O-lineman dennis fights for respect
Stampeders tackle ready to put Riders stumble behind him, writes Danny Austin
Consider what it means when someone says Derek Dennis has gotten back to the level he was at two years ago.
In 2016, Dennis was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.
He was a beast at left tackle, protecting Bo Levi Mitchell from the league’s best pass rushers and playing the role of immovable force on the Stampeders O -line.
If Dennis is back at that level, it certainly helps explain why the Stamps have allowed the secondlowest sack total in the CFL (19).
“I think in my mind, he’s back to two years ago,” said Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson. “I think he can be better, though, and I think sometimes with Derek he gets a little comfortable so I’m trying to keep him motivated, and the way to get better is to practise hard and we’ve got to make sure we keep doing that.”
The good news for anyone worried about Dennis getting comfortable is that he publicly declared his intention to get even better this weekend on Twitter, promising to “turn up these last (six) games.”
Maybe that’s just a way to motivate himself, but with the games likely to become increasingly less meaningful in the standings over the coming six weeks for the first-place Stampeders, finding ways to keep focused isn’t a bad thing.
The team also rejects the notion that the coming stretch is unimportant, and will likely continue to do so. Yes, they’re sitting comfortably atop the West Division, but there’s still a whole lot of work to do — the way their last two seasons ended are proof.
“I just feel like this last stretch is very important to my team,” Dennis said. “If I can pick up my level of play just a little bit more, it will help us get to our goals.”
As much as Dennis is motivated by a genuine desire to do whatever he can to make the Stamps better, he’s definitely got something to prove on a personal
I just feel like this last stretch is very important to my team. If I can pick up my level of play just a little bit more, it will help us get to our goals.
level. After getting recognized as the CFL’s best offensive lineman in 2016, Dennis saw his stock fall last year after signing with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in free-agency.
He just wasn’t as effective in the Riders system — plain and simple — and by the end of the season there were few experts speaking about him as one of the best at his position in the country.
Dennis isn’t walking around begging for recognition this year, but if his coach is saying he’s back to his 2016 level, of course that’s nice to hear.
“Personally, yes, of course I would love to always have my name in the conversation, but I’m not trying to focus on it too much,” Dennis said.
“I’m just trying to do my job and, in a sense, yeah, get back to where I was two years ago and gain that respect back.
“I feel like last season, I lost a lot of respect from my peers and the overall view of me as a player (decreased), so I’m just trying to make sure I get that respect back.”