The Edmonton Elks opened main camp on Sunday at Commonwealth Stadium, with a feeling of familiarity following a season of growth that saw the addition of many new players under the stewardship of a new staff led by head coach and general manager Chris Jones.
“We were sitting together, and it was crazy thinking we know 90% of the people here,” says Elks quarterback Taylor Cornelius. “It’s been great coming in – familiar faces, familiar coaching staff, familiar playbook, all those things.”
Green and Gold fans looking on from the stands saw a lot of recognizable faces around the field on Sunday, including veterans such as offensive lineman Mark Korte and defensive lineman Jake Ceresna, as well as last season’s standout newcomers like running back Kevin Brown and receiver Dillon Mitchell. They also got first glimpse of offseason additions like receiver Eugene Lewis, the 2022 CFL East Division Player of the Year, who the Elks signed as a free-agent.
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— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) May 8, 2023
“Getting the guys that we brought in (through) free-agency and knowing the talent that we had towards the end of the season last year, we’re excited and ready to go,” says Cornelius.
Jones tested his that excitement with a robust practice on Sunday morning, and his players responded about as well as could be expected for Day 1 on the long road to the Grey Cup.
“We started off very strong … as the day wore on and wore on, we got a little bit loose, especially at the end, but we got our no-huddle (offense) done, we got our punt install done, we got two groups of punts, two groups of field goals, so that aspect I thought was very strong,” said the head coach.
Training camp continues Monday at Commonwealth Stadium.
The 2023 CFL season is rapidly approaching. Be there Sunday, June 11 at Commonwealth Stadium when the Edmonton Elks open the season against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. It’s the start of a summer full of family, fun and football. Being part of the action has never been more affordable, with tickets starting at just $15. Click here to get your tickets to the Home Opener and be part of the tradition.
Elks Football…Our Team. Our City.