AMBLES' 15 CFL GAMES ADD UP TO VETERAN STATUS ON STAMPS
Receiver's experience limited, but it's still more than most others in position group
Admittedly, it's weird to call Markeith Ambles a veteran.
The Calgary Stampeders receiver has a grand total of 15 regular-season CFL games to his name, so it's not as though he's the most experienced player on the team's roster.
But when Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson looks around his team's locker-room, he sees only three receivers who have been with the team for more than one season. There's Kamar Jorden and Richard Sindani, and then there's Ambles. So yeah, as strange as it seems, that sort of makes Ambles one of the veterans in the Stamps receivers room.
“I mean, I guess I am,” Ambles said after Thursday's practice at Mcmahon Stadium. “You can say that, but I look at it like I'm trying to learn just as much as anybody else and teach as much as I can so we're all on the same page, but you could say I'm a veteran.”
In his short time with the Stampeders, Ambles has played in some massive games. He was thrust into the spotlight late in the 2018 season when the team was going through a bizarre run of injury luck and caught some big passes in the Grey Cup run, although he didn't play in the championship game.
In 2019, Ambles came into the season ready to pick up right where he left off. He had 407 receiving yards in nine games, only to have his season end early with an injury.
That brings us to this year. After largely playing at wide receiver last season, the Stamps seem to be looking at moving him back to the slot where he's most comfortable.
“Honestly, he's built and made for the slot,” Dickenson said. “He did a good job outside last year, but I still think he's made for the slot receiver, so kind of back home and doing a good job.”
With Reggie Begelton, Eric Rogers and Juwan Brescacin all moving on in the off-season, the Stampeders receivers group is going to look different this year. There's still a lot of talent available, though, and if guys like Ambles, Hergy Mayala and Josh Huff can take another step in their development, it could wind up being a real strength for the team.
Ambles has looked confident in his reads and is as quick and strong as ever during training camp. Moving back to the slot position suits him, clearly.
“That's where I started off when I first got here and it's one of the first things I learned. I really like the downhill motion and I'm way closer to the QB,” Ambles said. “It's all pretty much the same to me, being outside or inside. I'm a pretty physical receiver. I try to play physical whether I'm inside or out.
“I like getting hit and it actually puts me in the game more. I'm ready to make more plays after I get hit.”
PROTOCOL PAUSE
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I'm trying to learn just as much as anybody else and teach as much as I can so we're all on the same page, but you could say I'm a veteran.