Calgary Stampeders main camp: Day 1 brings 'off-the-charts' energy from 99 CFL hopefuls
QB Vernon Adams Jr. shows leadership in first day of main camp in Calgary
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Vernon Adams Jr. made some plays — some throws — Sunday that brought out oohs and aahs from fans, coaches and teammates alike.
Yeah … it’s only Day 1 of training camp for the Calgary Stampeders, but the enthusiasm — from the highly touted new quarterback right through to the fresh faces graduated from rookie camp — was certainly front and centre at Shouldice Park’s Stampeder Field.
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Calgary Stampeders main camp: Day 1 brings 'off-the-charts' energy from 99 CFL hopefuls Back to video
“Energy is through the roof, off the charts,” said Stampeders veteran receiver Reggie Begelton, with his trademark grin underscoring his own excitement about the power of main camp’s first day.
“I mean … come on, man … we’re happy to be back in camp,” continued Begelton. “The competition is high. A lot of jobs are on the line. And everybody knows that, so the intensity is here.
“However, at the same time, it is fun. It’s fun to be out here. The first time I was in the huddle, I caught myself smiling. Just grateful to be out here again.”
In all, a whopping 99 hopefuls — many of them new to the organization — took the field grateful for the opportunity to make the CFL team.
Included are the 49 who competed in the three days of rookie camp and survived Saturday’s cuts to advance on to main camp, which continues at McMahon Stadium for the next few weeks.
The only two players unavailable due to injury were talented receiver Malik Henry (knee) and CFL veteran defensive lineman Charles Wiley (achilles) — one of many off-season additions for the Red and White.
“We did have good energy and good leadership,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “You can tell as a group, they were excited to be here.
“Pretty easy, though, with this great weather we have, and it’s always that first day to me, the rookies are seeing, ‘Oh, we got some vets here that are maybe playing at different tempo.’ So always good to see what the standard is and seeing everybody get better at practice.
“Good first day.”
The spotlight was on leader Adams, the quarterback tabbed to help turn around a franchise that has slumped the last few seasons.
And the now-ninth-year CFL QB didn’t disappoint on the first day.
“Man … it’s lovely, just lovely,” said Begelton, of Adams. “I mean … every time we’re going through stations, you hear his voice. You hear his voice in the huddle. You hear his voice after the play. You hear his voice in transition periods. And when you hear a guy’s voice like that, you can’t help but respect that. And then he’s making plays? I mean … yeah … what is there not to smile about?”
Adams, who was acquired via trade with the BC Lions in the off-season, was smiling himself, “itching to get out there” in his debut with the Stampeders.
“It’s a blessing, man,” said Adams, taking control of the media huddle like he’s known to do in the football huddle. “Just a great day.
“You came out here and it’s Day 1, so great energy, with guys flying around, guys making plays and offence, defence and special teams getting together. But it’s just Day 1 — just got to keep that energy and focus throughout the camp.”
Camp includes two pre-season games — next Monday with a matinee against the host Lions (2 p.m., CHQR 107.3 FM/770 AM) and a home game Saturday, May 24, against the visiting Edmonton Elks at McMahon (7:30 p.m., CHQR 107.3 FM/770 AM).
With those tilts coming so quickly on the calendar, there will be no Red and White Game — the annual intrasquad scrimmage — at McMahon.
No matter, though, because there will be enough internal competition in the camp sessions given all the new blood and desire to turn around the fortunes of the franchise.
“More open jobs this camp,” confirmed Dickenson. “There are always a couple guys that are locked in. But there’s quite a bit of competition, especially because in a new system — even offensively — we’re going to try to do different things, and it’s different defence and different special teams.
“I think it does open up to really putting guys maybe more on an equal playing field, which, if you’re a young guy, that’s a positive.”
And if you’re an old guy — a veteran?
Well … the onus is on you to get your game on that highest level to keep your job.
“You always have that nervous energy at first,” added Begelton. “And then when you get that huddle, you remind yourself, ‘Hey, man, I get to play kids game at 30 or something.’
“But the biggest difference this year and last couple or three years is that we have a lot of new faces, so a lot of people are trying to get jobs. So there’s that natural energy, where you just feel it a little bit more because nothing is guaranteed.
“Opportunity is there, but nothing is guaranteed.”
Short yardage
The CFL team made its first batch of cuts Saturday after rookie camp closed a day earlier. Those cuts were QB Joey Gatewood, WR Maxim Malenfant, WR Tykee Ogle-Kellogg, WR Marcus Washington, OL Khadere Kounta, DL Jett Bush, DL Cedrick Lattimore, DB Anthony Cook and DB Londyn Craft … LB Alex Howard finally arrived to take part in his first camp day for the Stampeders … Main camp continues for the Stamps on Monday at McMahon (9:25 a.m.).
Calgary Stampeders training camp roster
Quarterbacks
Vernon Adams Jr.*
Logan Bonner*
Josh Love*
Quincy Vaughn
P.J. Walker*
Cohen Wright#
Running backs
Jeshrun Antwi
Eno Benjamin*
Ludovick Choquette
Tiyon Evans*
Deshaun Fenwick*
Ryan Jones*
William Langlais
Dedrick Mills*
Receivers
Damien Alford
Josh Ali*
Daylen Baldwin*
Clark Barnes
Reggie Begelton*
Erik Brooks*
Cam Echols*
Mike Harley Jr.*
Kaylon Horton*
Ishmael Hyman*
Vyshonne Janusas
Tevin Jones*
Joseph Ngata*
Jalen Philpot
Dominique Rhymes*
Terrell Vaughn*
Offensive linemen
William Barnes*
Bryce Bell
Rodeem Brown
Joshua Coker*
D’Antne Demery*
Chris Fortin
Preston Nichols*
Christy Nkanu
Deiyantei Powell-Woods*
Kyle Saxelid
T.J. Session*
Justin Shaffer*
Matthew Stokman
Zack Williams
Defensive linemen
Kwadwo Boahen
Josh Carr Jr.*
Josiah Coatney*
Kail Dava
Anthony Federico
Clarence Hicks*
Jaylon Hutchings*
George Idoko
Jason Janvier-Messier
Savion Jackson*
Michael Mason*
Alex Nobles*
Folarin Orimolade*
Shaun Peterson Jr.*
Justin Sambu
Kelon Thomas
Max von Muehldorfer
Cedric Wilcots II*
Linebackers
Kelechi Anyalebechi*
Nicky Farinaccio
Alex Howard*
Gary Johnson Jr.*
Trey Kiser*
Marquel Lee*
Jacob Roberts*
Micah Teitz
Defensive backs
Daniel Amoako
Ben DeLuca*
Bailey Devine Scott**
Meiko Dotson*
Cyrus Fagan*
Marlowshawn Franklin Jr.*
Jaydon Grant*
Adrian Greene
Anthony Haie
Anthony Johnson Jr.*
Ben Labrosse
Jeremy Lucien*
Sam Mathews*
Ashton Miller-Melancon
Derrick Moncrief*
Godfrey Onyeka
Deshawn Pace*
Tyler Richardson*
Dolani Robinson
Bentlee Sanders*
Jackson Sombach
Kaylyn St-Cyr
Shon Stephens*
Damon Webb*
Special teams
Rene Paredes, kicker
Aaron Crawford, longsnapper
Jason MacGougan, longsnapper
Mark Vassett**, punter
# Denotes QB internship program player
* Denotes American player
** Denotes global player
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