Madu back after mentoring rival
Mossis Madu Jr. lost his job as the starting running back for the Ottawa Redblacks after Game 4 of the season, with rookie John Crockett taking over.
But the 31-year-old Madu, in his fifth CFL season (and fourth with the Redblacks), is doing everything he can to help Crockett become a better player. Right, so he’s helping the guy who’s taking his job get better.
On Saturday, at home (4 p.m.), Madu returns to the starting lineup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (with Crockett stepping back to the one-game injured list), after being on the sidelines for the past four weeks.
“Crock’s my little brother, man,” Madu said. “Right from the day he got to training camp, I’ve always taken it like it’s my job to help the younger guys. It’s not about being secretive — ‘you’re trying to take my job.’ No. We want to win games so I want to help the guys as much as I can.
“This is a business. As a professional athlete, if you can’t see that this is a business and you take things personal, you’re not going to make it for very long. The coaches, the GM, they’re going to put the guys out there they think are going to win games. I just handle what I can handle on my end and let the rest take care of itself.”
Madu has 55 carries for 227 yards for the Redblacks. He started the first three games — two of them Ottawa wins — then shared the duties in Game 4 with Crockett, who was promoted to the starting unit for Game 5.
Asked how the Redblacks can improve offensively — an area where they’ve struggled much of the season — Madu said: “Our biggest thing has been one-on-one battles. It’s the ultimate team game, but you have to win your one-on-one battles — whether you’re a receiver catching a 50-50 ball or a running back picking up a blitz.”
Twitter: @TimCBaines