Injured Gable says he’s now 100 per cent

I’m 100 per cent. I’m good, ready to go for this game. It’s been like two weeks now, that’s too long and I’m ready to go.

Whether he goes by C.J. Gable or Carl Jr. — yes, that’s what the initials stand for — the Edmonton Eskimos running back will soon be adding a new name to his personal resume.

Dad.

Gable returned home over last week’s bye in the schedule to Sylmar, Calif. — a neighbourhood of the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, where he had a special package awaiting his arrival.

“I found out what I was having,” said the 30-year-old product of Southern California. “I’m having a girl next year, so I’m happy about that. My first child.”

The results of a previous ultrasound were kept confidential until the big reveal.

“My wife was kind of disappointed a little bit because she wanted a boy. I was excited.”

In the meantime, Gable will continue to focus on cradling the pigskin in his arms.

Following a close loss on Labour Day, when he blamed his secondhalf fumble for a 23-20 setback to the Calgary Stampeders, Gable was scratched ahead of kickoff in the Labour Day rematch due to an injured leg.

He watched from the sidelines as his teammates earned a measure of revenge in a thrilling 48-42 win to hand the first place Stampeders just their second loss of the season.

“Yeah, it was tough, but it came with the win, so that’s all that matters,” Gable said. “I’m a competitor and I want to be out there, but it was their choice and I’m fine with it.”

The well timed bye week also provided some added recovery time.

“I’m 100 per cent,” he said. “I’m good, ready to go for this game. It’s been like two weeks now, that’s too long and I’m ready to go.”

The Eskimos (7-5) travel to Ottawa to face the Redblacks (7-5) on Saturday.

The Eskimos brought Gable into the fold in a trade with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last October after a long run of injuries decimated their backfield last year, beginning with John White suffering seasonending knee damage in Week 2.

But Gable is no stranger to down time, having missed 34 of 85 regular-season games with the Ticats over his first five years in the Canadian Football League.

He’s bucked the trend in Edmonton, playing in 10 of 12 games this season. He finds himself just 101 rushing yards short of his career high of 782 yards in his rookie season in 2013.

“I’m keeping myself healthy,” said the six-foot, 219-pounder. “They’ve got a good program here with us for rehabbing and staying healthy and it’s been working for us.”

He’s four touchdowns shy of the career-best seven he scored in his rookie year, but rushing TDs seem to be few and far between on a team where Reilly likes to call his own number. He’s scored a league-leading 11 TDs this year.

“That’s why you see me jumping every time when I get right here,” Gable said with a grin following Wednesday’s practice. “I’m trying to dive from the 10 yard-line just trying to get in there. I know they’re going to give it to him, so I try my best to get in there and make sure I don’t go down.

“That’s why I try to break a lot of tackles. Those are all my touchdowns, man. Those are mine, right there. I can easily do a blast up the middle, I don’t understand. But, hey, we still get in there. I don’t care, I still cheer him on. At least we get those touchdowns, that’s all that matters.”

All kidding aside, Gable doesn’t disagree with any strategy that involves the ball in Reilly’s hands.

“He’s a beast, it’s hard to stop him,” Gable said. “He’s really the complete quarterback, he can do it all.”