian game and adjust to its nuances, but if they are required on Friday in Ottawa against the defending champion Redblacks, defensive backs coach Kahlil Carter is confident they can produce.
In fact, Carter sounded confident about just about everything when he was asked about the defensive backs he has at his disposal.
As he explained it, the Stamps have always had a ‘next man up’ philosophy and referenced something he calls the Wally Pipp Syndrome.
“Lou Gehrig got his job because Wally Pipp got injured, so the next man up has always gotta be ready to play,” Carter said. “It’s next man up. We’ve always been a team that had quality depth. Our brain trust up top gives us plenty of options to work with, and these guys are raring to go for Ottawa this weekend.”
While Smith’s absence will be a big loss for the Stamps — and there’s still no telling how long he’ll be out — the team won’t be too short on options in the defensive backfield, especially with Wall looking likely to play in Week 1 and Campbell appearing set to participate in team drills at Tuesday’s practice. Even having one of those players back could make a big difference, as newly named defensive captain Josh Bell explained.
“Brandon Smith is one of my safety valves,” Bell said. “But Jamar Wall is still here and him being able to play this week is great, Ciante’s development from a young guy to now being more of a veteran, those guys keep me at peace, they keep my Zen.
“It’s kinda like feng shui, as long as you’ve got a triangle of consistency and guys who can kind of lead and permeate knowledge and information and communication out, we’re going to be fine.”
The Stamps’ confidence that things will work out in the defensive backfield is understandable, considering not only that the unit was the best in the league last season, but also how the likes of Evans and Campbell have been integrated into the lineup in recent seasons.
Now, guys like Shaquille Richardson and Ogasie Odiase seem like they’re on the verge of earning more playing time. Whoever plays, the Stamps veterans know a thing or two about integrating new additions to the unit.
“That’s really my job,” Bell said. “That’s really one reason why I think they keep me around, because it doesn’t matter who we put back there, we’re going to be all right. We’re going to be locked and loaded and just attack whoever we play.”
Our brain trust up top gives us plenty of options to work with, and these guys are raring to go for Ottawa this weekend.