Smilin’ Hank grins through his reduced Redblacks role
‘I’m used to being out there with my team,’ says QB Burris of being backup
They call him Smilin’ Hank for a reason.
Only Henry Burris could keep flashing those trademark pearly whites through times like this.
He was named the Canadian Football League’s Most Outstanding Player just last November. Now, he’s a backup quarterback. “It’s tough,” Burris said on Friday as his Ottawa Redblacks prepared for Saturday’s game against the Stamps at McMahon Stadium.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. I’m used to being out there with my team.
“Unfortunately, I had an injury. People ask me did I come back to early? Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. But as an athlete, I always want to be out there with my team.”
Burris suffered a hand injury in the season-opener, forcing him to miss three games.
He came back to start three more games, but after a 43-19 loss to the Montreal Alouettes, Redblacks head coach Rick Campbell decided to go with Trevor Harris.
Burris said he’s not about to rock the boat.
“Trevor is much better condition right now than me with the hand (injury),” Burris said. “It’s frustrating.
“But for me it’s all a team thing. Regardless of how I feel inside and wanting to be out there, it’s all about the team having success.
“I don’t feel I need to prove anything. The bottom line is I definitely want to play but I’m going to make sure that Trevor, Danny (O’Brien, third-stringer) and (offensive coordinator) Jamie Elizondo are on top of what’s happening on the field.
The Redblacks (5-4-1) are coming off a bye week and haven’t played since beating the Alouettes 19-14 on Sept. 1. They are looking for their first win in Calgary since coming into the league in 2014.
Last year, they absorbed a 48-3 beat down at the hands of the Stamps.
If the first meeting of the season, a 26-26 tie in the nation’s capital, is any indication, Saturday’s tilt will be a close one as the Stamps look to maintain their perfect (5-0) home record.
Burris said the Stamps have laid down the blueprint for home success over the years.
“One of the things about Calgary, we established way back in the days of Wally Buono, is that (the Stamps) allow teams to beat themselves,” Burris said. “They have some great athletes and some great veteran leaders that help get guys in the right places.
“But this team doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. They don’t have a lot of penalties and they don’t turn the ball over.
“They allow the other teams to do those things and they capitalize. They stick together — you can see it’s one big family — and that’s something we established back in the day. It’s good to see these guys are still holding onto that.”
SHAQ ATTACK
Talk about baptism by fire. Shaquille Richardson will make his first CFL start on Saturday and will be tasked with covering Redblacks speedster Chris Williams.
“I’ve heard a lot about him,” the 24-year-old said. “He’s a great player.
“We watched a lot of film on him so we’ll be prepared.”
Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson is confident his young defender can get the job done.
“We’ve liked him from the getgo,” Dickenson said. “We feel the more he’s in the better he’ll get.
“Shaq’s been here long enough and we want to see him make that next step.”
ROSTER MOVES
The Stamps were forced to make a number of roster changes, including activating offensive linemen Dan Federkeil, Randy Richards and Cam Thorn.
Defensive end Brandon Boudreaux and defensive back Osagie Odiase also made the 44-man roster.
That’s nothing compared to the roster upheaval in the other lockerroom where Redblacks coach Rick Campbell made 10 changes.
“Some of it is predicated on some guys coming back from injury, which is a good thing, and a couple are by choice,” Campbell said of switching out nearly a quarter of his roster.
“We don’t want to stand pat. We have a great core of players here, but if we think there’s an opportunity to get better, we’re going to do it.”