QB draws inspiration from deceased uncle
How often does a rookie quarterback tucked all the way down in fourth place on the depth chart get to be an integral part of two Canadian Football League pre-season comeback efforts that go down to the wire?
Zach Kline doesn’t know the answer, but he knows he can’t take anything for granted, in football or in life.
“I can’t express how much I’m thankful for this moment,” said the 23-year-old native of Danville, Calif., who completed 11 of 18 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns in the pre-season. “It’s just eerie because, this is insane, my uncle died a few weeks ago and he always used to tell me: ‘Show me, don’t tell me.’
“And that’s the biggest thing, before every game I’ve tried to go into it like that.”
Dewey Forry died at age 64 following a battle with cancer.
“He was a pitcher for the Dodgers back in the day, so he had a gun,” Kline said, nodding to his own throwing arm. “That’s where I got it.
“He was quite a mentor to me as well. It’s been pretty awesome.”
A star outfielder out of high school, Forry was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who promptly recognized his remarkable arm made him better suited as a relief pitcher in their system.
Seven years later, he retired and shifted his focus to both family and the family business.
“He had cancer, and the drugs that cured his cancer attacked his lungs and then his heart, which is pretty common,” Kline said, fighting back tears.
“It was definitely a tough go for the family, but I was able to see him before he passed.”
The obituary in the San Francisco Chronicle quoted Forry as saying: “I know why I got cancer. It’s so I can make these people doing chemo with me smile,” while his main question as coach of his daughters’ sports teams was: “If you look back in 10 years, can you say you gave it all you got?”
Instead of a funeral, the family held a celebration in San Luis Obispo, Calif., of Forry’s exceptional life.
“It was on (May) 23, so I knew it was right when camp was starting,” said Kline, who attended Eskimos mini-camp in Las Vegas but didn’t get invited to main training camp right away.
“So it was pretty cool to be able to go to it.”
It wasn’t until after the Eskimos cut ties with off-season signee Brett Smith on June 4 that Kline got the call to Edmonton.
“I’m just drinking it in and living in the moment,” said Kline, whose path through college took him through four different programs: the University of California, Butte College, Indiana State and Fresno State.
With final training-camp cuts taking place across the league on Saturday, Kline is as unsure of his future as his fellow rookie Eskimos. But with proven backup James Franklin playing in his contract year and more than likely not returning to back up Mike Reilly after it plays out, there will be opportunities for up-and-coming quarterbacks on this team.
“I’m just really happy that I have this opportunity and I want to make the most of it,” Kline said.
“Football’s not forever but I want to make it as long as I can.”