ARMED AND READY
QuArterBACk Bo Levi MitChell And the rest of the CAlgAry StAmpeders tAke on the HAmilton Tiger-CAts in the seAson opener SAturdAy At MCMAhon StAdium. CAlgAry will Be Aiming for A return to the Grey Cup, whiCh will Be plAyed in Edmonton.
Neither Terry Williams or Don Jackson is really the starting running back for the Calgary Stampeders.
You can’t really call either guy the backup, either, though.
When the Stampeders released their position chart for Saturday’s tilt with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5 p.m., McMahon Stadium), Jackson was listed as the No. 1 option.
Upon further review — and a little clarification from head coach Dave Dickenson — it became clear that the two running backs will be splitting time at the position.
“We have it listed that way because Terry’s our primary returner, but I would expect that position to ride the hot hand and let both of those guys … they both need action to get better,” Dickenson said at a Friday morning media availability at McMahon Stadium. “They ’re too raw, too young and they both need action.”
Running back was debatably the most closely-watched position battle during training camp, as the Stamps brought in four Americans to fight for the job that was vacated when Jerome Messam was allowed to explore free agency and sign with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Both Williams and Jackson came into training camp and put together strong preseasons.
Williams led all Stamps running backs with 47 yards on five carries in the team’s first pre-season game against the B.C. Lions, while Jackson’s 18 yards on six carries was the most by a Stamps running back in Game 2 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
But Williams also separated himself from the pack at kick returner, and his new responsibilities at that position mean the Stampeders coaching staff needs to make sure not to overload him.
“With Terry returning, and who knows how long the first turn goes, anyways, we’ll just let him get into the game (through kick returns) and let Don get into the game by taking the first series,” Dickenson said. “Other than that, it will just be a split.”
Whether the Stampeders want to go the whole season with the duo splitting time or not is anyone’s guess. Their decision to play with Williams and Jackson as a tandem shouldn’t be seen as the coaching staff having a lack of faith in either guy.
Since the start of training camp, Dickenson has said he believed whoever won the starting running back job would go on to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
It doesn’t even sound as if the running backs themselves are viewing it as competition for the starting spot.
“That’s kind of what we thrive on,” Jackson said. “To this point, we just make sure whoever gets the spin first starts off with a real good pop.
“I’ve kind of just got to get in my rhythm, slow it down, stick to everything I know, everything that (running backs coach Marc Mueller and Dickenson) and everyone else on the offence is teaching us to do.”
It’s not in the personalities of either Williams or Jackson to start making big predictions about what they’re going to do on the field.
Last year, Williams ran for 156 yards and three touchdowns against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 15, and he’s barely said anything about it other than that he wished he’d been better.
The Stamps aren’t asking either running back to go off against the Ticats the way Williams did in that game.
“Our running backs both need action,” Dickenson said. “They will both be on the field and then we’ll ride the hot hand as the game goes on.”