‘Maybe next year’
Lawrence in for injured friend White as Eskimos prepare for Redblacks
EDMONTON - “Maybe next year,” the mantra of losing sports teams to give hope to their fans, means something different to Edmonton Eskimos running backs Kendial Lawrence and John White.
To them, it speaks to the hopes that they’ll get to combine their talents for a full season. Unfortunately for the pair, it seems fate is against them.
Each time it appears the two will be the Eskimos roster at the same time, something happens. In 2015 White ruptured his Achilles tendon in camp and missed the entire season. In 2016 Lawrence was in Montreal and Saskatchewan. The last time the two were healthy and playing on the same team was 2014 when Lawrence joined the team two games into the season, and even then White missed nine games with various minor injuries.
When together, they were a formidable offensive force, combining in 2014 for 2,853 yards rushing, pass receiving and kick returning, and nine touchdowns. Over four seasons, White has played 41 games and Lawrence 48. Their combined rushing-passing-returning total is 8,875 yards and 29 touchdowns.
This year Lawrence, a fivefoot-nine, 195-pound all-purpose running back/receiver/ kick returner didn’t make the Eskimos out of training camp but is back on the roster this week because White is again out for the season, this time with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
It’s made for some interesting times for the pair, who have become good friends since they first met in Edmonton and are now roommates.
“Since I came here in ‘14 we just kind of like saw the same thing, saw eye to eye,” Lawrence said this week as the Eskimos prepared for their night home game tonight against the Ottawa Redblacks. “Being on the field together that year was a lot of fun so we just been trying to reconnect that for the last two, three years.
“This year, we felt we’re finally reunited and looking into it long term,” he said of becoming
roommates.