Vaughters sacking way to award consideration
When it comes time to pick a Calgary Stampeders nominee for 2017 CFL Most Outstanding Rookie, there’s no shortage of options.
Tunde Adeleke has been a pleasant surprise on defence and has returned two punts for touchdowns.
Jameer Thurman has stepped in at linebacker and made the position his own, while Marken Michel could conceivably finish the season with 1,000 yards receiving.
Don’t rule out James Vaughters as an option either, though.
With six sacks to his name already this season, the rookie defensive end is hovering just outside the CFL’s top 10 and has ensured that there’s no drop-off when the Charleston Hughes and Ja’Gared Davis need a breather.
Unfortunately, Vaughters doesn’t seem particularly interested in lobbying for the award.
“I mean ... that just sounds like a stretch to me,” Vaughters said Tuesday, seeming genuinely surprised to be asked about his candidacy. “I don’t know, I guess that’s true, but I’m really just trying to approach the game, and if good things happen … success is really just good honest work being put together, so that’s all it is for me.”
Even if Vaughters isn’t willing to toot his own horn, his numbers fortunately do a lot of the work for him. In 13 games this season, the NCAA Stanford Cardinal product has compiled 20 defensive tackles, five special teams tackle sand six sacks.
Is that enough to earn him a nomination for Most Outstanding Rookie? Maybe, maybe not, but fellow defensive lineman Micah Johnson said Tuesday that Vaughters deserves consideration.
“James is doing a great job — he’s a hell of a player,” Johnson said. “He’s helped us out so much on the D-line — he’s definitely a guy you’ve got to account for.
“If James keeps getting sacks like that, you can’t ignore it.”
SETBACK
While Stamps receiver DaVaris Daniels started practice on Tuesday, he didn’t finish, and it’s not entirely clear whether he’ll be available to play on Friday against the Hamilton Tiger- Cats.
“He had a little soreness, started the day, about half a practice,” said Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson. “I don’t know if it’s the colder weather, so that definitely makes me think about it. I had him starting and still might do that, but I’ve got to look at it now a little closer.”
Daniels has been out since suffering a nasty looking knee injury in the Labour Day Replay against the Edmonton Eskimos and has been getting close to a return for at least a couple weeks now.The Stamps receiving corps did receive some positive news on Tuesday, though, as Kamar Jorden practised for a second-straight day.
“Haven’t had any issues with Kamar,” Dickenson said. “He’s expected to step back into his role and keep producing.”
BODIES BACK
With defensive lineman Cordarro Law back on the sidelines at Tuesday’s practice, the Stampeders appear to be getting some reinforcements on the way.
It’s not just Law, either, as Dickenson named at least two every week contributors who could be making returns at some point before the end of the season.
“We’ll start seeing a few other guys, too,” Dickenson said. “Maleki (Harris) should be back. Joe Burnett (too).”
If they return, both Harris and Burnett would be expected to contribute. Harris started at linebacker in the Stampeders’ first six games of the season, picking up 21 tackles and somewhat incredibly recovering two fumbles for touchdowns.
Burnett, meanwhile, has been a constant in the Stampeders defensive backfield since signing with the team in 2015 and has 11 tackles and one interception through 11 games this season.