FLIPPING OUT
Riders giving Stoshak a serious look
SASKATOON Jenson Stoshak was a sensation even before he arrived at the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ training camp.
In 2015, Stoshak posted a YouTube video that featured him catching passes while executing three backflips. Now a Roughriders receiving prospect, he shot the video after completing his senior season with the Florida Atlantic University Owls.
“That was around when everyone was trying to do backflips stuff,” Stoshak said during a break at the Riders’ training camp. “One day after practice at FAU, me and a couple of my buddies were like, ‘You want to try to make (ESPN’s) SportsCenter?’ I was, ‘Sure, why not?’ So we went to the backup practice facility (and tried).
“(The successful attempt) wasn’t a first-time thing; a lot of people think it was. I did a bunch of them. It was something just to mess around with and it ended up blowing up bigger than I thought it would.”
It took nearly 20 attempts for Stoshak to complete the trick video. While doing the first backflip, he makes a catch with his right hand. During the second backflip, he makes a left-handed catch while still holding on to the other ball with his right hand. To complete the trick, he makes a third catch with both hands, having tossed away the first two balls. He completed the video on his last attempt.
“I was exhausted,” said Stoshak, who hails from Jacksonville, Fla. “If I didn’t get it, it wasn’t meant to be.”
Stoshak doesn’t think the video had an impact on his pro career.
“I don’t think coaches really care if you can catch a ball while doing a backflip,” the six-foot, 200-pound receiver said. “It was just something fun to do.”
Stoshak was a walk-on at FAU, where he spent four seasons. After catching 15 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns in his first season, he was awarded a full scholarship during the end-of-season banquet.
“For me it proved that I belonged and that I could play Division 1,” Stoshak said. “A lot of people are walk-ons, but they don’t get a scholarship. It wasn’t a pride thing, but I proved to myself that I could play.”
Stoshak finished his FAU career with 131 receptions for 1,881 yards and six touchdowns in 46 games. He then signed as an undrafted free agent with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers in 2016, only to be released after rookie camp.
The Riders later invited Stoshak to the team’s mini-camp in Vero Beach, Fla. He first had to survive a play-in camp that featured about 100 free agents. He stood out and, after signing with the Riders, was invited to the mini-camp.
He carried that momentum into the mini-camp and was subsequently invited to the main camp. The experience Stoshak gained in Florida has helped him get into the mix for a starting role among the Riders’ many receivers.
It didn’t hurt that Stoshak was able to become familiar with quarterbacks Kevin Glenn, Vince Young and Brandon Bridge during the mini-camp.
“That helped me because I got a little grip on the playbook and it was like a refreshing kind of deal (at main camp),” said Stoshak, who had four receptions for 78 yards in Saturday’s mock game.
Stoshak has drawn attention at main camp with his work ethic, his ability to get open against the Riders’ top defenders, and his sure hands.
“He does nothing but win (when going up against defensive backs),” said Chris Jones, the Riders’ head coach and general manager. “When you look at him, he’s not the prototypical guy that we look for. He got to us simply by playing his way. He came to play-in day and everywhere we’ve ever tried him out and put him under the gun, he has performed. We have to take notice of a guy who continually wins against our DBs.”
Stoshak was once again among the Riders’ best receivers Tuesday. He rarely drops a pass and often makes the difficult receptions look easy. His goal is to make the Riders as a receiver, but is willing to accept any role.
“I just want to make an impact wherever I can, whether it’s on offence or special teams,” Stoshak said. “I just want to succeed and make this team better.”
A lot of people are walk-ons, but they don’t get a scholarship. It wasn’t a pride thing, but I proved to myself that I could play.