Depth in backfield gives Dickerson some options
Williams, Jackson and Morris on roster in clash with Argos, writes
There are three running backs on the Calgary Stampeders roster for Friday’s tilt with the Toronto Argonauts. That hasn’t happened all CFL season.
The question now is whether one of Terry Williams, Don Jackson and Romar Morris is made inactive before kickoff.
“I’ve got them all alive still,” said Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson. “In my mind, I’ve made the decision, but at least they’re all still available.”
Had receiver Eric Rogers been available for Friday’s game, Williams likely would not have been included on the position chart the Stampeders released on Thursday morning.
Williams has worked primarily as the Stampeders kick and punt returner this season, while Jackson started the year as the team’s running back and Morris has stepped up in a big way since Jackson has been out of the lineup with an injury.
They’re all back now, though, and it’s given the Stampeders options.
“I think the running back position is getting better,” Dickenson said. “They’re smaller guys, but they run hard. They’re versatile, and they can catch the ball out of the backfield, and the main thing is they’re all doing a nice job holding up their protection.
“Toronto has really big linebackers, so we expect them to be challenged at certain times with blitzes and all that sort of stuff. As of now, they’ve done a nice job in protection, which is always No. 1 in our scheme.”
It’s worth noting that none of the running backs on the Stampeders roster seem overly concerned about the competition for playing time. It’s a young group that’s exceeded expectations. People seem to forget how much concern there was among Stampeders fans after Jerome Messam left in free agency.
The competition among the three is pushing each to be better, and they might be one another’s biggest fans.
Consider the way Jackson responded when asked about Morris.
“That’s my brother. He’s supposed to tear it up, that’s fun to see,” Jackson said. “I think if you have any sort of negative feeling seeing someone else succeed, you’re in the wrong business. Go play golf, go play basketball or something like that.
“I’m here and this is a team sport. If Romar has 25 touchdowns, I’m going to celebrate it like I scored 25 touchdowns. That’s my teammate, my brother, I’m not worried about anything else.”
As much talk as there’s been about which running back will get the majority of snaps going forward, it’s also worth considering how the Stamps might look if they employ any combination of two of them.
Morris and Williams have serious speed, while Jackson — who is no slow-poke himself — brings a physicality and enthusiasm for contact that would be alarming if he wasn’t so effective at bouncing off would-be tacklers.
TURNER MILESTONE
On Friday, Stamps DL Junior Turner will play his 100th CFL game.
It’s a major milestone for any player, but especially one like Turner who has overcome a knee injury that limited his time on the field over the last couple years.
Asked about the journey to 100 games Thursday, Turner laughed. “I look at it positively — my injuries happened for a reason,” Turner said. “My injuries made me a better person. It grew me on and off the field. The injuries were a key part of my life. It made me a better person. It’s not a negative in my life.”