Hufnagel takes a chance on lineman Jones
Decades ago, John Hufnagel learned to manage risk — the fine art of deciding when to throw the quick out and when to unleash the long bomb — as a starting quarterback with the Denver Broncos, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The modern-day Stampeders head coach/general manager opted to go deep into double coverage Monday by selecting University of Regina offensive lineman Brett Jones in the second round (16th overall). In doing so, Hufnagel just might have pulled off the steal of the 2013 Canadian Football League draft by taking a gamble on a player other teams shied away from. Playing it safe is often overrated — especially for a team like the Stampeders blessed with one of the best collection of Canadians in the land.
“I think we’re OK with our non-import talent,” Hufnagel says. “But you can never have enough, and you can never be too good. So you’re always looking to improve. But to improve, you have to draft good players.”
In the case of Jones, the 21–year-old centre entered the draft ranked eighth overall by the CFL scouting bureau but projected to go even higher given the number of top prospects already committed to NFL teams.
Over the weekend, his stock dropped faster than recent sales of Vancouver Canucks jerseys due a frank showing of honesty from the Weyburn, Sask. product.
If he had taken the easy route, Jones simply would have kept his mouth zipped and not revealed his recent application to the University of Saskatchewan medical school. After all, he won’t even find out until next week whether his application is even accepted. So why stir up trouble for potentially no reason at all?
Keeping quiet just didn’t sit well in that part of the gut that tells us all the proper path to take — provided that we actually listen.
“I knew I was going to fall in the draft,” he says of the decision to tell all of his plans. “But I wanted to do the right thing and make sure teams knew what other options I had.”
Under U of S rules, Jones believes successful medical school applicants are allowed to defer starting the program for a year.
“That’s what I told the Stamps I would do,” says the two-time, first-team CIS all-Canadian. “And if I don’t get in, then I’ll definitely be playing football for this year and hopefully more.”
The game plan, for Jones, is clearly in flux.
“Brett did have a choice and he was honest and straightforward and fair,” said U of R head coach Frank McCrystal. “Calgary, kudos to them that they said, ‘You know what? We’re going to take a guy and we’ll see if we can convince him that this is a good place for him to be.’”
Technically, the Stampeders have plenty of ammunition in convincing Jones Calgary is a good place for him to be. Currently enrolled in petroleum engineering at the U of R, Jones could transfer to the University of Calgary and find work in his field.
And then there’s the op- tion of applying to the U of C medical school. Balancing football with internship duties at the hospital may sound impossible, but former Edmonton Eskimo Carlo Panaro pulled it off between 2001 and 2004.
On many occasions, the weary offensive lineman would show up to team meetings still dressed in his hospital scrubs and nod off in his locker. Today, Dr. Carlo Panaro is a respected orthopedic surgeon.
“I definitely want to specialize,” Jones says. “I really want to help people. I volunteer a lot in the community here, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Jones actually thought of quitting football in Grade 12 before attending Saskatchewan’s senior bowl where he was named the top offensive lineman. From there, he moved up to Regina to suit up for the McCrystal and the Rams.
“I would come up to Regina, pick up my grandma, and we would go to the Roughrider games,” he says. “I liked Brendon LaBatte, definitely. He’s from Weyburn too, and he was able to do it.”
Might the Stampeders have the next Brendan LaBatte on their hands? Definitely worth the gamble.