Lions’ Yell is healthy, making big impact

Defensive back leading B.C. Lions’ resurgent secondary

SURREY (CP) — Ronnie Yell dropped into coverage, read the play and was stunned by what unfolding in front of him.

With roughly 90 seconds left on the clock and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers set up at their own 32-yard line in a 42-42 tie, the B.C. Lions defensive back faked like he was going deep at the snap before camping out about 10 yards off the line of scrimmage.

Blue Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols, who never took his eyes off the intended receiver to his left, was fooled as Yell jumped the route for a decisive interception last Friday to set up his team’s game-winning field goal.

“I just played the situation,” Yell recalled this week. “I couldn’t believe he threw it.”

After a broken foot suffered in warmups before a game abruptly ended his 2016 season last August, Yell could only watch as the club’s injury-ravaged secondary managed a CFL-low nine interceptions.

Minus the likes off Yell, T.J. Lee (Achilles tendon) and Steven Clarke (knee), B.C. managed to finish with a middle-of-the-pack average of 291.4 passing yards against per contest, but the absence of momentum-shifting turnovers, especially late in games, gnawed at both head coach Wally Buono and defensive co-ordinator Mark Washington.

Fast-forward through the first five weeks of 2017 and the Lions already have four interceptions as part of their 10 takeaways — they had just 29 last year — with Yell sitting in a three-way tie for second in the CFL with two picks.

“He brings a lot to the table, from his experience to his play-making ability to his talent,” said Washington, a former DB who also coaches B.C.’s secondary. “When you take all those things off the field, there’s a big hole.”

As the Lions’ boundary corner usually matched up against an opponent’s best wide receiver on the short side of the field, the five-foot10, 185-pound Yell is also second in the league with six pass knockdowns and third on the team with 18 defensive tackles, to go along with a fumble recovery.

“It feels amazing,” the 26-year-old Los Angeles native said of being able to contribute again.