Quarterback Trevor Harris introduced himself to Eskimos fans with a rare offensive performance last Friday.
The Eskimos totalled more than 600 yards of offence for the first time since August 1997 and only the eighth time in team history.
“The question marks are answered for Week 1, but they’re back up for Week 2,” said Harris, who was named a CFL Player of the Week after completing 32 of 41 passes for 447 yards and three touchdowns against the Montreal Alouettes. “That’s how pro football is. It’s a week-to-week thing. You’re only as good as you were yesterday and what you’re doing right now.
“Make no mistake about it, we won last week, but we’re turning the page,” he continued. “It’s not about last week. It’s about how can we improve from last week and win this week.”
This week brings a potentially emotional matchup with the BC Lions (0-1) and former QB Mike Reilly at 7 p.m. Friday. Reilly will be returning to The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium for the first time since leaving the Eskimos as a free agent last winter.
“Mike did a lot of great things for this organization, but this is Trev’s offence now,” said slotback Ricky Collins, Jr., a former B.C. Lion who was one of three free-agent receivers signed by Edmonton on the first day of free agency on Feb. 12th. “This is Trev’s team. He’s the leader of the team, so we’re just going to focus on our side.”
Head Coach Jason Maas said Harris, 33, has had plenty of experience in the past dealing with comparisons to veteran quarterbacks he was replacing in Ricky Ray with the Toronto Argonauts and Henry Burris with the Ottawa RedBlacks.
“All that stuff is just old hat to him,” Maas said. “When we signed him back in February, all we told him was to be yourself. … It’s been good enough your whole career, and we’re just going to try to make you the best you can be.
“I think pretty highly of Trevor and his game and what he brings to an offence. I’ve seen him get really hot in other games throughout his career. (Last Friday) was the first time I’ve been able to coach him to see it in person. It’s very special.”
Eskimos cornerback Anthony Orange, who also played with the Lions last year, pointed out that there’s “a lot of rivalry going on” because of all the players who have switched teams in recent seasons.
“I’ve got history with the guys over there,” said Orange, but he acknowledged that those friendships will be out the window once everyone steps on the field Friday.
Among the ex-Eskimos on BC’s roster are quarterback Danny O’Brien, defensive linemen Odell Willis and Darius Allen, defensive backs Aaron Grymes and Garry Peters, strong-side linebacker Chris Edwards, national linebacker Adam Konar, running back John White, offensive linemen Joel Figueroa and Jean-Simon (JS) Roy, long-snapper Tanner Doll and General Manager Ed Hervey.
Harris didn’t just have a great passing game last week, and he also rushed seven times for 12 yards, including the game-winning TD on a two-yard quarterback sneak.
With Harris or running back C.J. Gable carrying the ball, the Eskimos were successful on all eight second-down opportunities when they needed between one and three yards. Harris did get stopped on a third-and-one situation at the Edmonton 50 in the third quarter, however.
“I felt our guys were really dialed in on those (short-yardage) sets and doing what we needed to do,” Maas said, specifically complimenting the play of Edmonton’s offensive line. “Trevor was very good with the sneaks … definitely, the first time doing it for a full game (in his career). I thought he did a good job and our guys up front did as well.”
Maas added that Gable’s running style is also “very tough to deal with in short yardage,” but it doesn’t look like the 1,000-yard running back last season is going to get those opportunities close to the opponent’s goal line again this season.
“I’ve been in the weight room, so I’ll let CJ know who our power running back is,” said a joking Harris. “It’s No. 7!”
Gable was also named a CFL Player of the Week after rushing for 154 yards and catching three passes for 29 yards, including a spectacular over-the-shoulder grab for a touchdown on the opening play of the fourth quarter.
With Harris locked in at a high level, role receivers Kenny Stafford and Collins emerged from the shadows cast by higher-profile teammates to turn in star performances.
“It’s crazy,” said Collins, who caught nine passes for a career-high 175 yards. “I don’t even have the words for it. We did what we were supposed to do (despite being together for only a few weeks). … When this team gets going, it’s going to be scary.”
Stafford, who is in his fourth season with the Eskimos (2015, 2017-19), is the only holdover from last year’s receiving corps. He scored pass-and-run touchdowns of 28 and 10 yards (catching the ball off his shoulder pads on the second scoring play) in the second quarter to equal his season total in each of the last three years.
“I was able to find a groove, man,” Stafford said. “I felt like I had that blinking light on you when you’re playing a video game, and you’re on fire. I was just able to execute – assignment, alignment, make the play. It makes football easy.”
The only other time the 29-year-old receiver scored two majors in a CFL game was when he played with Montreal in 2016.
Stafford was basically the “other” member of the Eskimos receiving corps in 2018 despite having a career-high 55 catches and 781 receiving yards. Meanwhile, Duke Williams led the league with 1,579 yards on 88 catches and scored 11 touchdowns, Derel Walker had 51 catches for 875 yards and eight TDs in only 11 games, and Bryant Mitchell had 60 catches for 867 yards and three majors in 10 games. Williams (Buffalo Bills) and Mitchell (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) are currently trying to crack NFL rosters while Walker signed as a free agent with the Toronto Argonauts.
“Football, at the end of the day, you’ve always got to prove yourself year-in and year-out,” Stafford said. “Right now, I’m just continuing to prove myself and prove my worth. I love it here. I live in Edmonton year-round. This is my home.”
Stafford, who needs 124 receiving yards to reach the 2,000-yard mark in his Eskimos career, just missed out on the third 100-yard game of his career when he could only get one hand on a pass in front of him late in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with seven catches for 98 yards.
“It’s just a blessing, man,” he said. “It shows off that hard work, man. At the end of the day, it’s about a team effort.”
Collins, 27, is also more familiar with being a member of the supporting cast in the CFL than a No. 1 receiver. He caught 60 passes for 611 yards and two TDs with BC last year after getting released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2017. He also played with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2016-17.
“I was just going out there and doing my role,” he said. “Everybody on the team has their role. When your number is called, just make a play.”
Collins said he had “first-game jitters” last week when he dropped a pass and lost a fumble for the first time in his CFL career early in the game.
“It had me down, but the guys – the receiving corps and the quarterback – they all came to me and said, ‘Hey, bro, let it go. Next play mentality.’ I appreciate them. They really boosted me to have a game, and I did.”
Orange wasn’t surprised to see Collins play the way he did last week.
“Ricky’s always been that guy,” Orange said. “He catches the ball when you throw it to him. I don’t know if it’s the targets or what, but I feel like he’s much more calm here and actually getting things done, so it’s exciting to see it.”
Collins wears No. 13 – a number he also had when he was a rookie in the Green Bay Packers’ NFL training camp in 2015 – but only because No. 3 wasn’t available.
“I like No. 3, basically,” he said. “I’ve always worn No. 3 everywhere I’ve been.”
Did you know?
- That the Eskimos (1-0) have a six-game winning streak against the Lions at home.
- Orange and strong-side linebacker (SAM) Don Unamba were added to the injured list this week while international receiver DaVaris Daniels and kick-returner Martese Jackson were activated from the one-game injured list.
- Brian Walker, a 23-year-old defensive back who played 15 games with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2017 and finished last season on the Eskimos’ practice roster, will come off the practice roster to replace Unamba at SAM this week.
- With Orange out, Josh Johnson slides over from defensive half while Tyquwan Glass starts at Johnson’s spot. Veteran defensive back Nick Taylor, who was recalled earlier this week after being released at the end of training camp, is added as a backup in the secondary.
- National running back Alex Taylor comes off the practice roster to play special teams and serve as a backup fullback.