Next-man-up mantra tribute to Esks’ depth
LB Konar latest to join the injury list, paving the way for Smith to get a start
Considering they’re sitting in first place with a 3-0 record, the Edmonton Eskimos are in no hurry to make wholesale changes that might interrupt the flow of their 2017 CFL season.
Especially when it comes to their ratio of national and international players, which has evolved to feature an American air force of a receiving corps made up of Adarius Bowman, Brandon Zylstra, Vidal Hazelton and rookie Duke Williams.
The defence has held up its end of things, too, allowing a leaguelow 306 yards of net offence, despite having a linebacking corps ravaged by season-ending injuries to starters Cory Greenwood and J.C. Sherritt.
“Each year, you get a position throughout the league or throughout your team that seems to be affected more by injuries than others,” said Eskimos head coach Jason Maas.
“And this year just happens to be our linebacker position.
“The good thing is we went into camp saying we had depth there and the only reason we were making certain decisions was because of the depth.
“We’re taxing that depth, but right now I still feel very confident in what we have here.”
The latest casualty in that unit is Adam Konar, who had to be hauled off the field with a leg injury in the final minute of Friday’s 23-21 win over the visiting Ottawa Redblacks. That means this week the Eskimos will be on their thirdstringer at a WIL linebacker, one that became Canadian over the offseason in one of those decisions Maas referred to after veteran Canadian defensive tackle Eddie Steele became a free agent.
Instead of undergoing a massive overhaul to the ratio, potentially throwing a wrench in the American-centric receiving corps or defensive line, the Eskimos are taking the next-man-up approach if Monday’s transactions are any indication.
They bolstered their Canadian content with the addition of linebacker Kevin Jackson, a fivefoot-11, 230-pound Sam Houston State University product who played five games with a Redblacks club that drafted him in the fourth round (34th overall) in 2016.
And the next name on the depth chart is Blair Smith, a six-foot-two, 230-pound native of Mississauga, Ont.
“Unfortunately, our group’s got hit hard this year, but we’ve just got to roll with the punches and move on,” said Smith, 26.
“You hate to see it on our team, period. But it is what it is, right? The nature of this game.
“Next man up, we know, by committee. We’re out there, we have faith in the guys on this team, so whoever’s in there at any given moment we have a chance to make big plays and change the game. That’s how we feel as linebackers and whoever’s in there will make it happen.”
The Angelo State University product has been with the Eskimos since they drafted him in the seventh round (60th overall) in 2015 and was named the specialteams captain coming into this season.
“When that was entrusted upon me, leading guys out there, just knowing there was faith in me already, for sure that gives me a little bit of confidence,” Smith said.
“But I know what I’m capable of already and these coaches wouldn’t keep me around for no reason, so I know I can play ball.”
Smith has no intention of adding his name to the list of walking wounded. Nor does he plan on doing anything different to try to stay out of harm’s way.
“You can’t even think about it because it’s a physical game; that possibility’s there any given day,” he said. “You’ve just got to keep going and play ball.”
You can bet Konar will be cheering on Smith and the rest of the Eskimos from the sidelines.
“We came in together as rookies, we roomed together in camp, we were roommates for the last couple of years, so it was definitely tough to see that,” Smith said.
“I hate to see a brother go down like that, but now I’ve got an opportunity to make plays and I hope he gets back with us.” In and out: Konar (leg) and Bowman (hamstring) did not practise Monday after taking bumps in Friday’s win over the Ottawa Redblacks ... CB Johnny Adams returned to action after sitting out Friday’s game ... The Eskimos also signed OL Jacob Ruby, a six-footseven, 315-pound University of Richmond product drafted eighth overall by the Montreal Alouettes in 2015. He played 17 games last year.