Hall, Hughes post challenges ahead of big clash
CALGARY — Devin Tyler and Alex Hall have different views on playing Calgary Stampeders defensive end Charleston Hughes.
As the Saskatchewan Roughriders starting right tackle, Tyler is expecting to see a great deal of Hughes in Saturday’s game at McMahon Stadium. Hall will watch Hughes from the sidelines and then focus on his duties as a defensive end with the Riders.
Tyler’s responsibilities include keeping Hughes out of the Riders’ backfield and adding to his total of 15 sacks. Hall will be more than an interested observer in Tyler’s ability to slow down Hughes because he is tied with Hughes for the league lead with 15 sacks.
“It plays into things a little bit because you always want your team and teammates to do well individually,” Tyler said in advance of the West Division showdown with the Stampeders. “If we do our job against him, then our guy should end up with more sacks.”
Hall and Hughes are both bidding to lead the league in sacks. It’s a fact that hasn’t been lost on Hall.
“We both want the same thing,” Hall said. “We just have to see how it all shakes out, but we’re still not facing each other. It’s interesting because we have the individual players and then there are the teams. There is a lot of stuff going on in this game. I’ve never been in a position like this with being on a good team with numbers I have. It would definitely mean a lot to me (to lead the CFL in sacks).”
Saturday’s game features more than the CFL’s top two sacks leaders. Calgary defensive end Cordarro Law was third in the league heading into the weekend with 12 sacks. Saskatchewan’s defensive end Ricky Foley was tied for sixth with eight sacks.
Hall is still looking for his first sack with the Riders since being acquired on Oct. 6 from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Riders traded offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld and a fourthround pick in the 2015 CFL draft to the Blue Bombers for Hall and a second-round pick in 2014.
Hall bolstered an alreadyformidable defensive front that included ends Foley and John Chick and tackles Keith Shologan, Tearrius George and Jermaine McElveen. Hall has fit in with that group despite not registering a sack in his last two games.
“Sacks are always good so don’t get me wrong,” said Hall, who is 6-foot-6 and 256 pounds. “I look at more at the impact that a guy might have. If I’m watching tape on somebody, I want to see how much of an impact he has on the game. A lot of guys don’t have crazy sack numbers, but they change the game by the way they dominate. They have pressures, QB hits and doing the right things for their teammates.”
Hughes, 6- foot- 1, 247 pounds, can dominate a game. He has recorded 10 of his 51 career sacks against the Riders. That kind of performance means the Riders offensive line is always aware of where Hughes is on the field. That is especially crucial with Hughes because he often attacks the offensive line from different positions along the defensive line.
“Whenever you play a guy like that you have to give him more attention because you know what he’s capable of doing,” Tyler said.