They say close only counts in horseshoes and … well … hand grenades.
Leading the Labour Day Classic, the Calgary Stampeders tossed a bomb Monday night that blew up in their face, turning victory into defeat.
Close but no cigar … again.
And that’s become a disturbing trend for the Canadian Football League club in what’s fast becoming a sinking season that began with Grey Cup hosting hopes.
“Yeah … all I can say is the fight was there,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson, following Monday’s 38-28 home loss to the rival Edmonton Elks. “But not in a manner that it’s winning football.
“So we’ve just got to play winning football.”
That was most definitely not what the Stampeders played over the final quarter-plus against the visiting Elks in front of 25,698 fans at McMahon Stadium.
Up 25-7 late in the third quarter on a wet afternoon, the Red and White had its provincial rival wobbling. The Elks needed 23 minutes to record their first first down and looked nothing like the West Division leader they had been through the first half of the season.
Then the Stamps opened the door.
And the Elks kicked it off the hinges.
A needless rough-play penalty by Clarence Hicks kept alive an Elks touchdown drive. The Stamps’ offence stopped moving the football, and the defence stayed on the field, ran out of gas and lost its tackling form.
The Elks piled up 31 points over the final 18:15 and left with a stunning victory.
“I mean … played terrible in the fourth quarter,” said Stamps defensive lineman Folarin Orimolade. “We turned the ball over. We gave up big plays. Everything you can do wrong, we probably pretty much did it in the fourth quarter.”
The problem is that Labour Day does not stand alone.
The Stamps’ season opened with a 30-28 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on a walk-off field goal. The Stamps then dropped consecutive one-score games to the Montreal Alouettes in July, 37-30 and 38-32, with late comeback opportunities having slipped away.
Against the host Toronto Argonauts on Aug. 6, they lost 33-30 on another field goal in the dying seconds. A week later, they surrendered another late lead in a 30-26 loss to the visiting BC Lions.
Different opponents.
Different mistakes.
Same empty feeling.
So why can’t the Stamps capture victory when it’s within their grasp?
The Stampeders are now 5-7 because they have repeatedly played well enough to stay close but not consistently enough to finish. On Monday, they turned an apparent runaway into their ugliest missed opportunity yet this season.
“We lost rhythm,” Dickenson said. “We weren’t playing great offensively, but we were making some big plays, and we couldn’t stack plays together. Kept our defence on the field too long, and then they wore out.”
The effort was there.
The execution disappeared.
And another close game went the wrong way.
WHO’S THE FOE IN WEEK 15?
The good news — if the Red and White is willing to see any — is that the wait for another shot at the Elks lasts only five days.
The Stampeders and the Elks meet again Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium (5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
In between time, the teams have only one real practice day, and Dickenson says the Stamps will be operating “a little bit on fumes” after the physical and emotional drain of Monday’s collapse.
“You’re not really going to change a lot of scheme,” Dickenson said. “You can try to mix it up, and you can have counter-punches to what you’ve done. But you only have one day of practice.
“You’ve got to dig deep. You’ve got to dig deep and get the job done.”
The good news is the Stamps know they can hang with the Elks. In fact, they were the better team — albeit not by much — for most of three quarters Monday. The Stamps pressured Cody Fajardo, limited the Elks to seven first-half points and built an 18-point advantage.
But Fajardo settled in as the game went along, and the Elks eventually found success on the ground when they turned to running back ShunDerrick Powell. That led to the rally, capped by Justin Rankin’s 50-yard touchdown run — punctuated by a series of missed tackles — after the Elks’ defence forced a critical fourth-quarter turnover.
“We just gotta go through the film and make sure we get better,” Orimolade said. “That’s the only thing you can do right now, and let the process take care of itself.”
The rematch carries far more than vengeance. The Stamps missed a chance to climb to 6-6 and pull even with the Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the West Division race. Instead, they head north with less margin for another collapse over the final six regular-season games.
“It sucks, because we understand where we are,” said Stamps quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. “It’s a win that would have been huge for us and for the organization.
“We see them again in five days. That’s a good team, man — coached well, and they play hard. We’re a good team, too. So we just have to finish.”
STAMPS NEED ACTION, NOT WORDS
Dickenson wants to see finish.
Not just fight, and not compete.
It’s not about hanging around until the fourth quarter.
They need to finish.
The Stampeders have demonstrated that they can build leads, create explosive plays and trade punches with good football teams. Their record says none of it matters unless they learn how to close.
The Red and White can’t rebuild its offence, reinvent its defence or install a new identity before Saturday. The fix has to come from doing familiar things properly when pressure rises.
That’s stay on the field offensively …
Protect the football …
Keep defensive leverage …
Wrap up tackles …
Cut out the penalties that extend drives …
And make the play when it arrives.
“We know the things to do,” Orimolade said. “Just got to do them. Just got to do them over and over. We practise them … It’s not like we haven’t gone over it in practice. We’ve got to execute it in the biggest moments.”
Dickenson agreed, saying there’s not much that needs to be said after a loss like Monday’s.
“Words are words, and to me, it’s got to be about action,” Dickenson said. “We just got to keep competing and fighting. Talking’s just talk, and action to me is what it’s about.
“As a coach, it’s keep working, get them in better situations, find out how to take less penalties and try to win ball games.”
The offence has to carry a larger share of that burden.
It produced enough big plays to build Monday’s lead but could not put enough solid drives together, especially in the second half. Early in the fourth quarter, a Nick Anderson sack of Adams stalled a possession that could have helped put the game away. The Stamps settled for a field goal, then went two-and-out on three straight possessions while the Elks gathered speed.
“That fourth quarter, I don’t think we really did too much,” said Adams, who was 15-of-29 for 214 passing yards and two TDs, to go along with 33 rushing yards. “It was tough, just trying to find the playmakers, trying to give them an opportunity to do what they do. Got to watch the film and see where I could be better at to help this team out.”
The defence has its own corrections. Tired or not, the missed tackles on Rankin’s winning touchdown cannot happen. And Orimolade refused to use the wet weather as an excuse.
“They had the same conditions,” he said. “Their defence played really well in the fourth quarter, and we didn’t, so we can’t really blame the conditions.”
The Stampeders do not need another explanation. They need a fourth quarter that looks like winning football.
Their playoff hopes are still alive in a crowded West. But Grey Cup dreams cannot survive forever on close calls, late collapses and lessons learned.
Saturday in Edmonton offers a chance.
This time, the Stamps have to finish the job.
]]>“Saddle up, Calgary.”
The 2026 Grey Cup Festival is in place for one of Canada’s annual traditions.
Organizers rolled out the party plans Wednesday, highlighting what will be a spirited handful of days in The Stampede City come November.
The only hitch in the dream week is whether the home team can make the national dance at McMahon Stadium.
“We’ve got a hole to dig ourselves out of,” said Stampeders president Jay McNeil, during the festival’s schedule announcement at The Big Four Roadhouse.
“But if we start to win and continue to win, we can be where we want to be at the end of the year.”
That hole became deeper on Labour Day.
The Stampeders owned an 18-point lead in the third quarter against the Edmonton Elks but were overwhelmed during a 24-point Elks fourth quarter, losing 38-28 at McMahon.
The result dropped the Stampeders to 5-7 with six regular-season games remaining. Meanwhile, the Elks strengthened their grip on first place in the Canadian Football League’s West Division at 9-3, followed by the defending Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders at 8-4. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the BC Lions are both 6-6, leaving the Stamps one win behind both clubs in a crowded fight for the two final playoff spots.
It makes Saturday’s Labour Day Rematch in Edmonton more than a chance to settle a score. A win would avenge the Stamps’ latest stumble, improve their chances for a post-season berth and provide momentum for a stretch drive with little room for error.
It could also reignite them on that year-long bid to play for the Grey Cup on home turf.
“Yes … we’ve got a little work to do there,” said McNeil. “We’ve got some work to do there. Obviously, we’re not happy with, you know, our outcome of Labour Day. We still control our fate. And we’ve got an opportunity to go back up to Edmonton, show some character and get that win. And then, we’ve got a hold.”
Such positivity was certainly a part of the buzz during the unveiling of the Grey Cup Festival schedule.
“As someone who calls Calgary home, I’m excited to see the Grey Cup returning to our city,” Census Energy senior vice-president Jeff Lawson, whose company is the main sponsor of the 2026 Grey Cup Festival at Stampede Park, told the crowd. “Jay, I hope you have a perfect record through the balance of the season and our team’s there challenging for the Cup.
“That’s my wish for you, sir.”
It’s a wish that’s shared by all Stampeders fans.
But after Monday’s decision, it’s become a tougher one to see come true.
The priority is avoiding a season sweep by the rival sitting four victories ahead. Beyond Saturday, the Stamps must find the consistency that has escaped them through the first two-thirds of its schedule.
The playoff math is straightforward, even if the path is not. The top three teams in each division qualify, subject to the CFL’s crossover rule. The Red and White must climb past at least two Western rivals to secure a berth through their own division. A crossover route would require the fourth-place team in the West to finish with a better record than the third-place club in the East.
Once in, the task to play for the championship at home doesn’t get any easier. A second- or third-place Western finish would send the Stampeders into the division semifinal, followed by the West final. Two playoff wins would put the Stampeders in the Grey Cup on their home field. A first-place finish brings a bye to the division final, but the Stamps’ four-win deficit behind the Elks makes that the least realistic route.
That is why GM/head coach Dave Dickenson is shrinking the challenge.
“His motto has been, ‘Win the play, win the day,’” said McNeil of Dickenson’s blueprint for success. “Let’s not focus on the end. Let’s focus on what’s in front of us.”
Trouble is the Grey Cup is impossible to ignore.
Festival organizers have announced four days of concerts, team parties, family programming, rodeo and CFL traditions at Stampede Park from Nov. 11-14. The championship game follows Nov. 15 at McMahon.
For the Stampeders, qualifying would turn a national celebration into something intensely local. Missing would mean watching two visiting teams use their stadium and command Calgary’s biggest football stage.
McNeil knows that feeling. The former offensive lineman played 14 seasons with the Red and White and won two Grey Cups but never reached the championship when Calgary hosted it. He recalled the sting of giving up the Stampeders’ locker room to a visiting finalist.
“You don’t want that,” McNeil said.
He also understands the event differently now.
As a player, he says, he was somewhat sheltered from the festival. As president, he sees its effect on supporters, businesses and the wider community, along with the responsibility of presenting Calgary as the city he knows it to be to the country.
Hosting the Grey Cup also gives the club a chance to put the Stampeders’ brand in front of new supporters, particularly Calgarians who have not previously connected with Canadian football.
But actually seeing his horses play in the game would be the most powerful advertisement of all.
“Regardless of where it is, getting to the Grey Cup is the ultimate goal,” added McNeil. “And it’s what our players are working towards, and it’s the commitment of our players.
“Although we haven’t had the record that we want so far this year, we’ve watched them fight game-in and game-out. You know … I’m proud of who they are and the character that they’ve shown.”
It has, indeed, been a while since the Labour Day Classic between the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Elks could truly be deemed a ‘big’ game.
The Elks have struggled mightily the last few years but, with Mark Kilam at the coaching helm, the rejuvenation of quarterback Cody Fajardo and the Justin Rankin running factor, Edmonton has become the class of the West in the Canadian Football League.
The latter brought a special fan down from Edmonton.
“I do have an added bonus to come,” smiled Mark Rankin, father of Justin. “From what I’ve heard, the rivalry is bigger for Edmonton, because they do have a better record than in the past. Does it mean more? I think it means more because it’s a rivalry game; it doesn’t matter if it’s CFL or college or high school, rivalry is rivalry.”
Calgary, meanwhile, has had its share of struggles this campaign, coming into the Classic at 5-6 and needing an overall momentum swing for this crucial part of the season.
And that, according to head coach Dave Dickenson, is what is most critical about the Labour Day Classic … timing.
“We’ve always said, if you can get hot from Labour Day on, you have a chance to win it,” suggested Dickenson before the game. “So you want to make sure to start playing your best football from this point forward.
“When I first got into the league, I felt the West was an Edmonton and Calgary thing, whoever would win that season series was going to win. There was a lot of animosity. I don’t know about a bigger game … but I felt with the crowds, with the flyover, with the jerseys being talked about, I always felt it was a big, big game.”
That was reflected on Monday. The game was preceded by one of the most anticipated moments in a Classic: the flyover. Since 1993, two CF-18 Hornets have flown over McMahon Stadium at the conclusion of the national anthem and then again just prior to kickoff. They did not disappoint.
Sartorially, the Stamps wore their black unis, which they debuted on Labour Day in 1994.
The conditions were wet and cool, yet attracted an announced crowd of 25,698. A couple of fan buses drove down from Edmonton, so there was a share of Green and Gold in the stands, including Brett Litke and his friends.
“The Elks have struggled for a few years, so now it’s renewed. There’s a good vibe in Edmonton with the Elks,” said Litke, who wasn’t going to let a little gloomy weather keep him away. “This is more important because the Elks are finally back to where they should be. They have new ownership, a new spirit; it’s a lot better than what it used to be. The Stampeders have been up and down this year, but they’ve got (starting quarterback) Vernon Adams back, so this is a big clash, playoff implications. This is a major, major CFL game.”
And, as it turned out, a major win for the visitors, 38-28. Papa Rankin watched his son elude a number of would-be tacklers and rumble for 50 yards for the winning touchdown with less than five minutes left in the game. Calgary led by 18 at one point.
As far as the combatants are concerned, the Labour Day Classic is just a name for another game.
“For me, I’m an older guy, I’ve been around a long time. I’ve been in the Labour Day Classic in Saskatchewan, too,” said Derrick Moncrief, the Stamps’ 33-year-old linebacker who was on the other side with the Elks in both 2021 and 2024. “It’s a Western opponent. It’s that time of the year where you want to play your best ball. In order to get to the playoffs, you have to knock out one opponent at a time and they’re the next opponent.”
The outcome not in the Stamps’ favour, they now look to the rematch Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium where the Elks will once again be “the next opponent.”
What’s up at QB?
The Calgary Stampeders have questions at quarterback.
Not bad ones.
But good ones.
And heading into Monday’s Labour Day Classic against the Edmonton Elks at McMahon Stadium, that is a whole lot better than the alternative.
Vernon Adams Jr. is trending in the right direction after missing last week’s 28-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with a head injury. Josh Love, meanwhile, is coming off a victory in his first Canadian Football League start.
So the Stampeders have their starter trying to get back in action.
And they have their backup showing he can win.
Not a bad place to be as the Battle of Alberta gets ready to take over Labour Day afternoon at McMahon (4 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
Adams is back taking a big chunk of practice this week, which is the most encouraging sign for the club. The Stamps need him. The 33-year-old has been the engine of their offence most of the season, and when he is right, the attack has a different kind of bite.
But head injuries are tricky.
Adams knows that better than anyone.
“It was just like one of those freak things,” Adams said. “It wasn’t so much my head banging on the turf. I got kneed on the side of my head (in a Week 11 loss to the BC Lions), and I went limp and kind of blacked out on the field. And so that was scary.
“And then just trying to recover from it, doing high-intensity things, I wasn’t feeling it last week, and I’m feeling a lot better this week. So I still got a few more tests, but we’re going to keep working.”
Feeling better is one thing.
Getting cleared is another.
Adams says he hopes his odds of playing Monday are “very high,” but he also acknowledged there are still tests to go through. That makes this week more than just a football decision. It is a health decision first.
“He had most of the practice (Thursday),” Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson said of Adams. “So he’s trending in a positive direction, which is nice for us.”
WHAT DO THE ELKS BRING TO LABOUR DAY?
Adams gives the Stampeders the best chance to win.
So a quick return to health is welcome.
Necessary, too, if the Red and White want to make a real push in the West Division.
The Stampeders enter Labour Day at 5-6, trying to climb back into the thick of a crowded playoff race. The rival Elks come in at 8-3 and sitting on top of the West.
That makes Monday big.
And it makes the quarterback question even bigger.
Because this is not just a one-off rivalry game. Of course, it is the first of back-to-back battles between the Stampeders and the Elks. The rematch goes Saturday, Sept. 12, at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
Two games.
One opponent.
And a whole lot of movement possible in the West.
“We know they’re a good team,” Dickenson said. “They’re on top of the West, which makes them tough right now.”
That is the challenge for Dickenson & Co.
The Stampeders are not chasing a struggling Edmonton team.
“We’re trying to focus on ourselves,” said Dickenson, whose charges are staring at two games against the Elks and two subsequent ones against the winless Ottawa Redblacks later in September.
“We’ve got to beat these teams to get in the playoffs,” Dickenson said. “We’ve got to find a way to beat the guys ahead of us. They’re all ahead of us, so we know what the challenge is.
“I love Labour Day,” continued Dickenson. “I think the guys will get up for it, and it’s a special game. It’s later this year than it seems. I feel like football’s a fall sport. I do like the fall. That’s when I know the championships and the playoffs are right around the corner.”
WHAT DID JOSH LOVE BRING TO THE STAMPS?
The second-year CFL QB gave the Stampeders exactly what they needed last week.
A win.
Not a perfect game.
But a win, nonetheless.
And for a backup quarterback making his first CFL start after a bye week, with the team coming off two straight losses, that is massive.
Love completed 24-of-35 passes for 263 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in the victory over the Ticats. More importantly, he led the Stampeders on the late drive they needed to win the game.
“It was a great time,” Love said. “Obviously, we got the victory, and it was having fun with the guys. Great to go out there and execute like we did and pull off the victory.”
The timing couldn’t have been better.
The Stamps had lost two in a row. They had gone into the bye week with questions. Then Adams was not available. Then Love had to step in and keep the season from wobbling further.
He did.
“To come off a bye week like that and having lost two in a row and get back in the win column, it’s always good,” Love said.
Good for the team, for sure.
And for Love personally, it’s better than good.
“Regardless what happens, that’s just the life of the backup,” Love said. “You’ve got to always be ready, and when your number’s called, just continue to put my best foot forward.
“The confidence level goes up obviously with the win,” continued Love, 29. “I feel good. I feel good about my prep, and I just feel good about the guys around me, and I trust them.”
Trust the call.
Trust himself.
Trust the receivers.
Trust the week of work.
“I think we had a good week of practice, and we executed in practice, and we just carried it over in the game,” Love said. “I trusted the call, trusted myself, and you have to just trust the guys around you to make plays, and they did.”
Dickenson saw the same thing.
“I thought he showed good compete level, toughness, taking hits, and to me, just command of our offence,” Dickenson said. “A lot of good things.
“He hadn’t played in a long time … But he just wants an opportunity, and he was ready. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but just keep competing and try to lead your team to a win.
“He did.”
And the last drive hammered that home.
Love made four short passes to start the drive from the Stamps’ 37-yard line and take the team in Lions territory before star running back Dedrick Mills ripped off a 49-yard TD rush for the winning points.
Adams, watching from the sideline, said the successful march didn’t surprise him.
“That last drive, we do this clutch drive in practice all the time, and I knew they were going to handle that,” Adams said. “Coach called a good game, and they just executed.”
Love knows there are things to clean up … pressure looks. Timing. Getting the ball out quicker. More reps would help, because reps always help. He’s hard on himself and saw things on tape that need to be better.
But all the Stamps need to be better — and they know it.
“We are trying to compete and get better,” added Dickenson. “We want to play better this week than we did last week. We want to make McMahon a tough place to play. We want to reward our fans with a great effort and come out of here with wins.”
]]>Dave Dickenson believes his Calgary Stampeders still have a chance to lift the Grey Cup on home turf in 2026.
Yes … the Canadian Football League legend is choosing to stay positive in the face of what’s been a roller-coaster campaign.
Because with more downs than ups during what’s become a 4-6 season, there are more questions than answers surrounding a squad that hopes to defend McMahon Stadium in the CFL championship finale come November.
“We were on a nine-game stretch with some road trips that kind of, I think, certainly took some energy out of us,” said Dickenson, when asked if last week’s bye came at the right time, on the heels of the Week 11 30-26 heartbreaking home loss to the BC Lions.
“I do think if we can get going and get on the right track, I think this year is certainly a chance for this team to really be special,” continued the Stampeders GM/head coach. “Let’s try to get momentum and find a way to make an impact to win a Cup.”
First, they need answers.
And there are certainly questions heading into Saturday’s game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at McMahon Stadium (1 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
Not just how they can help themselves out of this two-loss, two-win dance that has left them in last spot of the CFL’s West Division.
But just who can help them out down the stretch.
The most pressing concerns revolve around the health of two of Calgary’s most important offensive pieces.
Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. and running back Dedrick Mills both suffered head injuries in the late stages of the loss to B.C., leaving the Stamps to spend their bye-week trying to get their offensive engine back together.
“Mills certainly (has practised) full,” confirmed Dickenson. “And then V.A. … we certainly are still kind of making sure that we’re OK to get him back. Both, I think, are trending positively. Mills just seems to bounce back just a little bit quicker (than Adams).”
Mills’ importance hardly needs explaining. The 2025 rushing champion entered Week 13 with 756 yards on 129 carries, an average of 5.9 yards per rush, putting him second in the CFL rushing race and still within striking distance of Winnipeg Blue Bombers superstar Brady Oliveira on 850.
Adams, meanwhile, has been at the centre of the Calgary crew’s most explosive offensive moments.
Earlier this season, he became just the fifth player in CFL history to throw for at least 400 yards and six touchdowns without an interception in a game, while tying the Stampeders’ single-game record for touchdown passes.
His 2026 campaign has also included a remarkable league-record run without an interception, making his availability particularly important as Calgary tries to climb back into the playoff picture.
Then there are veterans Rene Paredes and Reggie Begelton, who have both been full participants at practice this week, another encouraging sign for an offence that needs its most experienced contributors available.
“Well … I definitely gave them more reps (Tuesday),” continued Dickenson. “At least they are allowed to compete and practice and do the right things. I thought both guys made impacts. Now I’m going to just watch the film …
“And see what the best lineup we get and go from there.”
WHAT DO THE TIGER-CATS BRING?
The Ticats arrive at McMahon with its own set of questions, particularly at quarterback.
They are also 4-6, meaning Saturday’s meeting carries considerable weight in a tightly packed playoff race.
And their season has been defined by uncertainty under centre since Bo Levi Mitchell went down.
Tre Ford has provided the most intriguing alternative. The Canadian quarterback brings dual-threat ability capable of creating problems with his legs while also stretching a defence vertically.
In the Ticats’ 39-20 loss to the Toronto Argonauts last Saturday, Ford completed 19-of-32 passes for 356 yards but failed to throw a touchdown.
And Harrison Frost had also been part of the equation, including looking like the better of the two QBs during the 44-20 loss to the visiting Stampeders in Hamilton a month ago.
That uncertainty makes Calgary’s defensive preparation particularly important.
“They got two young good quarterbacks,” said Stamps defensive back Derrick Moncrief. “One is more dual threat in Trey Ford, and the other guy, man, he can make some throws and things like that.
“They have a dynamic receiving corps. I mean, also their running back, man. And also their defence too, man. Their defence is good. They can blitz. They can stop the run, too.”
HOW ARE THE STAMPS FEELING AFTER THE BYE-WEEK?
If the Tiger-Cats represents the immediate challenge, the bye was the Stamps’ chance to prepare for it with a clearer head and healthier bodies.
The bye may have arrived at precisely the right moment.
The Red and White had played nine consecutive games after its Week 2 bye, a stretch considered by many as one of the league’s tougher schedules. The Stamps now begin another eight-game run before their final bye of the regular season.
For a team coming off consecutive losses — and a particularly painful one against B.C. — the week away from game action offered an opportunity to recover physically while reassessing what has gone wrong.
“You know what? It came at the right time,” Moncrief said. “We had a long stretch of games. Lost some close ones. Won a couple there. It was just what we needed at the right time of the year, at that juncture of time of our schedule.”
But the veteran defensive back is more focused on what’s forthcoming.
“We know what’s ahead,” continued Moncrief. “But we’re just trying to take care of each and every day, just trying to prepare and come out on game day victorious.
For Dickenson, the reset was as much mental as physical.
“I definitely believe a bit of a hangover from the loss, and I needed a reset and a reload, and I feel great,” Dickenson said. “I can only be myself, but I know the team should feel the same way.
“And the bye-week should allow you to look at your film, look at who this team is, look at what we stand for and how we play and find a way to start winning, play winning football.”
Moncrief echoed that approach when asked about the latest loss.
“Yeah … the past is the past,” said the defensive captain. “That game is behind us. We can’t worry about that. Our main focus is the Hamilton Tiger-Cats right now.”
One day at a time.
One practice at a time.
One game at a time.
Perhaps this one bringing with it a few reinforcements and healthy weapons courtesy of the bye.
Yeah, yeah, yeah …” added Moncrief. “You want to have all your have all your horses in the in the stable and running, and for us right now, we know what time it is. Being a veteran guy, we know it’s a very critical stretch, man. But the only way you get down to the end and to the playoffs and win the football games is you got to win, take it one game at a time. You got to win. You got to prepare. You got to play hard.”
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Ben Labrosse is back to being Ben Labrosse.
And that’s good news for the Calgary Stampeders.
Because as the Red and White return home Thursday night to face the BC Lions at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., TSN/QR Calgary 770 AM) — they do so with a defensive back who looks like he has finally found the football form that made him a first-round CFL Draft pick in the first place.
The talented cornerback is healthy.
He’s confident.
He’s aggressive.
And suddenly, he’s a ball-hawk.
“I would say I’m just playing the football that I’m used to,” Labrosse said. “The people who knew me before Calgary, they knew what kind of player I was, and they would tell you that I was aggressive towards the ball at that point in time, too.
“So I’m just playing the football that I’m used to playing.”
Back to being himself on the gridiron?
“Yeah,” agreed Labrosse. “I would say so.”
That version of Labrosse has been easy to spot lately.
The third-year CFLer has forced his way into a major role in the Stampeders’ secondary, so much so that he is starting at field-side cornerback against the Lions even with all-CFL West defensive back Adrian
Greene healthy and back in the lineup for a second week.
Labrosse has played nine games this season and has 10 defensive tackles, one special-teams tackle and five interceptions. All five of those interceptions have come in a recent three-game stretch, including a three-pick night in Winnipeg on July 24 that tied a Stampeders single-game record.
Not bad for a player who had not recorded a CFL interception before that game.
Not bad for a player who spent too much of the last two seasons trying to get his body right and his footing back underneath him.
And not bad for a player who had to wait for his chance.
“Ben was just looking for an opportunity,” Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson said. “I felt like he had improved during camp. He had confidence in his ankle and his foot. That was the main thing.
“He just wasn’t running last year. He just wasn’t confident in his foot. And as a DB, it’s almost like a quarterback with an arm injury.
“But he’s confident now.
WHAT DO THE LIONS BRING?
They bring a healthy Nathan Rourke to McMahon.
And that’s no small note if you’re Labrosse and the Stampeders secondary.
Because, of course, dual-threat Rourke is the CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Player.
“We’ve just gotta play the game that we’re used to but be aware that he can run and can throw on the run,” Labrosse said. “Obviously, we tweak the plan a little bit. But we just got to be ready to play the high ball. They got some tall receivers, so just got to be ready to bring it.”
Yeah … it’s a receiving group that can stress a secondary vertically and physically.
But the Stampeders secondary feels more ready for it then it did back in Week 3, when it surrendered 479 yards despite a 41-33 victory at Touchdown Kelowna.
“The Lions have gotten better, too. I mean, defensively for sure, they they’re doing a lot of different things. Same type of thing. I think quarterback that makes the the league go, and I think when they’ve got Nathan back, I do believe that they have a lot of confidence coming into this game.”
The Lions won 27-24 over the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 10 to make it two straight triumphs since Rourke returned from injury.
Meanwhile, the Red and White are coming off a successful three-game road trip that saw them finish 2-1, with last week’s 33-30 loss to the host Toronto Argonauts the heartbreak of time away from home.
“I think things are just starting to click a little bit more,” Labrosse said. “We’re on the same page on the defence, and you feel the energy, too, on the field. So it’s definitely nice to see.
“I feel we’re ready to play,” added Dickenson. “You know … we kind of had that three-game stretch, and it did feel like it kind of took a little wind out of our sails, especially with a tough loss. But we’ve bounced back this week and been competing, practising hard and understanding against the conference opponent — the one that’s right below us — we need to beat the BC Lions in order to get to where we need to get to and and start protecting our house.
“We only have one win here at McMahon. We need to we need to start winning at home and making sure that teams that come in here leave with a loss.”
WHAT HAS IGNITED LABROSSE?
Labrosse, 26, dealt with ankle surgery after his first CFL season and then with a hamstring issue last year.
Both injuries robbed him of training time and rhythm in his bid to be a starting corner.
“It wasn’t the foot; it was hamstring, but it was in part due to the foot,” Labrosse said. “I got surgery after my first season on my ankle, and then I wasn’t able to train much in the off-season, so that was a big setback.
“I’ve never had to deal with that. Every off-season, I’ve been going into it almost 100% and just being able to work through the whole off-season, so that really threw me off big time.”
It threw him off his projected track to a professional starting gig, after the Stampeders selected Labrosse in the first round — fourth overall — of the 2024 CFL Draft.
“There’s definitely pressure, regardless of if you’re first round or last round,” said the Montreal native.
“There’s always pressure to get back on the field. No one likes to be on the sideline when everyone else is playing.”
Labrosse’s football journey started long before McMahon Stadium. He began playing at age four in the South Shore area of Montreal, at Greenfield Park, and stayed there for 16 years. He then went to Vanier College, where he built a reputation as a ball-hawking defensive back before moving on to Syracuse and then McGill.
At Syracuse, his NCAA numbers were modest — 10 games over two seasons, 14 tackles and no interceptions.
But at McGill, he found the ball again, earning U SPORTS RSEQ all-star honours in 2022 after recording 35 tackles, three interceptions and one pass breakup in eight games.
Before that, at Vanier, he had 11 career interceptions.
So the ball skills have always been there.
The body just needed to catch up.
“I don’t really think too deep into it,” Labrosse said of the interception run. “I just kind of take the opportunity when it comes. But I wouldn’t say it comes as too much of a surprise. I’ve always been a bit of a ball-hawk in my past years, so I’ve always had good hands.”
The Stamps are seeing that now.
In 2024, Labrosse played 14 regular-season games, started nine at field halfback and had 34 defensive tackles, two special-teams tackles, one fumble recovery and four knockdowns. In 2025, he appeared in eight games and had five defensive tackles and two special-teams tackles.
Career-wise, he’s played in 31 regular-season games with 49 defensive tackles, five special-teams tackles and five interceptions.
The difference now is the impact plays.
The pick-offs.
The confidence.
And the willingness to go get the football.
“His ball skills and his confidence and his willingness to go try to make a play — I think all that’s been helping our team a bunch,” added Dickenson. “He’s still got a long way to go and areas to improve. He knows that.
“We’re going to keep working and making sure he improves.”
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Back to .500, the Calgary Stampeders hope to use the momentum of the last few weeks to push them into plus territory in the 2026 Canadian Football League standings.
Much like they used good mojo Saturday for a strong win in Hamilton.
That’s when they capitalized on turnovers …
When they capitalized on an inexperienced quarterbacking …
And when they capitalized on new-found rhythm on the road, with a third consecutive away game scheduled for Thursday in Toronto.
That is the next test.
But the blueprint came in The Hammer.
The Stampeders beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 44-20, moved to 4-4 and got themselves back to even after an uneven start to the CFL campaign. And while “gritty” Vernon Adams Jr. continued to do enough with the offence, this one had a different feel.
This was a defensive win.
Not just because Calgary held Hamilton to 20 points — the lowest total the Stampeders have allowed this season — but because the defence changed the shape of the game.
It scored.
Twice.
It forced four turnovers. It produced four sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble-return touchdown and a pick-six. It made the hosts uncomfortable with dual-threat quarterback Tre Ford in the game, then attacked next-up-QB Harrison Frost when the Tiger-Cats went to the more traditional pocket passer.
That matters going into Toronto.
Because the Stampeders (4-3) do not need their defence to be perfect Thursday against the Toronto Argonauts (3-4) at BMO Field (5:30 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
They need it to travel again.
They need it to be disruptive again.
They need it to keep giving the team a way to win when the offence is not operating at full volume.
“I think our defence won us a game (in Hamilton), which is great,” Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson told Stamps TV. “I thought we played pretty good on special teams, as well.
“The Ticats made their plays, kind of made a run at us in the third quarter,” continued Dickenson. “Got a little interesting. I didn’t see anyone panicking on the sideline. We did have to respond, and we got basically a couple plays in there, and we were able to score late, and then we got the pick-six. I don’t think we played that well, but I think we played with a lot of heart, intensity and passion. Sometimes that’s enough.”
Sometimes, yes.
But this also looked like more than emotion.
It looked like a defence beginning to trust itself.
The Stampeders have spent the last few weeks trying to become stouter against the run, more aggressive around the quarterback and more opportunistic with the football.
And Saturday offered proof of progress.
WHAT DOES WEEK 10 BRING?
It brings only a few days to prepare for the host Argos on a short week.
But the Stampeders don’t mind that, given they feel like they’re hitting on all cylinders.
“I think having an earlier game and being able to stay here (in Toronto all week) actually really helps us because we’re not going to get in at 5 a.m. on this trip,” Stamps rush end Folarin Orimolade told Stamps TV. “So we’ve just got to get our rest, put the ice where you need to put it and just lock in for the gameplan.
“At least we played this team already, so we know the type of players they have and the type of gameplan that we’re going to have. Of course, there are going to be some adjustments, but we won’t have to put like a full new install, so it should be easier.”
Orimolade & Co. know when the Argos have Chad Kelly at QB, they bring a high-octane offence.
And without him, it’s hit-and-miss with Nick Arbuckle.
Kelly is coming off a neck injury suffered two weeks back, but the 2023 CFL Most Outstanding Player did practise early in the week in advance of Thursday’s rematch with the Stampeders.
Of course, the Red and White levelled them in a 58-36 decision during Week 5’s action at McMahon Stadium.
That was when the offence had its most remarkable performance in years but the defence was struggling.
The latter is not the case now.
“We know we can stop them,” Dickenson said. “We know we can make plays on offence. We know we have a good kicker. Our punter had a great game (Saturday). So we’ve just got to believe in that and play the next play.”
“We aim to play complementary football — offence, defence, special teams,” Stampeders receiver Dejon Brissett told Stamps TV. “So when they’re holding it down and we’re the ones not pulling our weight, it’s not pressure but emphasis to get going.”
Get it going together to score a second-straight win on the road out east.
“From the beginning, it was to come out of Ontario 2-0,” added Brissett, who had six catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, including a 43-yard score from Adams, in the win in Hamilton. “So we just took the first step. Now we got to go take the second.”
MORE ON THE DEFENCE IN HAMILTON
Marquel Lee was at the centre of it.
The veteran middle linebacker posted four defensive tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and four tackles.
His strip-sack on Frost late in the first half was scooped by Kyle Wilson and returned for a touchdown, pushing the Stampeders into a 24-9 halftime lead.
Later, linebacker Derrick Moncrief finished the job with a 25-yard interception return touchdown after the three-minute warning.
One defensive touchdown is a spark.
Two is a hammer.
“We’ve been stressing getting the ball,” Dickenson said. “As a defensive unit, they take a lot of pride in improving and trying each game to be better. I think we’re building that. We’re getting a little stouter against the run. We’re starting to harass quarterbacks. We are creating turnovers and tackling the ball.
“One touchdown is nice (by the defence), but two is huge. It really did help, because the offence did have an off-game.”
Sure, the Stampeders scored 44 points.
But Dickenson knows it was not the smoothest of offensive performances, especially in its line play.
However, the defence helped to hide that with solid football across the board, highlighted by those TDs from Wilson and Moncrief and turning over another ball to lead to a 53-yard Jude McAtamney field-goal in the first quarter.
Those 17 points off turnovers helped deliver the second-straight road victory.
And while it can’t be expected to produce on the scoreboard like that in every contest, the defence is expected to do what it can to help the offence when it experiences a lull.
The defence can change field position. It can take pressure off the quarterback. It can turn a close game into a comfortable one without the need for a long drive.
“We did our job, and we capitalized on inexperienced quarterback play,” Orimolade said. “When we do our job, I think we’re still one of the best groups in the league.
“We brought a lot of guys back from last year’s defence. It was the best in the league last year, so we just have to do it day-in, day-out. We’re going against a really good team this upcoming week, so we’ve gotta do it again.”
That can be a battle cry for Thursday.
‘Do it again.’
The Stampeders are at the end of three straight road games. That’s not easy in any league, and it is especially not easy in the CFL, where travel, short weeks and different quarterback styles can turn preparation into a moving target.
In Hamilton, Orimolade & Co. had to adjust from Ford — whose legs can break contain and change rush lanes — to Frost — who allowed the Stampeders to attack more directly.
“With Tre, we had to be really smart about how we rush, get a lot of spy help and things like that,” Orimolade said. “We executed that gameplan. In the beginning of the game, we weren’t doing a great job stopping the run, but then as we settled in and we put them behind the sticks.
“They had to go through second-and-long and really process through the defence with someone accounting for (Ford’s) running, and I think that’s what led to them making the quarterback change. Then they had a guy that was more of a pure pocket passer, and we were able to cut it loose.”
And look like a championship defence.
“We’re getting better,” added Orimolade. “At the end of the day, like it’ll be terrible for us to peak early in the season and suck at the end (sort of like last year). So I think we’re building momentum each week — and that’s the recipe.”
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Vernon Adams Jr. didn’t duck it.
Didn’t hide from it.
Didn’t point to the fumble, the heat, the missed chances, the defence, the bounce of the ball or the fact that — for the second straight week — the Calgary Stampeders had the Montreal Alouettes right where they wanted them late and still walked away with nothing.
Nope.
The Stampeders quarterback put it squarely on himself.
And heading into Friday night’s road test for the Stamps (2-4) against the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-2) at Princess Auto Stadium (6:30 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary AM 770), that might be the most telling storyline around the Canadian Football League club trying to turn “close” into something that actually counts in the standings.
“Good fight at the end, but it’s just getting old from me,” Adams said after last Saturday’s 38-32 loss to the Alouettes at McMahon Stadium. “Not being able to put points up early to help the defence out. Just too many two-and-outs.
“Everybody’s gonna look in the mirror, but I’m my biggest critic.”
Indeed, there was plenty of fight.
Again.
There was also plenty of frustration.
Again.
For the second straight week against the Alouettes, the Stampeders had a game-saving drive end in ugly fashion.
This time, it was Erik Brooks fumbling with the Red and White just yards away from a late go-ahead score — a brutal finish to what had become another wild comeback attempt by a team that’s now 1-3 on its home field.
But Adams wasn’t about to let the final mistake become the full story.
Not when the Stamps had managed only three points in the first half.
Not when the offence spent too much of the early going stuck in neutral.
Not when the team, now falling behind in the West Division on the 2026 CFL campaign, has made a habit of needing late-game heroics because the early-game work simply hasn’t been good enough.
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“I’m tired of saying it,” Adams said. “I gotta just start faster. I don’t know what that is — my routine, whatever it is — I need to get it right and help this team out and stop letting the organization down.
“So all this hero stuff at the end, it doesn’t have to be like that. Granted, that’s a great team over there (in the Alouettes). But I just gotta be better.”
That’s the hard truth of where the Stampeders sit. They are close enough to make things interesting. They are not yet clean enough to make those things victorious.
Alford returns for Adams
It’s the host Blue Bombers in Week 8, with Adams getting a familiar target back in the lineup for the contest.
No … not veteran Reggie Begelton, who is still on the mend with a broken leg.
But CFL sophomore Damien Alford, who returns to the Stampeders after failing to catch on in the NFL.
The first-overall pick by the Stamps in the 2025 CFL Draft was cut by the New Orleans Saints last month with an injury designation.
And the 25-year-old’s return only adds to a strong receiving corps for Adams.
Recall Alford, a 6-foot-6, 224-lb. dynamic hands-man was a rookie sensation last season, with 20 catches for 407 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games for the Red and White.
He wowed in his first 15 games with an average of 20.4 yards per catch — many of star calibre — and five touchdowns.
It’s unlikely Alford will be in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Bombers.
“We know how hard it is to go win in to Winnipeg,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “They have their sellout streak, and we’ve had a lot of great games against them.
“For us, we’ve kind of singled out one thing for each group to little focus on trying to be better at … If we do that, we’ll grow. We’ll get better. And hopefully, it leads to a win.”
The Bombers will try to win with QB Dru Brown at the controls, since longtime starter Zach Collaros is out with an upper-body injury.
Brown led the Winnipeg squad back from a near loss in a 36-34 result to the woeful Ottawa Redblacks last Sunday in the nation’s capital.
“Oh … I have a ton of respect for Zach,” Dickenson said. “But they’re a good team, regardless. And Drew’s good. He beat us with Ottawa last year. They run the same plays.
“They have similar quarterbacks, meaning they’re crafty. They can move around. They make all the throws. Good leaders.
“I think Zach’s the starter for a reason, but certainly Drew’s a good player.”
The Stampeders have also inked American defensive back Lance Boykin, the team announced Wednesday.
And veteran Jaydon Grant is back from an ankle injury and likely to start for the Stamps at defensive halfback. His return to health follows the release of veteran defensive back Benny Sapp III, who had been starting in place of Grant at field-side halfback.
More on Adams
Adams’ final line Saturday looked fine from a distance — 23-of-37 passing for 271 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
In fact, his TD-to-INT ratio of 17-0 on the season matches a CFL record set by Canadian Football League Hall of Famer Ricky Ray. And his 17 passing TDs alone are the most in 2026.
Plenty of CFL quarterbacks have walked away from worse nights statistically.
But this was not about the stat line.
It was about rhythm.
It was about starts.
It was about a team once again being forced to spend the second half chasing a game it had helped put out of reach in the first.
“Three points in the first half, and that’s just not good enough for us,” Adams said.
Further to his credit, Adams didn’t make Brooks wear it.
The receiver’s late fumble will be the snapshot many remember. It came at the worst possible time, with the Stamps pushing toward what could have been a dramatic go-ahead score.
But quarterbacks who lead properly know when to absorb the heat.
And Adams went straight to Brooks afterward.
“I told him it definitely wasn’t that play,” Adams said. “That’s not the reason why we lost. Again, we only put up three points in the first half, and a lot of that was me missing throws and not putting ourselves, our team, in good position.
“I told him, ‘Man, I gotta be better for us early on. You had a hell of a game.’ Things like that happen sometimes. It sucks it happened to him on that play, but that wasn’t the reason why we lost.”
That is leadership.
But now the Stampeders need that leadership to turn into first-quarter production.
Because the next opponent is not exactly offering a soft landing. The Blue Bombers await in Winnipeg on Friday night — another test, another tough building, another chance for the Red and White to prove it is more than a club with a knack for late rallies and painful exits.
The frustration is understandable.
Every Stamps loss this season has been by one score.
That can be framed as encouraging, sure.
It can also become exhausting in a hurry.
“Yeah, that’s frustrating,” Adams said. “But again, I just look at myself in the mirror, and those losses just say, ‘What could I have done better? How could I help my defence out? How could I stay on the field and get more first downs and make completions — easy completions — or flip the field?’
“I’m gonna be hard on myself, but I got a 24-hour rule, and I just gotta keep getting better.”
There’s the balance the Stamps have to strike now.
They can’t pretend 2-4 is fine.
They also can’t let frustration poison a room that still appears to care, still appears to believe and still has enough fight to make opponents sweat right down to the final snap.
“Some guys get frustrated because we care,” Adams said. “We all care, and we want to win. And I’m not used to having a losing record and stuff like this. So we’re gonna stay together. We’re gonna get better. We’re gonna watch the film. I’m gonna be better, and that’s all we can do.”
It’s simple.
Maybe too simple.
But that’s where the Stampeders are now.
No more comfort in valiant comebacks.
No more moral victories dressed up as momentum.
No more waiting until the fourth quarter to start throwing punches.
The Stampeders have shown they can make games wild late.
Now Adams says it’s on him to help make them better early.
And in Winnipeg, that has to be more than talk.
]]>It’s more than Irish eyes smiling on Jude McAtamney these days.
Luck might have something to do with timing in the kicker’s world.
But that’s about it.
It’s truly skill, a belief in himself and a commitment to his craft that have the Calgary Stampeders rookie stepping strongly into the shoes of the injured René Paredes.
“Jude’s committed to being better and taking advantage of any opportunity he gets,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson, when praising the first-year boot-man from Northern Ireland.
“I mean … he did kick in the NFL,” continued Dickenson, of McAtamney. “So it’s not like he doesn’t have some experience, but we’ve liked (what he’s done).”
And why not?
Coming into Saturday’s Week 7 of the Canadian Football League schedule — a rematch for the Stampeders (2-3) against the visiting Montreal Alouettes (4-1) at McMahon Stadium (2 p.m., TSN5, QR Calgary 770 AM) — McAtamney has proved to be more than simply a replacement for hall-of-famer-in-waiting Paredes.
The rookie’s nailed all but one field-goal attempt, missing his first and rebounding for eight straight.
He’s hit all but one convert — only one full-time kicker in the CFL has gone perfect on the schedule.
And his handsome hang-time on kickoffs is allowing for the coverage team to get downfield in to a position to do its job.
“What I’ve liked is Jude has helped us in our kickoffs, because he gets so much height,” Dickenson said. “René can bomb it down there, too, but it just seems like Jude has a lot of height on it, and we’ve got a fast (coverage) team.”
Yeah … there could be a conundrum to deal with for Dickenson in the not-so distant future.
What of the Paredes— now in his 15th CFL season — these days?
The 41-year-old kicker and longtime staple of the Stamps was placed on the six-game injured reserve list with a hip issue to start the schedule, and Saturday’s contest marks the team’s sixth game.
So a decision will have to be made on what to do with the kickers following this home tilt.
Unless he’s up to full snuff, that likely means Paredes being put back on either the one-game or six-game IR, although he has participated more in practice lately and ended the week as ‘questionable’ on the team’s injury report.
“René does seem to be progressing — and that’s a good sign,” Dickenson said. “And Jude’s kicking well. So I’m just gonna just keep thinking about it and let René get healthy. But certainly good to see him out there.
“And Jude’s been improving week to week,” continued Dickenson, of McAtamney. “Had a good battle in camp, so I just feel like he’s doing the right things.”
In last week’s 37-30 loss to the host Alouettes — the first tilt of this home-and-home set — McAtamney knocked home all three field-goal attempts, including a 54-yarder made on the last play of the first half.
He also converted on a 47-yarder in the third quarter to help the Stamps climb back into the contest.
Those are pretty good bombs for the 26-year-old, who seems to have adjusted to the CFL game in short order.
His longest field-goal of the year was a Week 4 57-yarder during the Touchdown Kelowna victory by the Red and White.
“I’ve hit from the 60s a few times in practice, so it’s in me,” McAtamney said. “Obviously, the conditions depend for those long kicks, and it depends what the team needs at that moment in time.”
With Paredes shelved to start the season, the team has needed a bona-fide kicker.
And McAtamney, the Stamps’ sixth-overall pick in the 2026 CFL Global Draft, has certainly stepped up to fill that void, betting on himself with strong conviction in getting the gig done — thanks in part to help from Graham Gano, his former kicking mate with the NFL’s New York Giants.
“He’s one of the best kickers ever to go through the NFL — he taught me a lot,” said McAtamney, who stepped in for Gano when the veteran NFL kicker was injured during the 2025 campaign.
“It was Graham who taught me a lot of how to kick into the wind. He can manipulate the ball in certain ways to help you get a certain advantage, depending on what wind you’re dealing with. So all those things just accumulate, increasing your chances to succeed in whatever wind or conditions you’re in.
“It’s all about backing yourself,” continued McAtamney, who went 3-of-3 on field-goals and 10-of-13 on extra points and averaged 63.8 yards on 10 kickoffs during his two seasons with the Giants. “Graham’s a big advocate that you should be the biggest believer in yourself and not be looking for outside noise to give you credit.
“And if someone’s saying something bad about you, it means you don’t take their word for it as truth. You know … you have to believe in yourself more than anything. So I think that was the biggest thing I learned off Graham was just have that confidence and belief in yourself, no matter what situation you’re in.”
Really, McAtamney was believing in himself long before Gano lined up as part of his daily routine.
McAtamney played Gaelic football growing up in Ireland and put his kicking skills in play on a pathway to the American game.
It was a route that took him far from home to the Prokick Australia program and then to the NCAA, where he was a star for Div. II Chowan University in North Carolina before kicking for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for the 2022 and ’23 seasons.
And it was another kicker in David Shannon he thanks for greasing that trail to pro football, as the Irish kicker went through Prokick Australia and on to a scholarship with the NCAA’s Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets ahead of McAtamney.
“Like literally as soon as I seen David do that, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to do this, because I knew I had the talent to progress it,’” said the 6-foot-1, 215 lb. kicker. “It was a combination of looking to be a pro athlete and playing Gaelic football in Ireland, where there were a lot of similar types of kicks to field-goal kicks. So I was always naturally very good at that from a young age, and I always wished I could get paid for doing that.
“People in my old sport thought I was kind of crazy to do what I was going to do, because I had no reference to anyone in Ireland who did it at that time. So everybody was like, ‘Oh, how do you know you’re going to do it?’ So I think backing myself started from an early stage, and it’s definitely carried on through to this point.
“It’s working out so far,” added McAtamney. “And I’m happy I made the decision to go for it.”
SHORT YARDAGE
Stamps LB Marquel Lee (illness) is a game-time decision … Two Red and White receivers — Erik Brooks and Tevin Jones — were listed as sick during the week but are in the starting lineup … OL Tomas Jack-Kurdyla and DL Elijah Hills (hamstring) get back onto the active roster … DL Shaun Peterson Jr. and DL Tristan Marois (ankle) come out from last game.
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‘La Belle Province’ it has not been for the Calgary Stampeders.
In fact, the last time they’ve won out that way was back in the 2018 Canadian Football League campaign.
And the string of losses since now includes Saturday’s 37-30 loss to the host Montreal Alouettes.
“We just never seemed to find our footing,” Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson told Stamps TV. “I do like our fight, but we kind of lacked details and lacked poise, and we try to be a process-driven team, meaning we wanted to play the right way.
“Even though we had a lot of heart and we had a lot of effort, we just weren’t able to get it done.”
On this trip east, blame it on the defence for not getting it done, even though the game was still in doubt until Vernon Adams Jr. threw his last pass of the night right into a lineman in a bid to draw the Stampeders even in the final minute.
Indeed, the Alouettes rolled up a whopping 411 yards on the Red and White defence, leading to four touchdowns and three field goals for the hosts, which was enough to keep the Stampeders from scoring a third straight victory and moving above .500 for the first time on the season.
QB Adams was solid again with a 20-of-36, 272-yard performance, tossing two TDs to receiver Dejon Brissett — in the first and third quarters — and one to Clark Barnes — in the late stages to give the visitors hope in the dying minutes. The quarterback continued to keep it clean with no interceptions thrown on the night.
Meanwhile, rookie kicker Jude McAtamney was perfect on three field-goal attempts for the Stampeders.
But it wasn’t enough in dropping to 2-3 on the schedule.
“You just want to make sure if a team beats you, they earned it — and they did,” Dickenson said. “But I also felt like discipline and our and our details just weren’t there.”
Here are 5 takeaways from Saturday’s game at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium …
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1. WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE DEFENCE?
Despite brief periods of success in scoring two consecutive wins ahead of this tilt, the Stampeders’ defence is looking like a shell of its last year’s form.
Remember how dominant it was in 2025?
That isn’t the case this year, with stats — such as the 37 points and 411 yards surrendered Saturday — bearing that out.
The Stamps had, in fact, allowed 139 points and 1,758 yards of net offence ahead of the loss in Montreal, with only the Toronto Argonauts allowing more in each category — 153 and 1,766.
And the totals at Molson Memorial further inflated those gaudy numbers.
“I mean … they’re a good offence,” Stampeders all-CFL star defensive tackle Jaylon Hutchings told Stamps TV. “But I feel like, ultimately, we knew what they were going to do.
There’s certain mistakes that we made that, ultimately, ended up costing us. So if we correct those, we’ll be in much better position (moving forward).”
2. TOUGH OPPONENT
Credit QB Davis Alexander and the Alouettes for making the Stamps defence look bad on the evening.
That offence is, after all, one of the best — if not the best — units in the entire league.
Alexander was his usual sharp self, with 22-of-30 passing for 301 yards and no interceptions. And he got help in the backfield from running back Travis Theis, who rushed to 94 yards on 13 carries for a healthy 7.2-yard average and one touchdown, outdoing CFL rushing king Dedrick Mills and his 55 yards on 10 rumbles and two catches for 12 yards.
“I mean … they’re a good team,” Dickenson told Stamps TV. “They got a lot of weapons. A mobile quarterback, a tough offensive line, they run the ball well, they’re well-coached … all good things.”
And it isn’t just the offence that makes the Als arguably the best team in the CFL. The defence has its strengths and made the plays it needed to, including a knockdown by defensive end David Perales of Adams’ third-down pass late to end a potential game-tying drive.
“That’s a good team over there,” Adams told Stamps TV. “(Alouettes head coach) Jason Maas, man, he’s got those guys rolling. D.A. is a good quarterback … you know.
That’s a good defence, as well.”
3. EARLY STRUGGLES
You know who else has a good quarterback — we know — and — we think — a good defence?
The Stampeders … that’s who.
We’ve covered the defence. It just can’t seem to find its form of last year despite returning pretty much the same personnel.
And if Hutchings says they know what’s coming, then that’s half the battle to stopping big offences such as the one operated by the Als.
They simply need to execute.
Meanwhile, we’ve seen the offence get sharper as the season has gone on, with Adams solid pretty much since the beginning.
But last week’s top CFL player of the week had a tough time getting out of the gate Saturday.
And it amounted to just one TD drive, capped by Brissett’s 20-yard catch for his first major of the contest, and two field-goals by McAtamney — from 30 and 54 yards out — in the first half.
When they’re chasing games at halftime this season — this one featured a 24-13 deficit — it hasn’t turned out well for the Stamps.
“I think I just I need to give my team a better chance early on,” admitted Adams. “A few too many two-and-out (drives). I think a lot was on me.
“It was just early, we just didn’t get enough plays. The defence was on the field a lot, and we’ve got to give them a rest, too. Hold up our end of the bargain.”
4. TERRIFIC TWINS
There’s nothing much that’s ever separated the talented Philpot twins.
They were a balanced pair of threats dating back to their days with the University of Calgary Dinos and were both first-round selections — Jalen by the Stampeders fifth overall and Tyson by the Alouettes ninth overall — in the 2022 CFL Draft.
And they were at it again in a battle of brotherly love Saturday.
Tyson was especially terrific for the victors, as he racked up 148 yards from scrimmage — 132 on nine receptions and 16 on one run — to become the star of the game. His catch from fellow receiver Tyler Snead on the trickery of the first TD was a highlight covering seven yards.
Not to be outdone, though, the Stamps’ Philpot hauled in three balls for 66 yards, including his longest of the night covering 38 as the key play in a march ending with Brissett’s second TD of the game for 11 yards.
Yeah … he was clutch again for the Red and White.
5. ANOTHER CRACK AT ALS
The good news is the Stampeders didn’t exactly get overmatched in this one, and that bodes well for a response next week on home turf.
The Week 7 game sees them host the Alouettes in a rematch, hoping for a flip of the script from this contest.
And they can make that happen, even though the Als are 4-1 and the Stamps are now 2-3.
There just wasn’t much separating the two teams both in the bottom line and in the eye test in Montreal.
“We get another chance at them next week,” Dickenson said. “I just want to be better.”
That game goes Saturday at McMahon Stadium (2 p.m., TSN5, QR Calgary 770 AM).
“We’ve got some things that we can work on,” added Hutchings. “And we’ll be better for next week.”
]]>Zy Alexander has grabbed a spot on the Calgary Stampeders …
And he’s not letting go of it.
Just like the way the defensive halfback one-handed an enemy pass last week in the Stampede Bowl that left fans awestruck at McMahon Stadium.
Some even declared it the best interception ever seen in the CFL.
Yeah … it was that good.
“I’ve probably had four or five like that, so this wasn’t nothing new,” said Alexander, when asked about the one-handed stab for the INT off QB Chad Kelly — a key play in the Stampeders’ 58-36 victory over the Toronto Argonauts on July 2.
“I was in the zone coverage just reading the quarterback eyes,” continued the CFL rookie. “And he threw it up, and I was like, ‘There’s no way he threw this.’ So I went down there to go get it.”
After two games with the Stamps — both starts — Alexander is being seen as a go-get-it kind of guy.
He has grabbed his opportunity with cornerback Adrian Greene getting knocked out of the lineup a couple of weeks back and has run with it.
In particular, Alexander has secured three interceptions heading into Saturday’s game between the Stampeders (2-2) and the host Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium (5 p.m. MT, TSN /QR Calgary 770 AM).
And he’s oh-so close to having four, when in his debut — the Touchdown Kelowna victory over the BC Lions — he picked off a Nathan Rourke pass but was ruled out of bounds by a hair.
Not bad for a newbie to the CFL and a defender who isn’t used to the halfback gig.
“This really my first time playing that spot,” Alexander said. “Naturally, I’m a corner, but I do whatever the team needs to make the team win.”
“We thought we had a pretty good player in Zy,” added Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “But I think he’s probably exceeded expectations.
I think he wasn’t even really like a halfback type. He played more corner, but you could see it. You can see in practice that he had ball skills and is a good cover guy. So we’ve tried to make him a halfback.
“And I think, honestly, he’s taken that and is really doing well. He’s got a lot of improvement still, but I think he’s done well.”
Related
What do the Alouettes bring to the field?
The Als bring arguably the best team to the Canadian Football League gridiron.
At 3-1, they boasted the top record in the circuit, tied with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Edmonton Elks heading into Week 6.
And again, they field one of the best QBs in the CFL in Davis Alexander. The Stamps have seen a lot of that lately.
But nobody was better than their own pivot, Vernon Adams Jr., last week in the Red and White sinking of the Argonauts.
Adams was named among the CFL Players of the Week, after going 20-of-25 for 405 passing yards and six touchdowns. He added a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown in that Stampede Bowl victory at McMahon Stadium.
With his performance, Adams became just the fifth player in league history to have a game of at least 400 passing yards, six passing majors and zero interceptions. His TD total through the air also tied a single-game franchise record — with Dickenson, Jeff Garcia, Doug Flutie and Pete Liske.
“Davis is my boy, man,” Adams told Stamps TV in talking up Saturday’s opposition QB, Alexander. “When I was in Montreal, we brought him in as a rookie 2022, and he grinded his way to the top. I’m proud of him.
“And … no … it’s not me versus him or anything like that. It’s me just wanting to get better, be better than I was last week … things like that. I know he’s going to ball. I know he’s going to do his thing. But our defence is going to ball. They’re going to do their thing, too.
“So should be a fun, exciting game.”
The Stamps have made it exciting lately, with wins in their last two games and Adams & Co. putting up 99 points combined in those celebrations.
“I do believe in momentum,” added Adams. “We’ve been playing well the last couple games, but we want to keep getting better and keep playing well. You know … playing complementary football on offence, defence and special teams … everyone just doing their one-twelfth.”
More on Zy Alexander
Just like Adams, Zy Alexander has certainly been doing his 1/12th since his insertion into the lineup and baptism by fire.
The 25-year-old native of Loreauville, La., arrived on the scene just ahead of training camp after signing on with the Stampeders in early April.
And in his bid to make the squad as a rookie CFLer, he received words of encouragement from Adams.
“After the first (pre-season) game, V.A. came to me and was like, ‘Bro, just stay down and stay ready,’” said the 6-foot-1, 185-lb. Alexander. “And my moment came, and I capitalized on it.”
“I seen what he could do in training camp, and I just told him, I said, ‘Hey, you keep working, you’re going to be on that field sooner or later. You’re too good of a player not to be on the field,” Adams said. “So I’m happy for Zy.”
The QB’s belief in him helped Alexander make a decision when the roster was formed, with the rookie opting to accept a practice roster spot with the Red and White.
Of course, that position offers no guarantees for a future in the CFL, along with little money.
“Whatever I have got to do to make the team win to help the team out,” said Alexander, when asked about making that decision in May. “I knew my time was coming, and when I got the opportunity, I just capitalized.”
He sure has.
And just like that, he leads all CFL players in interceptions after just two contests.
“I know I get all the credit, but credit to the d-line and to the linebackers … they make my job a lot easier,” Alexander said. “You’re just reading the quarterback make a bad throw, and it’s our job to capitalize.”
In college, Alexander played two years with the NCAA’s LSU Tigers (2023-24), one of the nation’s top football programs after transferring from the Southeastern Louisiana Lions.
Between the two schools, he made 46 starts over 50 games, with 174 tackles — including 2.5 tackles for losses — 23 pass breakups, 13 interceptions — including two returned for touchdowns — two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one sack. He was first-team all-Southland Conference at Southeastern Louisiana in 2021 and ’22.
Alexander then took his skills to the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills and then to the UFL’s Houston Gamblers, but he didn’t get his pro chance in game action until he joined the Stampeders.
You wonder why with how sharp he’s looked so far.
“I feel like I’m fast, I’m smart and I’m a ball-hawk,” said Alexander, when asked to describe himself. “I’ve been a ball-hawk since I was a kid, since I was young, playing football in high school, so it comes natural.
“And Coach always preaches at practice to be a ball-hawk. You see the ball and you’ve got to go get it — go get opportunities for the offence.
“We know it’s a team game — from offence to defence and special teams. We all have each others’ backs.”
Short yardage
Greene (knee) gets back into the lineup after missing the last two games due to injury. The CFL all-West star will start at his usual field-side corner spot … LB R.J. Moten (hamstring) and LB Eric Rascoe (back) — both rookies — also return to the active roster from being sidelined by injury … The Stamps have released Canadian DB Dolani Robinson, who spent the first two weeks of the season on the practice roster before starting the past two games and recording 13 defensive tackles … Others coming off the active roster for the Stamps are OL Tomas Jack-Kurdyla and LB Kelechi Anyalebechi. Both are with the team in Montreal as the two reserve roster players … Canadian and 2026 draftee WR Matt Sibley is going back to school with the University of Calgary Dinos. The local product had been on the Red and White practice roster since Week 1 … The Stamps have signed American DL Khairi Manns. Manns originally signed with the CFL team on April 15 and played in both pre-season games, making two defensive tackles including one tackle for a loss. He was released at the conclusion of training camp on May 30. Collegiately, Manns played his NCAA senior season (2024) with the James Madison Dukes following stops with the Maine Black Bears (2019-22) and the Colorado Buffaloes (2023).
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]]>Charleston Hughes sparked the Calgary Stampeders defence for a decade.
Now the legendary lineman is set to take his place in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
“Charleston is an all-timer,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “He left it all out on the field every game and nobody played harder than him. It’s a well-deserved honour for Charleston to go into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.”
After originally joining the Stampeders ahead of the 2008 season, Hughes went on to play 147 regular-season games, nine playoff matchups and four Grey Cup contests with the CFL club.
During his 10 seasons as a Stampeder through the 2017 campaign, the Saginaw, Mich., native recorded 372 defensive tackles, 38 special-teams tackles, 23 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, three interceptions and one touchdown. Hughes’ 410 total tackles while suiting up for the Stamps ranks eighth all-time in team history and his 99 career sacks remain tied for the franchise record.
The 42-year-old Northwood University alumnus is a two-time Grey Cup champion (2008, ’14), four-time CFL all-star and six-time CFL West Division all-star with the Red and White. Hughes was also the team’s nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player on three occasions and a league finalist for the award in 2013.
He finished his playing days with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2018-19, 2022) and Toronto Argonauts (2021) and currently sits fifth all-time in league history with a total of 136 sacks.
“Charleston terrorized quarterbacks and offences across a storied career,” said CFHOF executive director Eric Noivo. “He will always be recognized as a fierce competitor by opponents, teammates and fans, with the personality and heart of a true champion.”
Hughes will enter the players’ category at the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum in Hamilton Stadium on Sept. 17 ahead of the Hall of Fame Game between the Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes the following day.
The Class of 2026 also includes returner/receiver Brandon Banks, fullback Sean Millington and three additional inductees who are to be announced.
The Stampeders (1-2), meanwhile, are gearing up to face the host Montreal Alouettes (3-1) on Saturday (5 p.m. MT, TSN5).
]]>Vernon Adams Jr. and the Calgary Stampeders came out guns a blazin’ for the Stampede Bowl victory Thursday night.
Shoot, ma’am … they sure did let the bullets fly in the Canadian Football League showdown that saw them fire up a wild 58-36 win over the Toronto Argonauts.
And it was their gunslinger with a record-tying performance — Vernon Adams Jr. with six touchdown passes — in a game where the points just kept piling on at McMahon Stadium.
“I didn’t know that, so I wasn’t thinking about that,” said Adams, when asked if he was chasing the QB mark during the contest which featured eight majors by the home side. “I was just trying to just score more points, because I know they’ve got a great quarterback over there in Chad Kelly, man.
“He’s going to throw it deep, and he’s going to give his guys some opportunities, as well,” continued Adams. “So I was just kept telling the offence, like, ‘Hey, guys, we got to go score — we just got to go score every time.”
When the dust settled, the decision upped the Stampeders to 2-2 and dropped the Argonauts to 2-2 on the CFL season.
Adams had four first-half TDs, including a first-drive strike and score to Jalen Philpot and three second-quarter touchdowns, highlighted by a 73-yard catch-and-run major by Tevin Jones.
He then had a third-quarter connection of 43 yards over the top to Clark Barnes for a fifth TD toss.
And in the fourth, he hit Dejon Brissett for his second major — this one covering 11 yards — of the evening.
The last time the Stampeders had a QB throw for six TDs in a game was current GM/head coach Dave Dickenson on July 28, 2000, in a win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“I did not know that, but that’s awesome,” Adams said. “Just stand right there next to Coach Dave — a hall of famer.”
And the last time the Stamps put up more than 50 points — which was 56 — in a game came in the Labour Day Rematch in Edmonton on Sept. 10, 2022.
“It felt good out there, even though it was a short week,” added Adams, of just five days since recording a 41-33 victory — the Stamps’ first of the campaign — at Touchdown Kelowna. “I thought the coaches put together a great gameplan. I thought we played as a team. We played together as one fist, as Dave will say. And … yeah … it was good. It was a good win for the good guys.”
Here are 5 takeaways from the home-side Stampede Bowl victory at McMahon …
Related
1) ADAMS ON FIRE
In Week 1, Dickenson praised QB play across the league, making sure to include his own in Adams.
The second-year Stamps pivot has since continued his sharp play, with the best part being his management of the game.
While his stats weren’t eye-popping ahead of Thursday’s action, Adams had yet to throw a pick, which has forever been a bugaboo for him in his CFL career.
So that was a plus coming in.
But give him a couple of check-marks — and then some — in the plus column for his performance in the Stampede Bowl.
Included were stellar second-quarter drives he engineered capped by a 20-yard pass-and-run to Dejon Brissett and a perfectly thrown short chuck of one yard to Philpot on the goal-line to give him four TD passes in the first half alone.
Adams also ran in a TD on a scramble from 22-yards out to help put away the game in the fourth quarter.
The only other TD recorded on the night was Quincy Vaughn’s one-yard QB keeper from a yard out to put the Stamps up 42-24 late in the third quarter. And that came after Adams marched the Red and White 69 yards to the doorstep.
All totalled, the Stamps starting QB finished with 405 yards on 20-of-25 passing with zero interceptions thrown.
“One of the better games I’ve probably ever seen,” said Dickenson, of Adams’ effort, which ties him with his current coach and fellow legendary Stamps QBs Jeff Garcia, Doug Flutie and Pete Liske. “It was one of those where we started with (offensive) coach (Pat) DelMonaco and just said, ‘Hey, we’re gonna have to keep scoring. I don’t know if we’re gonna be able to hold them down on the other side.’ And that kept the aggressiveness going.
“But Vernon made a lot of those plays on his own, and a couple of those passes where when he’s getting dragged down. And that (touchdown) run was excellent, too. So what he’s doing is playing winning football.”
FYI: Flutie had two rushing TDs in his record game to count eight in the effort to share the CFL mark for most majors accounted for in a game.
2) ‘NOT ENOUGH ON OURBACK-END’
Compared to last year, the Stampeders defence hasn’t been as effective as in 2025.
So far, that is.
Giving up 466 yards in the Stampede Bowl doesn’t help their cause, despite the decision to keep the Argos winless at McMahon since 2013.
“I mean … let’s be straight up …” Dickenson said. “There was not enough on our back end. We didn’t play well enough, and as a team, we know we’re gonna have to be better.”
That said, the Red and White defence did create a couple of timely turnovers — with newcomer halfback Zy Alexander leaping to make a one-handed stab for an interception to stop an Argonauts drive late in the first quarter and then halting a comeback bid late with another INT in the fourth frame.
Plus plenty of the Argos yards were run up with the game out of hand and the score in doubt late.
So let’s not get too carried away.
Kelly’s numbers have been top of the league to start 2026. He can throw the ball, and he’s not easy to contain — the Stampeders only got to him for one sack by Shaun Peterson Jr. as a key play in the tide-turning second quarter. Plus the Boatmen boast a big, solid offensive line.
“I still thought we harassed him and tackled better (than in last week’s week over the BC Lions) but not to the standard,” Dickenson said. “That (Argos offensive-line) group, though, let’s give them credit.
“But we probably feel like, defensively, they’re the ones that are going to have to look at the film the hardest and — hopefully — play their best game next.”
3) RETURNER ROCKS
Tyreik McAllister went into Thursday night in search of a TD runback in his third straight game.
And the American nearly got it early, with his return on the first punt of the tilt, in fact.
McAllister escaped the initial wave of contact and slipped through to see daylight but was tracked down and tackled hard from behind just as he crossed midfield. The terrific 44-yard runback set up the Stamps in great field position — and they scored points of it on Adams’ six-yard bullet to Philpot just inside the endzone.
McAllister suffered a hit to the head on the runback, but he did get up on his power to leave the field and eventually returned to action after going through concussion protocol.
That’s a sigh of relief, because the dynamic runback artist has proved to be a dynamite winter signing for the Stamps and would be hard to replace if he misses any amount of time on the campaign.
For the record, McAllister rolled up a bunch of return yards again, finishing with 93 on four kick runbacks and 68 on four punt ones.
That’s nice returns, if you can get.
4) BRISSETT BRINGS IT
Dickenson hinted early this week a breakout performance felt close at hand for receiver Brissett.
It happened Thursday.
Another of the team’s prized off-season pick-ups, Brissett got involved early with the Red and White’s second TD of the night, showing off his speed and elusiveness on the 22-yard pass-and-run major.
Brissett then kept it going in the second quarter with 39-yard gain — again taking a short pass and racking up real estate with this feet — to set up Philpot’s second score of the evening.
The 29-year-old Canadian pass-catcher went into the night with five grabs and 78 yards, and he nearly doubled that production with three catches for 70 yards and the two TDs in the win.
5) YOU MISSED A BEAUTY
Beautiful night, beautiful game …
But under 20,000 people showed up to take in the Stampede Bowl, which is frustrating.
Especially, we believe, for the Stamps, who are trying to build this as a big-tradition game ahead of The Greatest Show on Earth. FYI … 22,485 supporters took in last year’s inaugural Stampede Bowl.
The offences lit up the scoreboard — and that’s eye-pleasing for any fan — with the Stamps, in particular, living up to the pre-game billing as The Greatest Show on Turf.
The underwhelming attendance announcement of 19,100 is likely a sign of the times with financial burdens aplenty and so much going on around the city, especially with Stampede afoot.
But it doesn’t get much better than an entertaining night of football on a wonderful summer evening and getting behind a team is suddenly riding high heading off to play the host Montreal Alouettes next Saturday (5 p.m., TSN / QR Calgary 770 AM).
“Five days ago, we’re 0-2 and the sky was falling,” added Dickenson. “I just told the guys to keep believing in the process of what we do. We’ll get better — we’ll win games. We know how to win games, and now we’re probably feeling like we’re playing super football, but we’re not. It’s just we’ve gotten a little bit better, and we know how to win. Let’s keep stacking things and — hopefully — keep improving.”
]]>Welcome to The Stampede City, Benjamin Sapp III.
Can we get you anything as you mosey into town to join the Calgary Stampeders posse?
How about a cowboy hat for Thursday night’s Stampede Bowl at McMahon Stadium?
Or better yet, let’s saddle you up with a starting position on defence for the Canadian Football League contest against the visiting Toronto Argonauts.
That’s a big howdy to you, Benny, whose already counting a Red and White celebration in his holster despite not playing in last Saturday’s Touchdown Kelowna.
“Oh … it was exciting, and it was my birthday, too, on Saturday,” Sapp told reporters of the 41-33 Week 4 win over the host BC Lions in the Okanagan. “I told the group chat, ‘Hey, man, I need a pick — somebody give me a pick for my birthday. And my boy Zy (Alexander) got one, and we got the dub, so it was all good.
“That’s all I needed right there.”
Now the Stampeders (1-2) need him to step in and be the player they think he is for the Stampede Bowl on Thursday against the Toronto Argonauts (2-1) at McMahon (7 p.m., TSN5, QR Calgary 770 AM).
Sapp slips into the field-side halfback position in place of longtime starter Jaydon Grant, who has been ruled out with an ankle injury after playing hurt in last Saturday’s victory.
“Where Benny’s got the leg up is his experience in the CFL, and he’s played in the NFL,” Dickenson told reporters. “It was a really close competition (to decide the starter), but we — as a coaching staff — felt like Benny gives us the best chance.
“One thing I know about him, he competes extremely hard. He’s a tackler, he’s physical, and he can also help us on special teams, so it’s not necessarily you’ve got to be in there playing half. We are confident in our other halfbacks.”
But the 5-foot-11, 200-lb. Sapp boasts a healthy resumé as a ready-to-go secondary star.
“I won the Grey Cup with Saskatchewan last year, and this was a similar situation,” added Sapp, a 26-year-old native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “It just happened a little bit sooner here — Saskatchewan called me in August, and then they jumped me in, and I played every position out there, and I did my thing. So now I’m just trying to bring that same energy for Calgary — and I’m ready to go.”
Ready to go quickly, the Stamps hope, against a surprising Argonauts team that is turning heads.
Related
WHAT DO THE ARGOS BRING?
A little more toughness than first thought by pundits.
The proof of that is in their performance.
They come to Calgary fresh off a 40-34 win over the defending Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina last Friday.
That lifted them to 2-1 on the campaign.
The Argos’ early achievements have been led by QB Chad Kelly, who’s been beset by controversy and injury the last few years but looks comfortable again as a top-flight CFL pivot.
Nobody has more passing TDs on the season than Kelly, with his nine. And only Montreal Alouettes star Davis Alexander has more passing yards — 1,478 — than Kelly’s 1,190.
And remember that Kelly was the 2023 CFL Most Outstanding Player and a Grey Cup champ in both 2022 and ’24.
“We’re going to, honestly, see a similar type of quarterback that we just saw in Kelowna,” said Dickenson, comparing Kelly to Lions QB Nathan Rourke, the reigning CFL MOP. “Chad can make all the throws, but he’s very athletic. So the big thing is to make him uncomfortable and try to stop the run and get him into second-and-long situations. It’s easier said than done, though.
“For me, also, I’d like to see us get as many turnovers as possible. And a lot of times, that’s tipped balls, interceptions … these type of things … fumbles and tackling the football.
“The main thing we didn’t do well last week was tackle. We need better angles, we need to wrap up and — hopefully — improve on that.”
MORE ABOUT SAPP
If Dickenson wants more tackles and turnovers, Sapp can oblige, says the halfback.
“I’m bringing definitely a lot of aggression,” Sapp said. “I’m a very aggressive player. I definitely am a ball hawk. I’m late on that ball to come up to me, so whenever it do, I’m gonna make a shot and bring it down and show the world what I can do.
“And I’m a leader — I bring a lot of great energy.”
He’ll need it, says the head coach, in working against the Argos offence.
“Yeah … he’s fitting in well,” said Dickenson, of Sapp. “I think he’ll compete. He has NFL experience. He’s played in the CFL, as well, so it’s not like he’s a raw rookie — it’s a big challenge, though, because of the speed and the size of Toronto receivers. And obviously, Chad’s pulling that trigger and making a lot of good throws.”
With the Roughriders in 2025, Sapp played six games and made six starts at field-side corner. He recorded 19 defensive tackles, three special-teams tackles, two knockdowns and one forced fumble.
Before that, Sapp signed as an undrafted free agent with the NFL’s Green Bay Packers in 2023 and played five regular-season games, registering two tackles.
Collegiately, Sapp played 30 games over three seasons — from 2020-22 — with the NCAA’s Northern Iowa Panthers. He tallied 138 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for losses, and added nine interceptions, 16 passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery with the Panthers.
As a senior at Northern Iowa, he played 11 games and had 53 tackles, four interceptions, six passes defended and one forced fumble to be named a first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference star.
Sapp began his collegiate career with the NCAA’s Minnesota Golden Gophers — from 2018-19 — and recorded nine tackles in 24 games.
Let’s see now if it all translates into similar numbers with the Stampeders.
“Honestly, I’ve been asking a lot of questions here, because I know there’s no such thing as a dumb question,” added Sapp. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot. It’s very familiar here from my defences that I played in college and back home in the States — and that’s something that I’m really appreciative for.
“So now, it’s just honestly memorization of the calls and what’s the name of those calls … you know?
“Other than that, football is football, and I’m really appreciative for the opportunity.”
SHORT YARDAGE
The Stampeders have signed Canadian receiver Ajou Ajou, who was just reinstated Tuesday by the CFL after being banned for allegations of aggressive and unwelcome physical contact with multiple women at a restaurant in Regina on November 2025. Those actions constituted breaches of the league’s gender-based violence and harassment policy. The Stampeders say they have completed their own due diligence and player evaluation before arriving at the decision to bring the 24-year-old native of Brooks, Alta., into the fold. “Given the extensive league conditions, the team believes in providing Ajou with a second chance at this time and expects him to demonstrate the qualities of a good teammate and upstanding member of the organization and the community,” the team said Wednesday in a statement. Ajou, a seventh-round pick by the Roughriders in the 2024 CFL Draft, will begin serving his CFL-mandated six-game suspension immediately. During this time, he is eligible to practice and attend team meetings at the club’s discretion … Also coming out of the Stampeders lineup from Saturday’s win in Kelowna is OL William Barnes, who goes back to the practice roster. In his place is OL Bakyne Coly, who makes his first start — at right tackle — in his first CFL game. “Across the board (on the offensive line), we didn’t feel we played as well as we need to (in Kelowna), and we’re going to promote competition,” Dickenson told reporters. “I hope everybody’s competing, because this is the way we’re going this week. Who knows how it goes from there? We’re impressed with (Bakyne’s) athleticism and the way he’s learning our offence, but he’s going to be in the fire and against a pretty, pretty darn good defensive line, so let’s see how he holds up.” … Earlier this week, the Stamps welcomed Canadian linebacker Terrence Ganyi, a 27-year-old Montreal native. Ganyi was selected by the Lions in the sixth round — 53rd overall — of the 2024 CFL Canadian Draft. In two seasons (2024-25) with the Lions, the 6-foot, 218-pounder appeared in 35 regular-season games and made 15 special-teams tackles and one tackle for loss. He also dressed for three playoff games with the Lions, adding another two stops on special teams … Country music superstar Dasha is the Halftime Headliner for the Stampede Bowl.
]]>The trip to Canada’s Wine Country proved fruitful for the Calgary Stampeders.
After losses in the first two games of the 2026 Canadian Football League campaign left a sour taste in their mouths — both close drops — they celebrated with a champagne triumph of sorts Saturday night in Kelowna, B.C.
At the very least, it was a rather decisive 41-33 victory over the host BC Lions, allowing for such a party favour and putting them in the win column …
Finally.
“We needed one … yeah,” Stampeders defensive veteran Folarin Orimolade told TSN — with relief in his voice — moments after the neutral-site contest at the Apple Bowl.
“Sometimes the hardest one to get the first one,” continued Orimolade. “So just get the first one and go on from there.”
They hope to with conviction now, knowing they’ve got the horses despite the first two heartbreaks of the regular schedule.
But they can savour this one for a few moments, given they had everything going in the game …
From big touchdown strikes, big sacks and big kicks to another big runback for return specialist Tyreik McAllister.
Among the highlights was QB Vernon Adams Jr., who had a tidy 229-yard day on 19-of-27 passing, with TD passes to Dedrick Mills — covering 20 yards in the first quarter — to Jalen Philpot — over the top from six yards out in the second frame — and to Tevin Jones — on a fantastic catch and grab for 56 yards in the third stanza — and McAllister’s dynamic fourth-quarter punt runback for a major to seal the result.
Here are 5 takeaways from the Touchdown Kelowna victory in the Okanagan …
Related
1) FLIP THE SCRIPT
After two heartbreaking drops to open the season, a third loss would’ve been ever-more tough on the Stampeders.
So the win is massive.
Combine that with the Toronto Argonauts coming to Calgary next week for the Stampede Bowl and — suddenly — things are looking bright for the Red and White.
Not that the Argos are a pushover — QB Chad Kelly is giving them something again — but it’s a team the Stamps should beat on home turf. And they certainly are due to finally chalk up a win at McMahon Stadium.
If nothing else, the Stampeders should bring a bit of swagger into that Stampede Bowl given their performance in Kelowna, even though they had a touch of a late-game let-down. It was mostly a strong and decisive effort against the Lions, who knocked them out of the playoffs last year.
“It could be better,” said Orimolade, shrugging off any flowers when asked by TSN to rate the performance Saturday. “We did enough to win, and the most important thing is getting in the win column. But I think we finished the game poorly, so we’re going to watch the film and get better.”
Better they hope against the Boatmen on Thursday at McMahon (7 p.m., TSN5, QR Calgary 770 AM).
2) ANOTHER HOUSE CALL
What can you say about McAllister?
He was brought in to do a job — to give the Stamps consistently better field position off returns and get to the house on a few of those runbacks — and he’s done that in spades so far.
His 90-yard scoot for the TD on a punt return to put the game away in the fourth quarter Saturday was his second call to the house in as many games. Remember, he electrified McMahon with a 120-yard TD return on a missed field goal last week.
So that’s a pair of scores put up in just four games of work.
Wow.
And when you have that kind of threat on runbacks, it gets in the head of even the best coverage units and creates an advantage for the return teams and — eventually — the entire team.
3) GLAD TO BE BACK
Jaylon Hutchings stepped back into action last week after missing the first tilt on the schedule.
Orimolade stepped back into action this week after missing nearly 10 months of game action.
And their returns give the Stamps a different look — and feel — along the defensive line.
Together with sackmaster Clarence Hicks, they can get after enemy quarterbacks, just as they did to Rourke on Saturday.
In fact, all three got to Rourke in the game to record QB takedowns, although Hicks’ sack was nullified by a Stamps penalty downfield.
That’s a trio of terror that completely flips the script in favour of the Stamps on most days.
Not to be outdone, Miles Brown and Charles Wiley also pitched in with sacks of Rourke to make for a bonanza night along the Red and White d-line.
That’s a pretty good way to limit the effectiveness of the reigning CFL Most Outstanding Player in Rourke, who went into the evening with a 4-0 regular-season run and 2-0 post-season perfection against the Stamps.
And it helped make their teammates in a shaken secondary look better on the evening.
“We have a great group of rushers,” Orimolade said. “Not just the rushers, but people who can play the run, too.
“And it wasn’t just starters. I think someone who wasn’t starting (in Wiley) also got a sack, too. So the more good players (up front) the better.”
4) NEW GUY LENDS A HAND
You couldn’t blame anybody for having concerns going in about the sudden changes in the secondary.
After all, an injury to all-CFL West star cornerback Adrian Greene (knee) forced quite the shuffle for the Stamps. Damon Webb moved back to safety from the halfback position, while Zy Alexander made his CFL debut at the halfback spot and Dolani Robinson stepped in for Greene at the difficult field-side corner.
But Alexander stepped up with a late first-quarter interception of Rourke to announce his arrival. He did pilfer another pass late in the game but was ruled out of bounds by the slimmest of margins.
Jackson Sombach lost his start at safety in the shuffle but didn’t let it get to him by forcing a fumble on special teams late in the first half — recovered by teammate Ben Labrosse — to give the Stamps the ball deep in Lions territory. They converted that turnover for a touchdown on a one-yard plunge by QB Quincy Vaughn to take a key 24-14 lead into the intermission.
5) NEW GUY CHIPS IN
Jude McAtamney’s debut in the season-opener wasn’t a smooth one. The Stampeders kicker’s kickoff through the endzone late in that game gave the Winnipeg Blue Bombers great field position to help them win at the buzzer. He also missed his only field-goal attempt of that contest, which featured some funky wind at McMahon.
But since then, the 26-year-old native of Derry, Northern Ireland, has been solid with hall-of-famer-to-be René Paredes sidelined by injury, going 3-for-3 in Week 2 and then following up with an 2-for-2 night Saturday in Kelowna.
His highlight of the year came Saturday with a booming 57-yard field-goal hit in the second quarter to give the Red and White a 10-7 lead.
And that successful kick helped set the tone for the game and — most importantly — helped them score their first win of the season.
]]>Hail Marys have become key for Barron Miles in the playbook of life.
That’s because his daughter, Ava, has needed a few in her fight to stay alive, with rare and debilitating medical conditions threatening her daily.
But the Calgary Stampeders defensive backs coach and his family aren’t alone in calling on miracles.
That’s because the football community has come together — spearheaded by Wally and Sande Buono — to lend a hand in the battle to ‘Help Ava get life saving care,’ as it says on the GoFundMe page to support the Miles in helping navigate the nightmare of gastroparesis and median arcuate ligament syndrome.
“At this point, it’s truly hour to hour,” said Miles’ wife Jennifer of their daughter’s health situation.
“Yeah … it is a nightmare,” she continued, from the family home in Arizona. “The hardest thing is just watching your child suffer and you can’t fix it. I think that for any parent — no matter how minor — when there’s a problem that your child comes across, we just want to fix it for them.
“Nobody wants their child to suffer.”
Once an active athlete, Ava has pretty much been confined to a bed much of the time for the last five-plus years with feeding and IV tubes often attached to her, as a result of gastroparesis — a condition in which the muscles of the stomach don’t move food as they should.
On top of that, the youngest member of the Miles family — now in her early 20s — has been battling median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) for more than three years, a condition which is characterized by persistent pain, nausea and vomiting.
“She’s in pain daily,” Jennifer said. “MALS causes a lot of pain when Ava breathes, so especially when she exhales, it causes a lot of pain in that area by the diaphragm. And so just seeing her in pain — just when she’s trying to breathe — is just heartbreaking.
“And then at the same time, we’re trying to fight insurance — and that’s like a full-time job. I’ve had to quit working to care for Ava full-time. She can’t be alone at all, so there’s just so many aspects of this that have put pressure on the family.
“Yeah … it’s extremely difficult.”
Helping to ease some of the financial pressure have been Miles’ former coach with the Lions and his wife, stepping up to raise awareness — and funds — for Ava with the GoFundMe page .
As of Friday, donations amounted to $70,000 raised of the $402,000 goal.
“We’re hopeful,” Jennifer said. “Especially since Wally and Sande Buono have literally been angels to us. We’ve seen so much generosity and kindness that I cannot even put it into words just how blown away we are the last few weeks.
“The generosity of people in Canada and the CFL have really given us hope, with prayers, with sharing her story, with donations …
“Just knowing that we have enough support to hopefully get her to Cleveland and get the surgery that she needs, it definitely is renewed hope for us.”
Meanwhile, the football beat goes on for the 54-year-old Miles himself as the secondary coach for the Stampeders (0-2), who get set to play the host BC Lions (0-2) on Saturday at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna, B.C. (5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
“It is really hard for him to be away from home,” Jennifer said. “But when all of this got serious, we sat down and discussed it as a family, and Ava and I told Barron, ‘We know it’s really hard for you to be away, but we need to keep things as normal as possible for Ava, because it’s also really hard on her.’ She doesn’t want to be identified as sick — that’s a very hard thing, especially for a young person. They don’t like the sympathy and being viewed as sick. So she wants things normal. She wants her older brother, Barron Jr., and her older sister, Raven, to keep chasing their dreams and doing their thing and for Barron to keep coaching.
“One thing we had to do was encourage him to go up to Calgary, because it definitely helps to keep things normal for Ava.”
The six-time CFL all-star and Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee starred for 12 years as a defensive back — seven seasons with the Montreal Alouettes and five more with the Lions. He was twice a Grey Cup champion during his playing days — with the Alouettes in 2002 and with the Lions in 2006. His 66 career interceptions are the second-most in CFL history.
“Our kids were born into football and into the CFL,” Jennifer said. “Barron was playing at the time, and we made a decision to kind of centre our lives around football, so the kids are used to game day and going to the stadium early and running on the field and going to practice to watch him and then embracing that transition to him coaching.
“So for us, the CFL feels like home and family, and again having him still up in Calgary and being able to watch the games and knowing that he’s doing what he loves definitely helps Ava.
“I think for Barron, football is definitely his love, so I think that helps. I don’t know if I can say he can keep his mind off of Ava’s battle, because — obviously — when your child is sick and you’re risking losing a child, it never is away from your thoughts ever.
“But I think being supported by teammates — the great group of coaches and players in Calgary — is helping him through it and definitely is encouraging to him.”
Back home, it’s a battle every single day in Ava’s world.
“At this point, she has no quality of life, even on ‘good days,’ when she can come downstairs when her siblings are home and be around them or FaceTime some friends,” Jennifer said. “She missed high school, and she had to graduate online, so she missed graduation and prom. And she had to quit all of her sports. She didn’t get to go to college and play lacrosse or major in what she wanted to or move out on her own or get a job and work or do any dating.
“But she is so positive, she never complains. Everything that she’s been through, she somehow keeps a positive attitude. And we feed a lot off Ava’s strength. We just admire her so much. I get a lot of strength and Barron gets a lot of strength just from watching her.
“I can’t wait for the day when she can do all of the things that she should be doing as a girl in her early 20s.”
Related
SHORT YARDAGE
DL Folarin ‘Flo’ Orimolade checks in as the listed starter Saturday for the Stampeders at rush end for the first time since suffering a serious injury last September … The secondary has undergone a few significant changes with injuries to all-CFL West star CB Adrian Greene (knee) and DB Jaydon Grant (ankle). Damon Webb switches back to his familiar safety spot, while it’s Dolani Robinson starting at boundary-side cornerback and Zy Alexander making his CFL debut in the start at the field-side halfback position … Also coming off the active roster is WR Vyshonne Janusas (ankle), DB Morice Blackwell II and DL Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, who was released by the Stamps earlier in the week … DB Anton Haie is the other addition to the active roster for the neutral-site contest in Kelowna, B.C.
MORE OF AVA’S JOURNEY
Her battle began when she was in high school.
“Ava was a very active, very talented athlete,” Jennifer said. “She actually was being scouted and already been offered a scholarship to play lacrosse. She was playing volleyball and was extremely healthy.
“And then she started to vomit at 16.
“At first, we just typically thought it was the flu. We thought maybe there was an allergic reaction to something. And then it got to the point where we couldn’t control it. It was happening all the time, and we took her to numerous doctors and got misdiagnosed a few times — a couple doctors that were perplexed.
“And then finally, at age 18, it ended up where she had lost something like 30-some pounds in a month and had to be hospitalized for a couple weeks. Again, doctors were trying to do everything but could not even get the vomiting controlled in the hospital.”
Finally, Ava was diagnosed with gastroparesis — a condition in which the muscles in the stomach don’t move food as they should for food to be digested, keeping the stomach from emptying the way it should.
“In essence, the stomach becomes paralyzed, so it can’t empty the food, and after four to six hours, your body will just automatically get rid of that food, causing you to vomit, because it’s starting to ferment,” Jennifer said. “Think of it kind of like food poisoning every single day.”
There were a couple steps that were performed to treat Ava, including a few surgeries and medication that — ultimately — didn’t work.
Doctors then ended up inserting into Ava a gastric pacemaker, which sent electric signals to the stomach to remind it to function.
“That worked for almost a year, maybe nine months,” Jennifer said. “And then — again — Ava could not keep anything down and lost 40 pounds in a month and was very, very sick and spent about seven months in the hospital. They put in a GJ feeding tube, so at that point, she wasn’t eating and was being fed through a stomach tube. Then she had a lot of complications with that, where the tube was flipping — it would go inside of the lung and cause her to aspirate. It was flipping inside the stomach and causing a lot of issues.
“And also during this time, she had become septic three times, so it got to the point where we she had battled at least three to four life-threatening situations where she had sepsis and — because of the vomiting — her potassium had gotten so low that her electrolytes were off.”
Finally, doctors in Arizona told the family she needed to be treated at Cleveland Clinic, where they have a higher level of specialized care.
But the transfer to that hospital created other problems, with health care denying her the air ambulance she needed to go out there from Arizona.
And at that point, she wasn’t stable enough to travel.
“She needed to travel with full medical equipment in case she would have a heart event or a stroke due to the low potassium while she was in the air,” Jennifer said. “And UnitedHealthcare said, ‘We will not pay for the air ambulance,’ and they would not pay for any of the care in Cleveland, because it was out of state — it was considered out of network. So at that point, we sold our car, drained our retirement and savings and downsized absolutely everything we could. But it still wasn’t enough.
“And so then we had to rely on friends and family to help us save her life.”
Once at the Cleveland Clinic, Ava was also diagnosed with MALS, a syndrome causing a ligament to push on the celiac artery, cutting off blood flow to the digestive organs.
“They did a very high-risk surgery, and they were able to move that ligament,” Jennifer said. “That was on December 30 of 2024, and we thought, ‘OK, this is great — we’re in the clear.’
“She did really well for a month, and then — again — she started to vomit and was hospitalized out in Arizona again. We were back home, and then they discovered that she has some other vascular issues, and they think maybe there’s some scar tissue on that celiac artery. So, at this point, she’s still testing positive for celiac compression syndrome and needs to get back out to Cleveland for more vascular surgery testing to kind of figure out what’s going on.”
Cue again the continuing insurance woes.
“Ava needs full-time home health care,” Jennifer said. “That’s instead of spending months on end in the hospital, because that’s how she was getting sepsis, because those open lines are being exposed to all the germs in the hospital. They had to remove the feeding tube, so she’s now fed through a line in her chest called TPN, and that is how she gets her nutrition. She is fed through IV feeds, and so we do that all at home through home health care. We have a nurse that comes in, and Ava and I do all of her feeds through her IV and all of her medications through her IV.
“But again, United Healthcare won’t cover any of that out of state, and it would cost us up to $30,000 a month, so we have no choice but to come back and forth from home in Arizona. We have to go out to Cleveland, stay as long as we need to, do a surgery and go through testing. But then when supplies run out, we have to get home, so she can get her fees and have nutrition again.
“It’s a nightmare.”
]]>Clarence Hicks is as confident as they come in the Canadian Football League.
Certainly … he talks the talk — his air of self-assurance is proof of that.
But the all-CFL West star defensive end of the Calgary Stampeders also walks the walk, putting up big numbers many quarterback hunters can only dream of reaching.
And that’s even with the enemy game-planning to defend him.
“I’ve been getting so many doubles,” said Hicks, referring to two offensive lineman often assigned to block him on plays. “I’ve been getting so many ugly protections. You know … I’m thinking I got a one-on-one, but offensive lines are coming to line of scrimmage going, ‘Oh no, oh no, oh no, no,’ and then the guard is coming to hit me, as well as the tackle. So … you know … they have a good little game plan.
“But me? I don’t really care what you throw at me.”
He just brushes them aside and pushes on through to become a quarterback’s worst nightmare.
The stats bear that out heading into Saturday’s game testing the Stamps (0-2) against the host BC Lions at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna, B.C. (5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
Hicks had 12 QB sacks for third-most in the league last year to go along with 28 tackles, five tackles for losses and two forced fumbles.
But somehow, the Florida native — now in his third professional year, all with the Red and White — was overlooked when the league’s all-CFL team was announced.
“Oh … yeah … I always feel like that,” said Hicks, when asked if he felt snubbed by missing out on the national honour. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to put up the stats — I was third in sacks, so I guess I fill them. But if you go by just the effect I bring to the game — if you watch the games — I don’t see no other d-end putting as much pressure on the game as I do.
“Last year to this year, I just don’t see it.”
Indeed, this year, he’s continued to be a threat to the opposition helmsmen.
Last Saturday, he strip-sacked Saskatchewan Roughriders veteran pivot Trevor Harris to give him three sacks through two games for a co-share of the lead in QB takedowns with Winnipeg Blue Bombers defender Jake Ceresna.
“I always feel like there’s more,” added the 27-year-old Hicks. “I’m never (satisfied). I don’t really get too up or too down, and I don’t get complacent. I know there’s always still work to do. You know … even the best at the top levels, they’re trying to get better every single day.
“So I gotta do the same.”
Related
WHAT DO THE LIONS BRING TO SATURDAY’S GAME?
A level of desperation, just like the Stampeders in the early going of the schedule.
Despite scoring a spot in last year’s CFL West Division final after going 11-7, defeating the Stamps in the West semifinal last fall and trending upwards among pundits, the Lions are winless so far this season.
They are 0-2, just like the Stamps.
“Same thing as us,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “They’re beat-up a little bit, but they’re just like anyone else with the injuries — you don’t use them as excuses … just play ball.
“I do think they’re also searching for that winning formula, as we are. So similarities there.”
Yes … the last two weeks have seen the Lions lose to the host Roughriders 31-27 and then to the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats 41-27.
Of course, the FIFA World Cup has displaced the Lions from their home turf of BC Place.
So with that, they’re technically on the road for a third straight week with the neutral site in play for Touchdown Kelowna in the Okanagan.
Meanwhile, it’s the first away game for the Stamps in 2026.
“It’s grass — we don’t know what surface is necessarily going to be like,” said Dickenson, of the Apple Bowl. “The locker rooms are different, too. We’ve done that in the pre-season — over in Vancouver Island (in 2025), as well as Edmonton (this year). So we’re OK with it.
“You just play the game. I know the end zones aren’t going to quite be standard, but that’s the way it goes. That’s not that different than in other stadiums in our league. It’s still football — get excited to go out there and take on another team that really has urgency.
“Both of us are really going to be doing everything we can to make sure we take that first step in the right direction.”
HOW DO THE STAMPS WIN IN KELOWNA?
Hicks & Co. need to find better defence across the board.
Only the Lions and the fellow-winless Ottawa Redblacks have allowed more points per game than the Stampeders — with 35.
That’s rough since the club has put up enough points to collect wins in respective losses — 30-28 and 40-27 in overtime — to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and to the Roughriders.
Especially after the defence was divine last year in being tagged as one of the best league-wide.
“I wouldn’t say we’re heartbroken about the losses, but there’s urgency, for sure,” Hicks said. “I think we’ve had our chances to really win both games, and we’re more focused on ourselves anyway. We want to make sure that when we have that opportunity, that we finish and get the job done.
“We know what we’ve got to do. We know we made simple mistakes that can be fixed to win them two games. Two games lost by five points? We’ll take that, and we’ll get better from it.”
In particular, the secondary has been a little loose.
And up front, the Stamps haven’t generated enough pressure despite the top efforts of Hicks.
“I’d just say it’s the small things, like penalties, not being on the same page, communication … just that,” Hicks said. “The talent’s there. We don’t have really no injury issues right now. It’s not too bad on defence. We’ve got our guys back — (Folarin) Flo (Orimolade) is back, (Jayden) Hutch (Hutchings) is back …
“So we’ve just got to put it all together. We’ve got the pieces, got the talent, so you’ve got to put it together.”
Of course, it doesn’t get any easier for the Red and White defence this weekend with the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player, Nathan Rourke, leading the charge for the Lions.
“He’s a dual-threat,” Hicks said. “We know he can win with his legs and win with his arm. So we got a big challenge ahead of us, but we’ve got some dogs on defence that are ready for it.”
If Orimolade, the leader of the defensive line as another premier sackmaster across the CFL, is back from an Achilles injury and ready to play, that will help ready the Red and White defence in Kelowna.
He was a full participant at practice both Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It’s amazing,” added Hicks, of rush end Orimolade’s pending return to the active roster. “Now you’ve got to worry about him, too, because that’s another élite pass-rusher. So if you’re gonna double me — I mean … I’m gonna still beat you — but if you do, you gotta worry about Flo over there with a one-on-one. And I don’t think you want to do that.”
SHORT YARDAGE
The Stampeders signed American Benny Sapp III earlier this week. The 5-foot-11, 200-lb. defensive back played six games and made six starts at field cornerback for the Roughriders last season. The native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., recorded 19 defensive tackles, three special-teams tackles, two knockdowns and one forced fumble …The Stamps released American DL Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, who played in two games this season, counting one defensive tackle and one interception … Three Stamps defenders — LB Eric Rascoe (back), DB Adrian Greene (knee) and DB Jaydon Grant (ankle) — did not practise Wednesday after playing in Saturday’s contest. After skipping practice Tuesday, RB Ludowick Choquette (ankle), WR Jalen Philpot (illness) and OL Christy Nkanu (elbow) were back in action Wednesday. DB Anton Haie (hamstring) practised both days.
]]>Too little, too late and tagged with an 0-2 start to the 2026 Canadian Football League campaign.
That’s how it was for the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday night at McMahon Stadium.
Another heartbreaking loss — this one to the Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders in overtime fashion — leaves them in that spot and with a few questions to answer moving forward.
Most importantly, how do they get in the win column despite two tight losses so far on the regular schedule?
“A resilient group — we’ve just got to find a way to win,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “We’re making some plays and getting ourselves in position to win.
“We’ve just got to find a way.”
Two field goals in overtime weren’t enough for the Stampeders to get the job done, as the visiting Roughriders answered with a field goal and the game-winning points in the extra session on a Tommy Stevens one-yard touchdown for the 40-37 victory.
Their second walk-off loss in as many games is ever tough to swallow, given the Stamps rallied for two TDs and didn’t allow one in the final quarter to force OT.
“We probably, honestly, got outplayed,” Dickenson said. “But we did have our chances and we kept fighting.
“It’s tough to lose that when you feel like you had a chance to come back to win.
“A call here, a call there, an opportunity here, an opportunity there … I think actually the momentum was with us, and then overtime, we just weren’t able to win it.”
Here are four takeaways from the Stamps’ loss to the Grey Cup champs Saturday on a windy night at McMahon …
Related
1. Not in it early
The offence struggled early with three first-quarter possessions that were essentially three-and-outs, and the defence did its best to hold off the visitors.
But a first-drive field-goal by Riders kicker Alex Hale from 27 yards out and a TD march allowed that spilled into the second quarter put the hosts in a 10-0 hole.
The Stamps finally got it going in the second frame, thanks to a Clarence Hicks strip-sack of Riders QB Trevor Harris, who fumbled it away to Stamps linebacker Marquel Lee. That led to the first of Quincy Vaughn’s two QB dives for TDs to get the hosts on the board.
But the champs are champs for a reason, answering the Red and White’s two majors in the quarter — the second on an electrifying 120-yard missed field goal TD return by Tyreik McAllister — with two more TD drives in the quarter for the 23-14 lead.
“First half, obviously, got dominated,” Dickenson said. “Trevor was right on point.”
Really, veteran QB Harris was on point throughout to finish 23-of-36 for 349 passing yards and three TDs.
Stamps counterpart Vernon Adams Jr. did get going to show out, as well, wrapping up the night 20-for-30 for 254 yards and the TD connection of 12 yards to receiver Tevin Jones in the last minute of regulation.
Backfield mate Dedrick Mills rumbled for 103 yards on 15 carries, to boot.
“Vernon really was throwing the ball well and finding some windows,” Dickenson said. “And by doing that, we stayed on the field and we were then able to get Mills going. And our offensive line played better in the second half.
“Vernon really showed great resiliency that second half,” continued Dickenson. “He made a lot of great plays for us with his feet and his arm.
“Pretty impressive the way both quarterbacks threw the ball in this win, because it was substantial again, but I thought both guys threw the ball well.”
2. Too many penalties
Not that the Roughriders were angels by being flagged for seven fouls.
But the Stamps took 10 and the 100 yards given up on those penalties totalled twice the yardage surrendered by the Riders in that department and certainly played a vital role in the contest.
“Early, for sure,” admitted Dickenson. “I know, in the first half, we took two vital ones.
“You probably know my feelings on that — we have to play by the rules. We have to make sure we do that. Did I think we earned some of them? Sure. Other ones, I guess I’ll look at film and make my mind up from there.
“Unfortunately, they called the one on us late (on receiver Vyshonne Janusas for holding to wipe out a first down in overtime), which I thought, honestly, the hands were pretty, pretty much on his interior.
“But it is what it is. Penalties certainly are more magnified in overtime and frustrates you, but we’ve just got to play by the rules.”
3. Strong return
Jaylon Hutchings saw his first game action since rejoining the Stamps last month and looked solid doing it.
The all-CFL star defensive tackle of 2025 was in on three tackles — Lee led the defence with eight game-wide — in his 2026 debut, hoping it helps springboard him to another stellar year.
The Stamps need it from Hutchings.
“I thought he’d play pretty good,” Dickenson said. “He played a lot. I don’t know how many plays he ended up with, but he’s got to make us better. So I thought for the most part our defensive line had a pretty good job. We did get after him, got that strip-sack early (by Hicks) — that was a huge play for us, gave us at least a chance.
“We’ll just have to be better as a group. I think we’re growing. It wasn’t our best, certainly, but I think our defensive line has to be the leaders of our group.”
4. Strong resolve
The Stampeders have gotten themselves back into the first two games on the schedule with positive late-game play, even to take the lead in Week 1 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the late going of that match.
But it’s resolve going forward they now need to stay on track for what they hoped would be a good start to the season in what’s shaping up to be a very tough West Division.
At 2-0, they are tied with the BC Lions on the bottom rung of the ladder. The Bombers are 1-1. And the Roughriders are 2-0 along with the upstart Edmonton Elks.
One or two timely plays the other way Saturday could’ve put the Stamps in a stronger state of mind after the first two games, so now it’s up to them to erase any doubts with a trip to Kelowna, B.C., to play the host Lions next Saturday at the Apple Bowl (5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
“It can beat you up a little bit,” said Dickenson, of the heartbreaking losses. “So I want our guys to try to take some of the positives out of that game.
“We’re fighting — just not playing good enough football. And I think our guys believe in the talent in the room and that we will find a way, but you don’t want to get in the hole too far.
“Our goal will bet to get better. Let’s go. Let’s fix some of the things we’re struggling with. If we play better, hopefully that translates in to winning football.”
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]]>It’s good to be king.
Just ask Dedrick Mills — the rushing royalty of the last Canadian Football League season — after rolling up a three-down best 1,409 yards to lead all runners.
He’s got the respect of his loyal subjects around these parts, even getting full run of the team clubhouse from time to time.
But the Calgary Stampeders’ workhorse isn’t always given his entire due when talk among fans and pundits across the country turns to just who is the best ball carrier.
“I feel like it’s a battle with every running back in the league — we’re all competing against each other,” said Mills, shrugging off any notion of disrespect.
“We’re all trying to be number one — we’re all trying to be that guy,” continued Mills. “So it’s gonna always be a battle in that position.”
Among Winnipeg Blue Bombers faithful, it’s all about Brady Oliveira … for good reason, we’ll allow.
Among BC Lions supporters, they’ll weigh in with James Butler.
And you’ll most certainly hear it this weekend from ‘melon heads’ in Calgary that the best back is actually their man, A.J.
Ouellette, with him and the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-0) in town to play the Stampeders (0-1) on Saturday at McMahon Stadium (5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
“Of course, Bomber fans will say ‘Brady,’” Mills said. “It’s always just like the Sask fans are saying, ‘A.J.’, and BC fans are saying their guy. The fans out there are saying all their guys, but it’s always gonna be that one guy in the end.
“For me to be that guy, I’ve just gotta continue to go out there and work and play my game and do what I know how to do.”
After his first 1,000-yard season that scored him the rushing title last year, he’s back doing just that — and doing it well.
Sure, it’s only been one game so far. But Mills was a marquee player in the heartbreaking 30-28 loss to the visiting Blue Bombers, proving last year was no fluke in running to the top of the chart.
“I’m happy,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “But I think for him, I’ve got to make sure to keep pushing him to motivate him to understand, ‘Why did you have a good season?’ … It’s a combination that we have a balanced attack and our offensive line’s moving people and he’s running hard.
“He can run inside and outside … and Dedrick’s got to continue to keep doing a good job of that,” continued Dickenson.
“So just keep working. Yeah … it was a good start, and I’m happy for him. But just keep finding ways to be better and keep making sure that you show up with a plan to get better.”
Mills’ motivation might come from the rankings of TSN’s Top 50 CFL players list prior to the campaign.
The tall foreheads there slotted Oliveira at No. 7, making him the top back, while Mills filled in at No. 11.
Just so we’re all following the same ground rules, Oliveira — on a 10-8 crew — finished well back of Mills — on an 11-7 side — in second with 1,222 rushing yards in 2025.
Lions runner James Butler — also on an 11-7 squad — was next with 1,213, and Ouellette wrapped up the campaign with 1,163 for the Grey Cup-champion Roughriders.
Hmmmm …
“I mean … personally, man, there’s always more to give,” said Mills, again not worried about the talk of other backs in the league. “There’s always more to give to this game, man. I’m there for anything, anywhere you need me — at any position.
If they need me to go out for routes, I’m there. If they need me to block people out there or they need me to run the ball,
I’m there. If they want me to play quarterback a little bit. I’m there.
“But … yeah … there’s always room to improve, always room to do more. I mean … it’s just to make the team better and just make everybody around you better and be more accountable for everybody.”
Against the Bombers, Mills was arguably the Stamps’ best player.
His 112 rushing yards on 16 hauls put them in a position to win — remember they did hold the victory until the final play of the contest.
And as always, he set the pace for the offence.
“Oh yeah … most definitely, man,” said Mills, when asked if Week 1 went as planned for himself. “Very satisfied with the way the o-line played and the way the coaches called the plays and the way the o-line opened up the holes for me to just get through and make the plays that we needed to make to put ourselves in a position to win.”
It’s just he didn’t get to celebrate.
That went to Oliveira, who had one less carry — 15 — and one more yard — for 113 — than Mills on the night.
However, you can call it a win for both of the big backs, as they seemed to be feeding off each other in the battle. One would rumble for 9, 10, 11 yards a couple times on a drive, and the other would answer back with similar ground-and-pounds on the next march.
“During the game, I wasn’t paying attention to him,” said Mills, of 2023 and ’24 CFL rushing-king Oliveira. “I was just more so worried about my game and worried about what me and the team had going over there. I just knew — when I got in the game and I got the ball — what I had to do in order for to be in a position to win the game.
“So I’ve seen a few of his runs here and there. And I tell the defence every week, ‘Man, don’t give nobody else more than 20 yards a game when we’re playing against them. I’ve got to be the one to run all day and the other running back can’t do that.’”
Cue the stats, then, of 2026 so far.
Heading into Week 3, it’s CFL rookie Larry Rountree of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on top of the run charts with 147 yards.
But then it’s familiar faces in Oliveira — with 145 — and Mills — with 112 — as the next two rushers.
Ouellette is further down on 69 yards.
However, both Mills and Ouellette have played one fewer game than those backs above them on the rushing ladder.
“I mean … they kind of get me with that every year the last two years now,” said Mills, referring to the early bye weeks on the schedule of both 2025 and ’26. “So they’re trying to put me starting from the back a little bit.
“But it’s all right … I can handle it. I did it last year, and I was ready to go. I can face any challenges ahead of me.”
A spa day of sorts in the Stamps clubhouse during the bye week — a king-for-the-day kind of thing — was perhaps the best help in his push to become king of the rushers once again.
“I feel so refreshed, man,” added Mills, with a big grin. “Had a whole spa day to myself — just sat in there relaxed and got a good massage in. They had the good spa music playing to really clear my head. I did a couple steam rooms, cold tubs, hot tub … and I got that massage.
“So … yeah … I’m feeling refreshed and feeling good, with my legs feeling fresh and ready to go.”
Ready to go prove he’s the true king of all CFL rushers.
SHORT YARDAGE
All-CFL star DL Jaylon Hutchings (hamstring) has been given the green light to start for the Stampeders on Saturday … Unlike fellow lineman Hutchings, RE Folarin Orimolade (Achilles) remains sidelined, with the Stamps opting to keep him off the active roster at least another week … Joining Hutchings in slotting into the lineup after missing Game 1 is DB Morice Blackwell II (foot), while both DL Elijah Hills (hamstring) and LB R.J. Moten (hamstring) come out of the lineup after sustaining injuries in Week 1. Both have been put on the six-game injured list.
]]>
There’s nothing like a bye week to allow for a loss to linger a little too long in the minds of football players.
Especially one that happens after a season-opener that was supposed to help kick-start a promising campaign.
But that’s where the Calgary Stampeders stand with the second game of their regular schedule on tap this weekend.
They’re on 0-1 and up against the Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-0) on Saturday at McMahon Stadium (5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
So the defence is on for the Riders.
And the defence will have to be on for the Stamps, moreso than what they fielded in the Week 1 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“Give it like a C, right?” said Stampeders defensive leader Damon Webb, when asked to grade his unit’s loss in the 30-28 home-field drop to the visiting Blue Bombers 14 days ago. “I feel like we did some good things, and I feel like we did some not so good things. But it just all comes with just growing and communicating throughout the week and getting together and just everybody having to be on the same page.
“So I’ll give us a C.”
Another C effort won’t cut it against Trevor Harris and the Roughriders offence.
Webb & Co. know that.
“Yeah … but it was also just Week 1,” continued Webb. “We were going off pre-season film (against the Bombers). So now we have Sask who has played a game, too. And we’ve got a whole extra week to get ready for Sask and see the game plan that they have. So now we’ve got a game plan to set up this week.
“So we’ll be better this week, for sure.”
Related
What do the Riders bring to McMahon?
Rider pride, as always.
Fans, too, of course.
And this year, bragging rights as defending CFL kings.
“Grey Cup champions, man,” said Stamps running back Dedrick Mills. “They’re a pretty good team — pretty solid all around, got a great quarterback, great offensive line, great running back, great defence … just overall great.
“I mean … I like to give those guys their respect, because they proved their self and showed us what they got. We’ve got to come out and be the more physical team, like we did last year against them every game.”
Yes … you’ll recall the Stamps got the better of the Riders in 2025, sweeping the Saskatchewan squad in two games of the regular slate.
The first was a Week 6 win — 24-10 — in the smoke-delayed start in Regina.
And then they followed it up with a 32-15 victory at home in Week 12.
It’s a nice resume to bring into this week’s first contest against them at McMahon.
But the Riders roll into town with an opening win already under their belt following a 31-27 drop of the visiting BC Lions last Saturday.
And it came behind the charge of wily QB Harris.
“Yeah … he’s just a great veteran quarterback,” Webb said. “There’s not too many defences he hasn’t seen, so he has a good pre-snap awareness of the coverages that defences are playing.
“So it’s just our job to just give him different looks and try to confuse him a little bit, because there’s not too much that he hasn’t seen.”
Harris, who copped a CFL Player of the Week honour, went 30-of-36 for 417 passing yards and three touchdowns thrown.
Not bad for a guy who didn’t see much pre-season action, throwing just three passes.
“Just gotta mix it up,” said Dickenson, of facing Harris. “You’ve got to be willing to play man (coverage), too. You can’t just sit back and play zones.
“Smart quarterbacks can generate too many easy throws — quick throws. So you’ve got to play some man,” continued Dickenson. “You’re going to get beat at times, so just keep competing, try to create some turnovers, get your hands on the ball …”
How do the Stamps handle Harris?
Harris has seemingly gotten better with age out there.
And his first-game effort as a 40-year-old underscores that.
But Dickenson is quick to point out the QB wizardry has been spellbinding across the CFL the first two weeks.
“Really good quarterback play throughout the league,” Dickenson said. “Just a lot of good quarterback play throughout the league, and through a lot of crappy weather, too. And I think our guy (Vernon Adams Jr.) played well, as well.
“So to see what the quarterbacks are doing, it’s very impressive.”
That won’t sit well with any of the defences, including the one dressed in Red and White.
They’ll all want to show better performances in Week 3, with the Stamps arguably facing the most challenging task in facing the Grey Cup champs and perhaps with the most to prove after the Week 1 missteps.
Included was they just didn’t get enough pressure on Bombers QB Zach Collaros, who was timely in engineering three TD drives.
So they’ll want more from the defensive line against Harris.
“We do have to rely on the pressure from our d-line, because he gets the ball out fast — really fast,” Webb said. “So without going into much detail about what we’re doing, just we need pressure and just to give them different looks.”
Added Dickenson, “We didn’t do a great job overall stopping the run, and we were getting beat on the corners against Winnipeg.
“We’re just going to try to play better as a group against Saskatchewan — all 12 guys. We’re really not worried about whether it’s a pass or run. They have a ton of weapons and good personnel, and they’re an aggressive physical team. So we’re going to have to do a good job to stop them.”
Short yardage
WR Damien Alford was waived Wednesday by the New Orleans Saints. The Stamps’ first-overall pick in 2025 is apparently injured and can return to the NFL squad’s injured list if he clears waivers, according to QR Calgary 770 AM’s Mark Stephen. “We’ll just play it out,” Dickenson told reporters. “We’ll see how hurt he is.” … The Stampeders have signed American DL Savio Frazier. He originally signed with the Stampeders on Nov. 19, 2025, and was released on May 13.
]]>As beginnings go, it’s been start-stop for the Calgary Stampeders in 2026.
They opened with training camp and an unusually early pre-season contest.
Then it was a whack of days off before a reset of camp and the second exhibition tilt followed by a step straight into the regular schedule.
And after a Week 1 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, it’s been a lengthy bye-week before — finally — returning to practice sessions here Tuesday in Week 3 of the Canadian Football League campaign.
“Yeah … I mean … I feel like we’re kind of still getting into it, which is crazy,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “It’s our Week 2 of the season, but we had quite a bit of off time there.
“But our guys showed up with a good attitude, and — obviously — we’re excited to play. But … yeah, we’ve certainly got to knock a little rust off.”
They’ll need to — and quickly — with the Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-0) in town Saturday night to play the host Stampeders (0-1) at McMahon Stadium (5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
“I don’t think any of us enjoy an early bye,” Dickenson said. “You do like to get into your apartments, and you do like to get settled, and you do like to find where you’re going to stay.
“But ultimately, you like to kind of keep getting better and keep improving, and the only way to do that is to practise and play and make sure that you’re understanding situational football and understanding what it takes to win.
“Now it’s over,” continued Dickenson. “But six teams (have had a bye-week already), so it’s not like we’re rare. I think that was the way it had to be (for scheduling).
“So we’ll try to generate some momentum now. After losing a tough game, we want to play better, and we want to come out here with a win.”
Related
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE BYE-WEEK?
For many Stampeders, the bye-week allowed them to return home or some rest and relaxation.
Others chose adventure during their time away from football.
For instance, Dedrick Mills celebrated his first-game success of 112 yards and a touchdown with a West Coast trip with his new bride — and birthday-girl — Jasmine. The getaway to Los Angeles included a cruise down the coast of Mexico and a visit of Universal Studios.
“I did a few of the rides at Universal Studios,” said Mills, with a big grin. “I’m not a fan of roller coasters … for real. So, of course, my wife laughed at me the whole time we was on the ride, because me, I’m over there going ‘AHHHHHHHHHHH!’ I be freaked out.
“I’m a big strong guy. But on the ride, I’m over there screaming, and everybody’s looking at me. Kids are looking at me, thinking like, ‘This guy …’”
Mills admits to being a little more settled — and impressed — doing the Warner Bros. Studio Tour.
“Just the tour of the movie sets,” said Mills, of his favourite part of their days in L.A. “I was so amazed at the buildings and stuff that they’re able to film in and the little scenes they’ve got to make it look like they’re in another country, make it look like they’re in this place or that place. But the whole time you’re in this little building the size of the locker room.
“They can make so many different effects in these buildings, and I’m like, ‘Yo … ain’t no way.’ And then they just took us on a tour right through one of the buildings where they had just finished up with a movie, and I was like, ‘Yo … ain’t no way. They set all this up in here? And it made it seem like it was an actual movie?’
“That was probably my most exciting part and the best part of it.”
WHO’S BACK? WHO’S NOT?
The early bye-week allowed for a couple of long-injured Stamps a few added days to get back up to snuff for a return to CFL action.
Both rush-end Folarin Orimolade, who has been sidelined by an achilles injury since last September, and all-CFL defensive tackle Jaylon Hutchings, who suffered an off-season hamstring injury before re-signing with the Stamps last month, got in some reps Tuesday.
“I want to see how they feel after this practice,” added Dickenson on Monday. “Both did quite a bit, and I’m trying to be smart, but we understand how big every game is. As soon as the doctors say that they have a good chance to play 50-60 plays a game, we’ll get them out there.”
]]>Welcome to 2026 and a Grey Cup game at McMahon Stadium on the slate.
The hometown team hoped to take a first step towards defending their field in that finale with a season-opening victory Friday on home turf.
But in doing so, the Calgary Stampeders were knocked off-stride in a 30-28 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on a windy night with an announced attendance of 17,743 fans at McMahon Stadium.
Despite a go-ahead touchdown with just over a minute remaining, the Stampeders fell to their Canadian Football League rivals on a last-play field-goal of 38 yards kicked by Sergio Castillo.
Ouch.
“When you play Winnipeg, I swear it comes down to a kick — I don’t know — 50 per cent of the time or more,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “And they made theirs.
“It was back and forth,” continued Dickenson. “I thought it was a hard-fought, well-played game. Sometimes you look back and one play does have a bigger bearing on the game than another. Ultimately, they made the plays and they got the win.”
Three second-quarter touchdowns pointed the Stampeders in the right direction.
But only one score followed thereafter on a night that saw their offence stumble in the second half.
Quincy Vaughn’s TD dive from one yard out proved to be the first points on the board for the Stampeders on the season. The major came early in the second stanza to answer a Blue Bombers first-quarter TD drive and subsequent single on the ensuing kickoff.
Another one-yard dive — this time from running back Dedrick Mills — put the Stamps up 14-8 later in the second quarter.
And then QB Vernon Adams Jr. found speedy receiver Erik Brooks in the back of the end zone for a 22-yard passing score late in the frame.
From there, though, it was the Bombers outscoring the hosts 15-8 from then on to pull out the celebration, with Adams’ three-yard run to cap off an impressive 104-yard late drive for a major going for naught.
“It was a great drive there for us,” Dickenson said. “What was it? A hundred-and-four yards in 15 plays or something?
“But we couldn’t hold the lead.”
Here are five takeaways from the season-opening loss at McMahon …
1. OUT-KICKED
The Stampeders lost this one on special teams.
Not just because the kicking game went the way of the Bombers, but because they couldn’t handle the runbacks of the visitors.
Star returner Trey Vaval sliced through the Stampeders’ coverage units with 105 yards on four punt returns and 69 more on three kick runbacks.
That’s a lot.
It was enough to give the Bombers great field position on too many occasions, helping lead to the result.
And Stamps rookie kicker Jude McAtamney’s kickoff through the end zone after the late go-ahead touchdown brought the ball out to the 40-yard line — under new CFL rules — to set up the Bombers nicely for an easy end score to win the night.
The visitors were aided, as well, by three singles from their punt and kick game — new rouge rules be damned.
“The wind was crazy, and it was tougher on the kicking game,” Dickenson said. “I thought we managed it fine. Sometimes you let the ball go over your head and you get lucky and it goes out the back (of the end zone). Sometimes you maybe should field it. We’re just trying to work on our depth (on returns).
“But I did think that ultimately that last one to get out to 40, we’ve still got to stop them. I mean … they basically chunked us up for about 25 or 30 on the first play.”
2. RUNNING BACKS FOR REAL
Mills proved his run to the CFL’s rushing title last year was no fluke by crushing it — again — to start the 2026 campaign.
Exceptional, as well, was Bombers back Brady Oliveira, who some argue is the league’s best running back and not Mills.
Both could do no wrong.
With the help of his offensive line, which has established itself as one of the best in the CFL, Mills was rolling in the first half, taking advantage of holes created for him and racking up the yardage.
But he didn’t see the ball a lot in the second half until the go-ahead drive, with the Stamps electing to try to move the ball through the air more than run it as the game wore on — until he was key again on that final Stamps’ march.
“Very stagnant offensively (in the second half), and we got away from Mills a little bit,” Dickenson said. “We also didn’t run the ball well. When he got the ball, we weren’t moving people at our offensive line.”
The back from Georgia finished with 112 rushing yards and his touchdown.
Meanwhile, Oliveira racked up 115 yards on the ground and the game’s opening TD — and he got the win, to boot.
“I felt like they won the line of scrimmage, so he ran hard,” admitted Dickenson, of Oliveira and the Bombers. “We missed too many tackles … you know. We had to stop him, and we didn’t. And they beat us up on short yardage.”
3. BIG LEG MISSED
There are a handful of big names in the Stampeders’ sick bay, including veterans Reggie Begelton, Flo Orimolade and René Paredes — with the latter having his consecutive games-played streak dating back to July 8, 2011, unfortunately snapped.
No Begelton … no problem. Jalen Philpot, who’s expected to lead the team in receiving, was clutch with a catch of 51 yards behind the Bombers’ defence to set up the Stamps’ second TD and was a monster on the final TD drive for 96 receiving yards game-long on five receptions. And Brooks, who took advantage of playing time last year when Begelton went down, was brilliant in running into his touchdown reception from Adams and making a clutch catch on the sidelines at the Bombers’ two-yard line on the team’s final march.
No Flo … no problem, as well. Clarence Hicks stepped up to take down Zach Collaros on a second-quarter sack and provided pressure with a number of hurries, although Hicks could’ve used help from teammates in pressuring the QB.
But the absence of Paredes proved tough, with McAtamney gamely trying to step into the veteran’s massive cleats.
The rookie missed a 45-yard field-goal attempt wide right in the third quarter — that played a role in the decision — and got too much on the late kickoff that was a killer for the home club.
“Everyone misses at times,” said Dickenson, of his kicker on the field-goal attempt. “The wind did gust on that one. But … you know … when he had the game on the line, he made his extra point (after the go-ahead TD by Adams). I mean … you can see he’s got a good leg and he’s got good height. But it was a tough kicking game.
“For the punters, as well, it was very swirly. The wind was all over the place, and you could tell at least early on — to both punters and kickers — it was definitely messing with them.”
4. NOT ENOUGH PRESSURE
Aside from the sack by all-CFL West defensive tackle Hicks as part of the second-quarter success of the Stamps, the home side didn’t get to Collaros.
Sure they had a few pressures, including one from Kelechi Anyalebechi that led to a third-quarter interception, but it wasn’t enough.
And when the veteran pivot has time, he makes things happen.
Collaros found receiver Tim White for a 15-yard TD in a third quarter that turned the tide in favour of the Bombers and finished with 233 yards on 17-of-28 passing with the one touchdown and an interception.
And the visiting defence, meanwhile, was solid in getting to Adams. They bagged a handful of sacks, most of them in the second half. Included were three QB takedowns by lineman Jake Ceresna for a monster performance.
Adams himself was a solid 17-of-27 for 239 yards with the TD strike and the TD run and some key evasions to get first downs. His only mistake on a third-quarter fumble didn’t mean much since the Stamps’ defence got the ball back the very next play, teaming up to have Tre’Mon Morris-Brash come down with the lone interception of Collaros.
5. LOSS LOOMS LARGE
Sure, it’s only the first game of the season.
But it’s big because the Stamps have a strange bye week in Week 2 of the schedule, after which at least one of their West Division rivals is going to be 2-0. The Stamps didn’t want to be 0-1 heading into Week 3 with others already looking for their third win on the season.
Plus for the Bombers, it shakes off what was a losing skid to their West Division rivals. They were swept last year by the Stamps in three meetings, and a fourth straight loss to start this season might’ve have gotten in their heads.
“Long season — no one wins or loses the Grey Cup in Game 1,” Adams said. “So just excited of what we got and excited to come in and watch the film (Saturday) and get better from it.
“Going to the bye week, let’s get healthy and get ready for a run.”
They hope that begins when they host the defending Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 3 on Saturday, June 20, at McMahon (5 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM, TSN).
“I just feel like in the CFL, when you get opportunities to win these close games, you’ve got to win them — and especially at home,” added Dickenson. “So we’ll see where it goes, but I know our group’s going to work hard and we’re going to keep improving and building.”
The Calgary Stampeders are champing at the bit to get going.
They’re certainly feeling it — and who can blame them? — after a turnaround campaign in 2025 and a Grey Cup game to be played on their home turf in November.
And so the bid to become hometown champs begins with their opener of the 2026 Canadian Football League season Friday night against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM, TSN).
“Yeah … man … very excited,” said Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. “Home game to start the season off, got a playoff-calibre team coming in here wanting to take control.
“We had a great training camp, and we’re excited to put it out there.”
Sure … they are talking the talk.
But walking the walk is a different beast, especially with all the buzz of the championship game being held in your own backyard.
“The goal every year is to win the Grey Cup, right?” continued Adams. “So, obviously, it’s a lot more pressure, but pressure’s a privilege and we love the opportunity. We love that the Grey Cup’s here.
“So it starts (Friday) … one game at a time.”
Here’s what to watch for that will make or break the Stamps’ season — and perhaps make them Grey Cup champs — in 2026 …
Related
1. THE SCHEDULE
It’s not an ideal starting slate for the Stampeders, who get a bye week immediately after Friday’s season-opener before hosting the defending Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 3.
Their first road game comes against the BC Lions in Week 4, meaning they play their first three contests against the always-competitive Blue Bombers, the reigning kings and the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last fall.
So some early resilience might be needed from the Stamps.
“Listen … we’re all excited to play Week 1,” said GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “I mean … come on, you’re crazy if you’re not. We also know it’s a weird schedule, meaning we play and then have a bye. I mean … I think six of us teams have a bye in the first two weeks, so it does kind of make it seem like a little more importance is on this first game, because you never want to go into a bye week on a loss.
“But we do know how to win,” continued Dickenson. “I believe our team is learning how that winning formula can help us win and get in that position and — hopefully — make the plays.”
It doesn’t get much easier after the first month of football, as after what appears to be an easier spot against the visiting Toronto Argonauts in Week 5, the Stamps go home-and-home with the East Division-favourite Montreal Alouettes before heading to Winnipeg and Hamilton — always tough places to play — in Weeks 8 and 9 to round out the first half of the regular schedule.
2. INJURIES
Major injuries can make or break a season for a team.
The Stampeders endured plenty last year, especially to big-name players, as they lost superstar receiver Reggie Begelton and veteran middle linebacker Marquel Lee early, sackmaster extraordinaire Folarin Orimolade mid-season and secondary stars Damon Webb and Sheldon Arnold late.
And a few of those injuries still linger, with the Stamps’ roster already peppered with key injuries.
Both Begelton — with a leg fracture — and Orimolade — with a torn Achilles — continue to be shelved, albeit Orimolade is close to a full return. The rush end’s actually listed on the team’s reserve roster — a new CFL initiative — as a game-day emergency call-up Friday, if needed. Begelton, meanwhile, has been put on the one-game injured list.
All-CFL star defensive lineman Jaylon Hutchings (hamstring) — freshly signed in his return from an NFL bid — and clutch receiver Clark Barnes (hamstring) are also on the one-game list and not available for the opener.
Meanwhile, it’s a more serious injury for veteran kicker René Paredes (groin), who was placed on the six-game injured list Friday morning. He joins others on that list, including veteran offensive tackle Preston Nichols (leg) and special-teams ace/defensive talent Bailey Devine-Scott (leg).
Arnold (ankle) is back on the six-game, as well, after going down with a serious injury in the final pre-season game last Friday in Edmonton, to cause a bit of a scramble for the Stamps in the secondary heading into the season.
Indeed, the season hasn’t yet started and it’s already a large list of key names on the sidelines nursing injuries.
3. DEPTH CHARGES
How they respond to the current — and future — injuries will be critical in the team’s success.
Last year, the Red and White somehow managed to work through them all, forever getting timely next-man-up efforts from relatively unknown talents along the way. Guys such as receiver Erik Brooks, rookie centre Chris Fortin and cornerback Anthony Johnson stepped up and became reliable — even remarkable — starters.
They don’t want to have to press their luck on that front again this year, because it won’t always work as positively as it did last season.
That’s especially true in the secondary, where injuries seemed to create an ongoing puzzle for the coaching staff in 2025.
“It’s a shuffle, but it’s not that big a deal, actually,” said Dickenson, confident in his secondary no matter the lineup. “I mean … last year we had six new starters back there, so we know we’ve got to build and we know we’ve got to get better and we know we want to communicate and we also know it’s probably a work in progress.
“We’ve been working other people in there.”
For Week 1, defensive leader Webb slides into Arnold’s boundary-side halfback spot, making Canadian safety Jackson Sombach the starter in Webb’s centre-field position.
4. SPECIAL TEAMS
There’s pressure on a few new guys to help shape them in their Grey Cup bid, including a new kicker and a new runback artist.
With Paredes sidelined at least six games, the Stamps are turning to rookie Jude McAtamney to hold them steady in the kicking game for at least the first third of the season.
Paredes’ cleats are certainly big shoes to fill, but the 26-year-old McAtamney says he’s ready.
“I’ve just got to give René the respect he deserves,” said McAtamney, after learning he’ll be the kicker for at least the early part of the season. “You know … René’s been here since 2011, and if anyone can play a professional sport that long, they’re doing something right.
“But for me, it’s down to just what I can do,” continued the native of Northern Ireland. “I think every player is probably nervously excited before every game. But for me, it’s kicking the ball. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in the game or practice or by yourself, the steps are the same, the ball’s the same shape, the target’s the same size … So it’s just about doing your process and sticking to that.
“It doesn’t matter what situation it’s in.”’
The other situation to watch on special teams is what Tyreik McAllister brings to the squad.
McAllister played 16 games for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2023, when he recorded 41 kickoff returns for 1,037 yards, 56 punt returns for 602 yards, seven missed-field goal returns for 408 yards.
And the Stamps signed him to be just as big-play for them.
Yes … they’re hoping for improved field position on a consistent basis gained by the 5-foot-9, 183-lb. McAllister to help put them on track for a Grey Cup.
5. BALANCED ATTACK
All-CFL running back Dedrick Mills is eyeing a 1,500-plus-yard campaign, with 20-plus touchdowns, along the ground.
That would be nice, for sure.
But the Stamps don’t need him to put up such gaudy numbers. They don’t even need him to roll up the kind of stats — 1,409 rushing yards and 11 TDs — that made him the top rusher in the country and the Stampeders’ most outstanding player in 2025.
They do, however, need Mills to continue being a constant offensively. Game-in and game-out last year, the big back was a workhorse for the team.
And that effort from him is key to what Dickenson loves as a balanced attack from this offence.
“The league knows we’re a run team,” confirmed Adams. “We’ve got one of the best backs in the league — if not the best — and we’ve got the best offensive line in the league, in my opinion.
“So establish the run yards and let’s just go from there.”
Go from there into Adams bumping up his own game.
The QB1 excited fans early last season with this dynamic play and winning performances, but an injury knocked him astray in the middle of the schedule. He got back at it late with pretty solid showings to finish with 21 touchdown passes and 4,247 passing yards — both fifth-most in the CFL in 2025.
But both he and the Stamps are looking for more from his veteran arm, including better management of the ball. Adams is often troubled by turnovers, highlighted by 14 interceptions last year, and it’s something that must be limited for a Grey Cup to finally follow for him.
“I’ve felt great,” added Adams. “Some ups and downs as always, but … hey … body’s healthy and mentally sharp.
“I’m just ready to go.”
Let’s go, indeed.
The Calgary Stampeders plan to go deep in the 2026 Canadian Football League campaign.
Like Grey Cup-deep is what they’re talking about.
And the offence believes it can help the mission to hoist the championship hardware on the home field come November by going deep itself …
As in throwing downfield more often in Year 2 of the team’s revamped offensive era.
“I do think we’re best when we’re balanced,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson, of an offensive attack that oozes both run and pass potential.
“But we still need that big-play capability,” he continued. “I think it’s hard just to think you’re going to go six or eight yards each play.”
He’ll get no argument from his returning aerial weapons — the likes of QB Vernon Adams Jr. and receivers Jalen Philpot, Clark Barnes, Erik Brooks and Reggie Begelton.
They want the big play in fashion as much as possible to both score and entertain, which they did in spades last year compared to previous seasons, helping to turn around the franchise’s fortunes and put it in a position to be considered a Grey Cup contender. Only three teams scored more points than the Stampeders’ 488 and only the eventual Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders had more wins than the 11-7 Stampeders in 2025.
“We do always want to be better than what we put out as the product last year,” Philpot said. “Obviously, it wasn’t enough to get us to the game we wanted to play in, so I think we can always improve and build on stuff.
“But I think this offence is continuing to just want to be a deep-field threat offence,” continued the fifth-year receiver from Delta, B.C. “I feel like my early years coming here, we weren’t necessarily that team that pushed the ball down the field as much, and I think we really did a good job last year of having explosive plays but also establishing the run and being a very all-around team — run the ball well, throw the ball downfield when we can …
“So I think just continue to find kind of what works for us and just have that balance.”
In other words, more of the same is what the Stamps want when they possess the pigskin — with fewer turnovers, demands Dickenson — beginning with the season-opener Friday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM, TSN).
Related
WHO ARE THE PROJECTED STARTERS?
Here’s what the offence looks like when healthy (with injury replacements in parentheses):
Quarterback — Vernon Adams Jr.
Running back — Dedrick Mills
Left tackle — D’Antne Demery
Left guard — Zack Williams
Centre — Bryce Bell (Chris Fortin)
Right guard — Christy Nkanu
Right tackle — Preston Nichols (William Barnes)
Wide receiver — Tevin Jones
Slot receiver — Jalen Philpot
Slot receiver — Reggie Begelton (Erik Brooks)
Slot receiver — Clark Barnes (Vyshonne Janusas)
Wide receiver — Dejon Brissett
WHO’S IN? WHO’S OUT?
In
• QB Ben Wooldridge
• RB Tyreik McAllister
• RB Deonta McMahon
• OL Bakyne Coly
• OL Matthew Stokman
• WR Dejon Brissett
• WR Jeremiah Hunter
• WR Jesulayomi Ojutalayo
• WR Rashod Owens
• WR Matt Sibley
Out
• QB Logan Bonner (free agent)
• QB P.J. Walker (retired)
• RB Jeshrun Antwi (retired)
• FB William Langlais (retired)
• OL Rodeem Brown (free agent)
• OL Joshua Coker (BC Lions)
• OL Kyle Saxelid (retired)
• WR Damien Alford (NFL)
• WR Daylen Baldwin (free agent)
• WR Malik Henry (free agent)
• WR Kaylon Horton (free agent)
• WR Dominique Rhymes (retired)
WHAT ARE THE KEY QUESTIONS OFFENSIVELY?
What’s going on with Reggie Begelton?
The Stamps’ superstar pass-catcher remains out indefinitely after suffering a fractured leg early last season.
“Reggie’s taking a little longer, so we’re working on that,” said Dickenson, of the 31-year-old receiver.
When Begelton went down, it sent shockwaves through the organization.
But his absence gave Philpot and others a bigger role in the offence, and they took advantage.
Sure, the now-retired Dominique Rhymes led the way with 886 yards, but dynamic talents Philpot and Erik Brooks were 1-2 in receptions with 61 and 51, respectively, and 2-3 in yards (830 and 824, respectively). Tevin Jones and Clark Barnes were next with 47 and 35 catches and 618 and 601 yards, respectively, further proving it’s a deep core.
So a delay in the return of Begelton isn’t cause for panic.
“We feel like we have such a deep room,” Philpot said. “We might not have those big-name guys that everyone’s talking about in the media, but we know we’ve got guys in this locker room.
“I mean … I think Brooks showed it last year — he wasn’t necessarily that guy that was talked about, but you felt him out there, and he made plays whenever the ball was in his hand. Same thing with Clark Barnes.
“I think we’re a dynamic offence that’s got the speed, the downfield ability and that can do the jet-sweeps and all that kind of stuff, so it just makes us a versatile offence.”
How do new guys Brissett and McAllister fit in?
The prized off-season acquisitions bring even more versatility to the group.
Dejon Brissett was the top receiver on the Toronto Argonauts last year — with 907 yards on 65 receptions — bringing skill and will to help offset the losses of both Rhymes and last year’s all-the-rage rookie Damien Alford, who took his burgeoning talent to the NFL’s New Orleans Saints over the winter.
Less will be asked of fellow newcomer Tyreik McAllister, since he’s been brought in primarily to improve the return game. But the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder’s quickness in running the rock and becoming a reliable target out of the backfield gives the Stamps lightning to complement the thunder of 2025 CFL rushing king Dedrick Mills.
Who are the leaders with Rhymes retiring?
The easy answer is Adams.
Because he is, since he’s both the quarterback and the on-field general.
But every position room needs a voice, and Philpot believes it’s his time to step up in his fifth CFL season among receivers.
“For sure, Dom is an irreplaceable player,” said Philpot, of the receiver who made an critical impact in his one-and-only season with the Stamps. “In the locker room, he was that voice and was in that leadership role. And then on the field, he was that hungry competitor.
“So I think they look to guys like myself and Dejon, who they brought in, to fill in those leadership roles.”
For what it’s worth, 2022 first-round draftee Philpot is expected to replace Rhymes atop the receiving chart, as well.
And he’s feeling it in what he hopes is a 1,000-yard season and more to further improve the offence.
“I’m a Year 5 guy now,” added Philpot. “So it’s time to kind of take a hold of those reins and just really show that I’m an offensive playmaker. I can make plays no matter what, and I’m just really excited to step into the role of kind of being that guy.”
HOW DOES THE OFFENCE HOPE TO IMPROVE?
The easy answer — again — is Adams.
After all, as he went last year, so did the Stampeders.
But it’s more than just the quarterback making things work for the offence.
It’s about all the players being on the same page — both in the playbook and in their overall on-field mission.
And to a man, the players feel they’ve already boosted their chances by having spent time together during the winter.
“I don’t know if we were missing too much last year,” confirmed Philpot. “But just that continuity of getting V.A. back for the second year, I think that’s awesome. You know … it’s just we feel like such a full team.
“We got together in the off-season,” added Philpot. “We’re just that tight-knit unit that maybe we didn’t have as much of last year, so we feel like a super close group coming into camp. We didn’t even really need to wait for camp to kind of get it established, so we feel like we’ve got that continuity.
“We’re going to be an awesome offence to watch.”
]]>Bigger and better … The Calgary Stampeders hope those two words go hand and hand with their special-teams units in the 2026 Canadian Football League season.
In an effort to help them net more yards on return and coverage teams, Dave Dickenson and his right-hand men deliberately signed and drafted players to help improve their special teams rather than leave it to chance they unearth aces originally meant to help on offence and defence.
Players such as return star Tyreik McAllister — a prized off-season acquisition — and 2026 draftees Jesulayomi Ojutalayo and Tristan Marois fit the bill as already being special teams-ready.
“We had speed and aggressiveness,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dickenson. “But what we were trying to do is just get bigger, and I think we have got a nice lineup where that’s concerned now.
“Usually bigger means you’re not maybe quite as fast. But I think just in a one-on-one matchup probably with special teams, that’s where bigger helps us.”
You’ll see the size difference — and hopefully the difference in quality — in both returns and coverage, with the Stamps hoping it helps prop them up in their bid for the Grey Cup come November on their home turf.
After all, special teams are one-third of the CFL game.
“And our return game now, you really don’t know until you see it live — like will our guys run through the smoke?” continued Dickenson. “What I mean by that is you’ve got a lot of people coming after you, so can you find a crease and just hit it? I think our guys have shown that courage and have done a nice job in camp.”
Whether that carries over into the regular season remains to be seen.
But we’ll find out quickly, with the season-opener just hours away Friday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM, TSN) …
Related
WHO ARE THE PROJECTED STARTERS?
Here’s what the key special-team talents look like when healthy (with injury replacements in parentheses) …
Kicker — René Paredes (Jude McAtamney)
Punter — Mark Vassett
Long-snapper — Jason MacGougan
Returner — Tyreik McAllister
Returner — Erik Brooks
WHO’S IN? WHO’S OUT?
In
• K Jude McAtamney
• RB Tyreik McAllister
Out
• WR Kaylon Horton
• LS Aaron Crawford
WHAT ARE THE KEY QUESTIONS ON SPECIAL TEAMS?
• What’s going on with René Paredes?
The veteran kicker hasn’t booted many balls so far this spring. A groin injury kept him from doing much through training camp, and he’s continued to be sidelined heading into Friday’s contest.
That’s led to plenty of hubbub about the future hall-of-famer’s availability and even what comes next for him, especially given he’s 41 with nothing left to prove.
But …
“I do expect him to play,” said Dickenson, early this week. “I’d be surprised if that wasn’t the case.”
If it isn’t the case, the Stamps have 26-year-old global draftee Jude McAtamney kicking around. Active for a couple of games with the NFL’s New York Giants a few years back, the native of Northern Ireland has landed on the Red and White practice roster, perhaps as the kicker of the future for the franchise.
• What does runback specialist Tyreik McAllister bring?
The 5-foot-9, 183-lb. dynamo brings the hope for more house calls in the return game.
“We really did want home-run, top-end speed,” said Dickenson, of signing McAllister in the off-season.
McAllister played 16 games for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2023, when he recorded 41 kickoff returns for 1,037 yards, 56 punt returns for 602 yards and seven missed-field goal returns for 408 yards.
By comparison, last year’s leader for the Stampeders — Erik Brooks — combined for 1,000 yards in returns.
“I wanted to back off Erik a little bit,” said Dickenson, of Brooks. “I think Erik certainly can do it.”
But he’s a vital piece of the receiving game, after a breakout year in 2025 with 51 receptions and 824 yards. Brooks will be asked to continue that with veteran pass-catcher Reggie Begelton continuing to be sidelined by injury.
“And with Tyreik … I think he’s going to press to be as good as anyone in the league,” added Dickenson. “Tyreik also gives us a running back with more versatility, gives us a different type of running back in there (compared to workhorse Dedrick Mills).”
• Who are the other key contributors on special teams?
Punter Mark Vassett was an all-CFL star in his rookie season last year. That’s a nice debut and a fantastic foundation piece moving forward for the Stampeders, who made the Australian a global draft pick last spring.
Fellow Aussie Bailey Devine-Scott is another massive contributor and deemed the captain of the coverage units by Dickenson. However, he’s already on the six-game injury list after suffering a pre-camp injury.
“But Godfrey Onyeka and Tevin Jones did a nice job last year,” said Dickenson, of coverage aces. “And Kelon Thomas, too.
“And then our linebacker corps, too. I mean … Kyle Wilson did a heck of a job last year, and Kelechi (Anyalebechi), too. I think linebackers are the key cover players.”
And Jason MacGougan takes on long-snapping duties for a full season after taking over for longtime veteran Aaron Crawford in 2025.
HOW DO SPECIAL TEAMS HOPE TO IMPROVE?
Of course, it’s all about getting better field position …
Both when receiving the ball and booting it away.
“With Tyreik, we’ve got to let him get started,” said Dickenson, of his team’s return game. “We want to give him five to 10 yards and give him a crease — don’t have people just surrounding him when he gets the ball.
“I think that was the big thing in the off-season — we wanted to find bigger guys to block and to try to get the play started.”
They’re bigger, too, in coverage, which proved to be a strength for the club last season until it got roughed in the playoff game — that could-woulda-shoulda decision to the host BC Lions in the West Division semifinal.
“I feel like we addressed the biggest needs that showed up in the playoff game last year,” said Stamps director of scouting Dwayne Cameron post-draft. “Obviously, we played really well on offence, and we felt we played really well on defence. But we felt like maybe we got exposed a little bit on special teams. And so by adding players like (first-round draft-pick) Eric Rascoe and adding players like (Steven) Kpehe and adding players like ‘Layomi’ (Ojutalayo), whose primary focus is going downfield and covering kickoffs and punts, makes us a little more athletic and speedy in that area.”
Aces already starring on the coverage units welcome the influx of energy and size, citing fresh faces Marois, Anton Haie and R.J. Moten as potential breakout candidates in containing the enemy’s returners.
“We’ll be really good,” said Onyeka, when asked what the expectations are of the coverage units in 2026. “If everyone does their 1/12th, we should be the best in the league. We have great schemes — like our schemes aren’t very complicated, but they’re very comprehensive. Everyone has an exact job, and no one’s asking anyone to be Superman. You’ve just got to do your job in our scheme, and we’ll be good.
“Honestly, we’re chasing records, as crazy as it sounds about on special teams,” continued Onyeka. “We have a list of records that we want to get this year. We were like point-something yards away from net-point record last year, so we want to get that this year.
“There’s a few things we want to do. We didn’t have as many takeaways as we wanted to last year, so we’ve got to get that.”
Onyeka himself led the Stamps in special-teams tackles with 17.
Next was Thomas, on 10.
“You know … it’s just embracing the role,” added Thomas. “When I first came here, you know, like I didn’t have the perfect idea of me playing special teams when I came into the CFL, but you just you never know where you’re gonna walk into. So it’s like, let’s go do the best I can do — help my team and fill every gap that can get back and do.
“Overall, we’re just trying to improve every record we can do — not just only for records, but just for ourselves, too.
“It’s be the best special-teams unit in the CFL.”
The return of the Red and White defence to dominance in the 2025 Canadian Football League campaign caught many by surprise.
So many questions dogged the unit heading in to the schedule.
But so many of them were answered early on in the season.
And it all helped lead the Calgary Stampeders from a non-playoff team the year before to a Grey Cup contender last fall.
A welcome turnaround, to be certain.
“We’ve got to improve,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson, of making sure to look ahead with his charges. “Everyone was kind of new last year on defence, so maybe we got the jump on some teams. And they then kind of tried to take advantage of our weaknesses, so we have to then counter-punch and find ways to fix that.
“But if we’re a good tackling team that plays physical and stops the run, that’s how we’re going to win.”
The big question is whether they do that with this year’s edition.
That’s helped by figuring out a few other pre-season questions, which have been on our minds heading into the 2026 regular slate.
And fortunately, many of those have been answered in the last 48 hours.
Just in time for the season-opener, which is set for Friday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM, TSN) …
WHO ARE THE PROJECTED STARTERS?
Here’s what the defence looks like when healthy (with injury replacements in parentheses) …
Rush end — Folarin Orimolade (Shaun Peterson Jr.)
Defensive tackle — Miles Brown
Defensive tackle — Jaylon Hutchings (Charles Wiley)
Defensive end — Clarence Hicks
Weak-side linebacker — Kyle Wilson
Middle linebacker — Marquel Lee
Strong-side linebacker — Derrick Moncrief
Boundary-side cornerback — Anthony Johnson
Boundary-side halfback — Sheldon Arnold (Damon Webb)
Field-side halfback — Jaydon Grant
Field-side cornerback — Adrian Greene
Safety — Damon Webb (Jackson Sombach)
WHO’S IN? WHO’S OUT?
In
• DL Elijah Hills
• DL Tristan Marois
• DL Tre’Mon Morris-Brash
• LB R.J. Moten
• LB Eric Rascoe
• DB Zy Alexander
• DB Ike Larsen
• DB Ashton Miller-Melancon
Out
• DL Josiah Coatney (free agent)
• DL Lorenzo Mauldin IV (retired)
• DL Jason Janvier-Messier (free agent)
• LB Jacob Roberts (NFL)
• LB Adam Bighill (retired)
• LB Justin Herdman-Reed (free agent)
• LB Nicky Farinaccio (free agent)
• LB Gary Johnson Jr. (free agent)
• LB Kaylyn St-Cyr (free agent)
• DB Lance Robinson (retired)
• DB Brady Breeze (retired)
• DB Jacobe Covington (free agent) • LS Aaron Crawford
WHAT ARE THE KEY QUESTIONS DEFENSIVELY?
• How do you replace two massive talents in linebacker Jacob Roberts and defensive tackle Jaylon Hutchings, both of whom signed in January with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings after such successful seasons with the Stampeders?
While the battle continues for leading-tackler Roberts’ job at weak-side linebacker — veteran Kyle Wilson looks like the guy there — the loss of Hutchings has rectified itself, with the Red and White proudly announcing his return late Sunday, as the all-CFL star interior defender re-signed with the club on a critical three-year deal.
The move to bring back Hutchings is massive and timely.
“It’s big,” confirmed Dickenson, of the deal to keep Hutchings through the 2028 campaign. “I like our players, and I’m not going to discount what we did in camp. We worked hard, and a lot of guys are in there.
“But Hutch is a difference-maker,” the coach continued. “I mean … ask people around the league.
“And for him to commit for three years, I think, shows a lot. He’s like … ‘You know what? I’m coming back, and I want to be here and be a leader, and I want to accomplish great things here in Canada.’ So really happy to get him back.”
That’s a given, since he played and started 17 games and had 39 defensive tackles — including three tackles for losses — eight sacks, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and two knockdowns upon being named to the West Division all-CFL and all-CFL teams. And he continued to deliver in the playoff contest.
“I missed being with the guys,” said the 26-year-old Hutchings, who signed with the Vikings in January but was released last month due to a hamstring injury suffered ahead of the NFL team’s mini-camp.
“Definitely a tough pill to swallow … but I’m just glad to be here,” continued Hutchings. “I love Calgary. Calgary is the first team in the CFL to give me an opportunity. I’m glad to be back for three years … so very grateful — because I love the coaching staff and I love my teammates. We did something special last year. We were this close to make it to the finals, so I want to run it back and keep it here … you know.
“Bring a Grey Cup back to Calgary.”
Dickenson says he hopes to ramp up Hutchings during Tuesday’s practice.
“Whenever Coach Dave thinks I’m ready, I’ll be ready to go,” added Hutchings. “But … you know … I’m feeling good.”
• What is the status of top-shelf rush-end Folarin ‘Flo’ Orimolade?
It’s better than it was even a few days ago, since the sack master has been cleared for action despite being just nine months removed from an achilles injury suffered last Labour Day Classic. He practised Monday with the team — “just flying around,” said Dickenson of his edge rusher — for the first time this spring and could get the call to start Friday.
“I’m not gonna lie … my teammates are more excited than me,” said Orimolade, after Monday’s practice.
“Not that I’m not excited, but they’re visibly more excited than me, so that means a lot, for sure.”
It means a lot to the Stamps defensive line and front seven, both of which are made much better with ‘Flo’ in the swing of things.
He wreaks havoc from the outside and gets to QBs, and the attention that is paid his way then opens up holes for others, such as all-CFL star Hutchings.
• What is the status of veteran safety Damon Webb?
A torn pectoral muscle kept Webb, one of the defensive leaders and an all-CFL West star, from daily participation in camp.
But he, too, is back in action and looks ready to be a difference-maker like he was in his first season with the Stamps last year.
Webb’s versatility means he could slide into the boundary-side halfback slot that has become a sudden concern for the Stampeders after last year’s starter, Sheldon Arnold, was carted off the field — with what looks like a serious injury — Friday night in Edmonton. That would give Canadian draftee Jackson Sombach the start at safety.
Ordinarily, it would be Bailey Devine-Scott jumping up to start in the centre-field spot in place of Webb, but the Australian defender is on the six-game injury list after suffering a pre-camp injury.
Devodric Bynum, the defender signed in the off-season by the Stamps and who pushed Arnold at the halfback spot during training camp, was abruptly released Friday and has signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“We’re trying, honestly, to work a bunch of new guys in there, as well,” said Dickenson, of the boundary-side halfback position. “We obviously know that we can move people around, but we’ve got to build a guy there. We built people last year, basically the whole secondary. They were all new, so we’ve done it before.
“It’s nice to only have to basically find maybe one new starter, but I know our guys can do it, and our coaches have done a nice job. We’ve talked to some people — we know that halfbacks are out there for us.
“We’d like to give the guys in house the first shot, but we’re still looking.”
WHAT DOES THE DEFENCE HOPE TO IMPROVE ON?
It wants consistency.
In other words, more of what they delivered early in the year that set them off to a hot start and propelled them into a playoff position.
And the consistency they’ve retained personnel-wise should help them with that.
Clarence Hicks is as good as anybody in the CFL at weak-side defensive end.
Field-side cornerback Adrian Greene is coming off a season in which — like Hicks and Webb — he was saluted as an all-CFL West star.
At strong-side linebacker, Derrick Moncrief is the unit captain and one of the best leaders in the league.
And a full season of another key voice in middle linebacker Marquel Lee, who was injured for much of last year with a torn pec, should further boost the defence.
Throw in solid starting contributions from Wilson, Miles Brown, Jaydon Grant and Anthony Johnson — plus depth from returnees Micah Teitz, Charles Wiley, Justin Sambu (injured), George Idoko, Ben Labrosse, Godrey Onyeka, Daniel Joseph, Kelon Thomas, Shaun Peterson Jr., Dolani Robinson, Morice Blackwell II and Kelechi Anyalebechi — and it’s a strong core to improve on the success of last season.
The Stamps expect curious newcomers — highlighted by lineman Elijah Hills and linebackers R.J. Moten and Eric Rascoe, the 2026 first-round draftee — to further the cause.
“We had a lull in the season last year,” added Orimolade. “I think it’s just more consistency we want. You know … starting off strong and finishing even better than where you started. So that’s the next step in the day, where we get into those situations where we’re in tough games, where I think we have the cohesiveness and the experience now to turn us around and hopefully play for the Grey Cup.
“I think it’s a Grey Cup team.”
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The Calgary Stampeders have brought back a familiar face to help them get to a 2026 Grey Cup celebration at McMahon Stadium.
And it’s a very big deal for the defence.
That’s Jaylon Hutchings, the defensive lineman who became an all-CFL star last year.
The team re-signed the 26-year-old top-shelf defender to a three-year contract Sunday afternoon.
“It’s great to have Hutch back,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “For him to make a three-year commitment to us is a huge deal. He was a force up front for us last season, and his return will further bolster our defence and make us a better team.”
The 6-foot, 300-lb. lineman from Forney, Texas, is now under contract through the 2028 season.
Hutchings made the move to try to break into the NFL in the off-season, but injury kept him from catching on in the four-down professional football ranks.
“I’m excited to be back in the Red and White,” said the 26-year-old Hutchings. “I’m looking forward to being a part of bringing a Grey Cup back to Calgary.”
Hutchings originally signed with the Stampeders on Oct. 5, 2024, and appeared in 19 games across the 2024 and ’25 campaigns, improving to become a key cog in the defence, especially during their 2025 turnaround campaign.
Last season, he played and started 17 games and had 39 defensive tackles including three tackles for losses, eight sacks, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and two knockdowns upon being named to the West Division all-CFL and all-CFL teams. Hutchings also started the Western Semi-Final against the host BC Lions, recording a pair of sacks and a knockdown.
He was released by the Stamps on Jan. 6 of this year to sign with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings.
But a change in management on the Vikes and a timely injury cut his auditions short down south.
In the NCAA, Hutchings made 57 starts in 62 games across six seasons (2018-23) for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He had 193 career tackles for the Red Raiders, including 108 solo stops. Hutchings also registered 26 tackles for losses, 11 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup during his college career.
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]]>Camp is complete for the players.
So, too, are the pre-season games to wrap up auditions in the bid to crack the Calgary Stampeders’ roster in 2026.
That meant a hand-off to the coaches for cuts to get the squad down to 46 players — plus those on the injured lists and the practice roster — from the 90-something hopefuls trying to make the grade.
And they did that late Saturday, with not much in the way of surprises.
“It’s hard … and we’re doing the best we can,” Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson told Stamps TV, moments after Friday night’s final pre-season contest — a 21-18 edge of the host Edmonton Elks.
“You’re not always right,” continued Dickenson. “And it’s not necessarily the end of the journey (if you get cut). Charleston Hughes is a prime example — he got released, and two games later, he came back and got 136 or 137 sacks in the CFL. So certainly we’re going to do our best.
“It’s tough to send some guys home, but we’ve got a good team that’s fighting and a lot of good competition.”
Here’s how Saturday’s cut-down day went for the Red and White …
Released
• American defensive back Kam Alexander
• American offensive lineman Deondre Buford
• American defensive back Corey Coley Jr.
• American quarterback Jacolby Criswell
• American receiver Rylan Davison
• American offensive lineman Cameron Dye
• National kicker Dawson Hodge
• American receiver Kaylon Horton
• National defensive lineman Steven Kpehe
• American offensive lineman Martes Lewis
• American defensive lineman Brandon Maina
• American defensive lineman Khairi Manns
• American offensive lineman Chris Murray
• American defensive lineman Devonte O’Malley
• American defensive back Jordan Polk
• American defensive lineman Norell Pollard
• American linebacker Tyreem Powell
• National linebacker Olivier Ruest
• American running back Terion Stewart
• American receiver Nunu Whatley
• American receiver Dante Wright
Added to practice roster
• American defensive back Zy Alexander
• American offensive lineman Bakyne Coly
• American receiver Jeremiah Hunter
• American defensive back Ike Larsen
• Global kicker Jude McAtamney
• American running back Deonta McMahon
• National receiver Jesulayomi Ojutalayo
• American receiver Rashod Owens
• National defensive back Dolani Robinson
• National receiver Matt Sibley
• National offensive lineman Matthew Stokman
• American quarterback Ben Wooldridge
Placed on retired list (returning to university)
• National offensive lineman Mitchel Schechinger
• National offensive lineman Jack Warrack
Friday’s game at Clarke Stadium helped to shape the final roster.
Lightning in the early evening caused a weather delay between the Stamps and the host Elks, pushing back kickoff by about 45 minutes.
But then the lights came on for the last-chance auditions.
And when they did, it was the Elks scoring an early touchdown before the Stamps answered with timely scoring drives and holding off the hosts en route to the celebration.
The Stamps got three of their own TDs along the way …
• Quarterback Josh Love threw a beautiful ball 42 yards over the top to rookie receiver Dante Wright for a tying touchdown on the final play of the first quarter.
• QB Ben Wooldridge kept the ball for a one-yard go-ahead major in the second quarter.
• And fellow rookie pivot Jacolby Criswell drove in from one yard out for the winning points with 5:13 remaining in the contest.
Freshman kickers Jude McAtamney and Dawson Hodge counted the other points for the Stamps — McAtamney for two on two converts, and Hodge for one on the final extra-point conversion.
Here are four takeaways from Friday’s second pre-season tilt ahead of the final cuts and next Friday’s season-opener against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM, TSN) …
Related
1. A WIN IS A WIN
It says here the pre-season is about evaluating players and not concerning yourself with the bottom line.
But Dickenson is happy to take a win away from Friday night’s last-chance auditions for camp hopefuls.
Fact is they got two such wins in as many pre-season tilts, giving them twice the confidence heading into next Friday’s regular-season starter.
And both Ws came with more than just a better score on the board than the opposition.
Dickenson certainly liked the total push of his players Friday.
“A lot of fight in our team,” Dickenson said. “I mean … it’s a tough trip for us. We got up, obviously early (Friday) morning, we had some meetings, and we got on a bus, and it’s like three-and-a half-hour deal (to travel to Edmonton). Then we had the weather delay.
“So I really like what our group did,” continued Dickenson. “And the guys were resilient, making sure that they just kept fighting. That wasn’t a perfect game by any means — we had a lot of penalties, and we unfortunately lost a couple guys in our secondary. But we had guys step up, that hadn’t even practised a lot in those positions.
“And then we won. I still like to win.”
2. MEDIC!
The Red and White sick bay is pretty crowded, and it’s not even the regular season yet.
On Friday, the Stamps lost starting defensive back Sheldon Arnold to an ankle injury — likely a serious one since he was carted off the field.
Arnold was just returning from a broken arm suffered last year, and he joins a long list of already sidelined veterans …
• OL Preston Nichols, DL Daniel Joseph, DL Justin Sambu, DB Bailey Devine-Scott — all key contributors — are on the six-game injured list.
• WR Reggie Begelton, DE Folarin Orimolade and DB Damon Webb suffered major injuries last season and continue to be out indefinitely.
• And K René Paredes, WR Clark Barnes, WR Dejon Brissett and OL Zack Williams have been limited in their participation in training camp.
Ironically, Arnold — a fixture last year at the boundary-side defensive-halfback position — going down comes a day after the Stamps cut third-year CFL defender Devodric Bynum, who was signed by the Red and White in the off-season to deepen the secondary.
Fresh-face Ike Larsen went down, as well, on Friday night.
“We’re a little thin at defensive back already there,” Dickenson told QR Calgary 770 AM post-game. “So we’ll try to figure it out.”
3. QB2 OR NOT QB2
There’s no doubt who QB1 is for the Stampeders.
But who will be the next two backing up Vernon Adams Jr.?
Returning pivot Love seems to have locked up the second-string position after showing plenty of poise in his start Friday night.
But Wooldridge and Criswell balled out, as well, making for a battle the coaches had to resolve ahead of roster cuts.
In particular, Criswell looks like a prototypical CFL QB and proved he can engineer a timely drive with the winning one in the fourth quarter.
That said …
“I thought that all three actually had their moments,” Dickenson said. “Like Josh really responded well — hit a beautiful pass on the second-and-two over the top on the touchdown. And then you could see Ben was running around making plays.
“Then, when Jacolby got in there, he’s a big man that can run, and I also liked that he made some nice throws. If you can be a dual-threat guy, that helps. And … you know … he got here (to Calgary) a little bit later than those other two quarterbacks, meaning that they had a little bit of talk in the off-season, so I do think he’s pushing.
“We’ll just have to grade it out and see where it goes.”
Love went 7-of-8 for 80 yards and the first-quarter TD toss.
Wooldridge was 5-of-8 for 58 yards with the second-quarter dive for a major and some heads-up decisions made.
And Criswell, who also had a QB dive for a TD, chugged for a game-high 41 rushing yards and 3-of-4 passing for 19 more through the air.
4. ROOM FOR RECEIVERS
With Begelton out and both Barnes’ and Brissett’s availability in question for next week’s season-opener, there appears to be room for another target or two in the receiving corps.
Rashod Owens wore quite the big bull’s-eye in Edmonton, where he was the intended pass-catcher on a team-high five passes.
He hauled in four for 59 yards to become the most notable of offensive weapons beyond the Red and White QBs.
Wright’s effort to get open and grab the deep ball for a TD from Love in the opening quarter likely helped his resumé, as well.
The other new faces making the most of the night at Clarke Stadium?
Rylan Davison nabbed two balls for 21 yards, and Jeremiah Hunter and Nunu Whatley had a reception apiece.
In the end, Hunter got the nod to join the practice roster, while Wright, Davison and Whatley were all released.
]]>It’s a last-chance audition for campers trying to crack the roster of the Calgary Stampeders.
One more opportunity to show what they’ve got.
A final dance Friday night to make the cut, when the Stampeders head north to play their final pre-season contest against the host Edmonton Elks at Clarke Stadium (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM).
“It’s been a heavy load, and the work is done,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson, after the final session of training camp at McMahon Stadium. “And now it’s up to me.”
Indeed, Dickenson and his staff are faced with getting down to CFL-mandated numbers in the hours following Friday’s final audition.
That’s 46 players for the active roster, plus those on the injured lists and the practice roster.
Related
“Take the opportunities that are given to you,” Dickenson said. “I mean … I’m still deciding on how to work this roster, anyway.”
Of those younger talents still eligible who don’t make the grade, they can return to their university and college teams.
“I like our young players,” Dickenson said. “I like what I’ve seen in our draft picks.”
First-rounder and linebacker Eric Rascoe has come as advertised, says the coach.
But it’s been tougher to evaluate third-rounder and receiver Jesulayomi Ojutalayo, who has been hurt. And third-rounder and defensive lineman Tristan Marois has been fighting a hamstring injury.
“You do feel like your top picks sometimes have a little bit of advantage because you’ve invested a little bit more in them,” continued Dickenson. “But even our other young guys are coming. Our young draft picks offensive line-wise, they’re playing well, so let’s see what they can do and give them that opportunity.”
Really, it’s now up to the individual players to showcase their skills with one last push.
Of course, the key is to make it tough on the coaching staff when putting the axe to the 90-some players still in the running for an active roster spot.
“I want to see guys that are competing for the jobs,” Dickenson said. “I have to give them an opportunity. I know what certain guys are, but I want to make sure we have fair competition. And it doesn’t mean that if you stay home that you’ve necessarily made the team and you’re a starter. But if I don’t give you that opportunity, I kind of feel like I at least owe them a conversation before doing that, or else It’s just not a fair competition.”
Those playing will head up by bus early Friday to Edmonton and return post-game the same way to Calgary.
“Unfortunately, it’s one of these situations we’re going to drive up the day of the game,” Dickenson said. “I did this in the NFL, it’s not like it’s uncommon.
“But it’s still tough, and it’s tougher on guys with muscle injuries or muscle aches or past sort of things … you know. And it’s also about who mentally can handle it and still play fast.”
But it is game action, which has come few and far between during training camp. So embrace it.
The last such action was two Mondays back — 10 days ago on the long weekend — in that first pre-season win over the visiting Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“The fun part of football is playing,” Dickenson said. “So I just told the guys, ‘We’ve got ourselves a challenge every time you’re on the field, and that’s kind of your resumé … that’s who you are. You play our brand of football, and let the work take care of itself.’”
Once Friday’s game is complete, it’ll mark nearly three weeks of camp in the books, with very few days of rest along the way.
“It’s been a while,” added Dickenson. “Yeah … I think honestly, you can feel it. There’s some stress right now. It’s ‘where’s my role? How do I feel my role is going to fit down the road? And do I need to be special? Do I need to make plays?’
“My thing is just do your job, and good football players always show up in games, and I think a lot of times just take care of what you can control. You don’t know field, weather, opportunity … you don’t always control those type of things. So just control what you can and be ready when that opportunity comes.”
SHORT YARDAGE
QB Josh Love gets the Friday start behind centre in a game that will not see first-string pivot Vernon Adams Jr. dress … Among others not suiting up for the contest include WR Dejon Brissett, WR Clark Barnes and K René Parades — all of whom have been limited in camp participation by injury … The CFL has announced landmark six-year agreements with Bell Media and DAZN, beginning in 2027. YouTube has been named a CFL Premier Platform Partner starting next year.
]]>One day, René Paredes will hang up his kicking cleats.
Those shoes that have made him a legend with the Calgary Stampeders.
Footwear that’s seen him boot his way to all sorts of milestones …
As a six-time all-CFL star …
As the fifth guy all-time league-wide in field-goal makes …
And as the second man in the franchise books for most points in a career.
“Yeah … we’ve got to give René the respect he deserves,” said Jude McAtamney, who’s learning — alongside fellow kicker Dawson Hodge — on the job from Paredes in Stampeders’ training camp.
“Like he’s been playing here since 2011, and he’s done it at such a high level,” continued McAtamney. “And we can only look up to him and what he’s done.”
But Paredes’ stellar career can’t go on forever.
And the Stampeders have to prepare for such an inevitability.
Cue the reason for both Hodge and McAtamney being at camp — and getting big reps — at McMahon Stadium.
“It’s a good opportunity to come in this year and learn from him,” Hodge said. “And then whenever he’s finished up, it’s like he’s passed on information to us on what to expect, and then it’s a good opportunity for us after that.”
Perhaps that chance comes as early as next Friday, when the Red and White kick into the 2026 Canadian Football League schedule against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM, TSN).
“Not at this point, no,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson, when asked if Paredes — who is in the last year of his most recent contract but is currently out with a leg injury — is available to kick in game action.
“Just he’s not feeling quite right.”
Paredes, now 41 and set to suit up for his 15th season, has rarely been seen kicking in training camp this spring.
“I’m not holding him back to just watch these other guys,” continued Dickenson. “He’s really comfortable with how his body functions, and he kind of knows what he needs to do. And I’ve always felt camp is important and kicks are important. It’s just repetition, I think.
“To me, kickers are similar like golfers — if you’re gonna get good at something, you have to have repetition. You’ve got to continually do it over and over and over again. I’m sure Rene’s chomping at the bit to get out here. And I do think he’ll be kicking fairly soon.”
Until then, it’s 24-year-old Hodge — an undrafted hopeful — and 26-year-old McAtamney — the Stamps’ sixth-overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft.
Related
Who are the kickers in Stamps camp?
# Age Ht Wt School
70 Dawson Hodge * 24 5’11 184 Wilfrid Laurier
22 Jude McAtamney * 26 6’1 215 Rutgers
30 René Paredes 41 5’11 200 Concordia
* — rookie
McAtamney, a product of Northern Ireland, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the NFL’s New York Giants in 2025 and went 3-of-3 on field goals, 10-of-13 on extra points and averaged 63.8 yards on 10 kickoffs.
He spent his 2021 NCAA season with the Chowan Hawks and played nine games, making six of 10 field-goal tries and converting all 47 extra-point attempts. He then transferred to kick for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for two seasons in 2022 and ’23, with whom he played 25 games. McAtamney was successful on 12-of-19 field-goal attempts, had a 95.8% success rate on his extra points and delivered 106 kickoffs for a 60.5-yard average.
“The more years you have under your belt — whether that’s good or bad experiences — the more you can bring that to the team and help the team in whatever way you can,” McAtamney said. “So I think, obviously, the more reps you get, the more games you play and the more experienced you’ll be, and I can only benefit the team.
“Calgary is one of the teams that I was talking to pre-draft, and then when they called me, I was very excited … very elated. But I felt like I was ready a little bit beforehand, because I talked to Coach and stuff, and they said they really wanted to bring me in, so I kind of like prepared myself.”
Hodge, an all-Canadian with the U SPORTS’ Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, started training camp with the Toronto Argonauts last year before being released on May 14. He signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on May 26 and saw action in one pre-season game, converting on his only field-goal attempt — a 31-yarder — while averaging 64 yards on three kickoffs and punting once for 48 yards.
“It’s been nice to kind of get a feel for what training camp is like and what it consists of,” said Hodge, a native of Coquitlam, B.C. “Obviously pro reps are a little bit different than when you’re in college. It’s everything’s kind of fast-paced, and everything matters a lot more. So having the two CFL camps before this camp is definitely beneficial, for sure.
“It definitely helps the mental game because it’s all pressure kicks. So having reps in training camp and in pre-seasons prior to coming here is definitely helpful in preparing myself mentally.”
In the Stamps’ pre-season win 10 days ago over the Saskatchewan Roughriders , Hodge hit a 43-yard field goal and punted twice for a 38.5-yard average, while McAtamney went 1-for-3 on field goals — including a 63-yard near-miss — and two kickoffs averaging 68.7 yards.
Both will likely get more action in Friday’s final pre-season tilt up north.
“They’re definitely available, if needed,” Dickenson said. “I think you’ve seen a lot of good improvement out of both (this spring), and I’m happy that they’re getting better.
“You know … I do feel, honestly, that (special-teams) Coach Craig (Dickenson) is one of the few guys I really believe that can coach technique, and the kickers have been open to trying a couple new things,” continued the head coach, referring to his brother.
“Jude doesn’t use a tee, which is just the way it goes sometimes. Dawson, I think, was more about consistency, but his kicking percentages just keep increasing. So … yeah … we’ve got René here, but we’re obviously looking for the future and all those type of things, too. And if a guy gets his number called, go in there and make that clutch kick for us.”
“It is an audition, and we’re just showing what we can do,” Hodge said. “And then whatever the coaches decide is the decision. Just know that we came out here and gave it everything.”
“Obviously, this year, René is the guy — we kind of knew that coming in,” added McAtamney. “But being able to learn from him and prepare ourselves for when the opportunity comes is all we can do, really.”
Short yardage
Stamps camp came to a close Wednesday with cuts expected after Friday’s game to get down to the CFL-mandated 46 players on the roster, plus those on the injured lists and the practice roster … WR Clark Barnes (leg) has been a limited participant in Stamps camp the last few days, while WR Dejon Brissett (leg) has also been sidelined and hasn’t practised in a few weeks … The six-game injured list is currently composed of OL Preston Nichols, DL Justin Sambu (leg), DL Daniel Joseph and DB Bailey Devine-Scott.
]]>The electricity of ‘Friday Night Lights’ on the Texas high-school gridiron gave Dev Bynum the energy to become a dangerous defensive back.
To hit hard …
To hawk balls …
To be a difference-maker.
It’s those traits of Bynum that piqued the interest of GM/head coach Dave Dickenson and the Calgary Stampeders, enough to make him a prized off-season signing despite already showing strong in the secondary.
“I got recruited by Coach Dave,” said a smiling Bynum, when asked what brought him to the Stampeders. “He gave me an opportunity. I became a free agent in the winter, and that opportunity’s what brought me down here.
“I’m bringing the big hits and interceptions to turn the crowd up.”
Much like he did in his rookie Canadian Football League season of 2024 with the Edmonton Elks, when he racked up 23 tackles, five interceptions and a forced fumble in just 14 games.
But the Stamps’ provincial rivals opted to part ways with Bynum after a torn pectoral muscle took him out of the lineup for most of last year.
And Bynum’s hoping the chance in Calgary fires him back to the top of his game with a crew that was among the best in the CFL a year ago.
“I want to definitely get back on the map,” said the 27-year-old defender from Dallas. “Get back on the top of the most interceptions, just be a lockdown playmaker and an all-around player.”
“He hasn’t played the halfback spot,” said Dickenson, of Bynum. “We feel like it’s a position he can play, and what I saw when he was at Edmonton was good speed and he was a shoot-tackler, meaning that when he triggered, he triggered with great speed.
“Certainly, I think we’ve got a lot of corners, so I’m trying to give him his best opportunity to compete for a starting job.”
Indeed, it’s a sharp set of talents in the defensive backfield of the Red and White.
Not much in the way of soft spots, with most everybody returning to their roles from last year’s successful unit.
“I really don’t worry about that,” said Bynum, who hopes to turn up the heat to steal a spot from the incumbents. “God has the last say-so in everything with me. This is where God placed my feet, so this is where I’m at. My faith is big.
“And I’m a big competitor, and Coach gave me a fair opportunity. I know I can crack the lineup.”
Related
Who are the defensive backs in Stamps camp?
# Age Ht Wt School
0 Kam Alexander * 25 5’11 178 Oregon
50 Zy Alexander * 24 6’2 187 Louisiana State
38 Sheldon Arnold II 24 6’1 189 Central Florida
32 Devodric Bynum 27 5’11 186 Alabama Birmingham
45 Corey Coley * 22 6’1 184 North Carolina State
25 Jaydon Grant 27 6’0 196 Oregon State
0 Adrian Greene 27 6’0 192 Saint Mary’s
31 Anton Haie 25 6’0 200 Laval
44 Anthony Johnson 26 6’2 218 Virginia
29 Ben Labrosse 26 6’0 194 McGill
10 Ike Larsen * 23 5’10 200 Utah State
39 Ashton Miller-Melancon * 24 6’2 201 Queen’s
6 Derrick Moncrief 32 6’1 217 Oklahoma State
27 Godfrey Onyeka 32 6’1 216 Wilfrid Laurier
37 Jordan Polk * 25 6’1 181 Texas State
35 Dolani Robinson 26 6’2 201 Regina
40 Justin Sombach 26 5’8 194 Regina
9 Damon Webb 5’11 205 Ohio State
* — rookie
The starters across the secondary have all returned.
Derrick Moncrief, Bynum’s former teammate in Edmonton and the 2025 Presidents’ Ring winner for the Stamps, anchors the unit at the strong-side linebacker’s spot.
At field-side cornerback is all-CFL West star Adrian Greene, while Anthony Johnson is back at the boundary-side corner spot.
Jaydon Grant is the field-side halfback, while Sheldon Arnold II was the guy at boundary-side halfback position through Week 14 until a broken arm took him out of action.
That’s where Bynum has a chance to crack the starting squad as a 5-foot-11, 186-lb. defender since Arnold’s injury has slowed him in a full return to the spot.
Co-leader Damon Webb, too, is still recovering from injury at safety. And Bailey Devine-Scott, who stepped into the centre-field position when Webb went out late last year with a pectoral injury, is now on the six-game injured list himself. That gives Canadian returnee Justin Sombach the edge to start at the safety spot until Webb or Devine-Scott return to action.
“There’s a lot of energy, a lot of passion out here,” said Bynum, of his new backfield mates. “Everybody flies around, and we have fun.
“We have great coaches who have a great defence. They care about the players. It’s family-oriented here.”
More on Bynum
A family-first feeling is certainly embraced by Bynum.
He was raised by his grandmother, Mary, who was there for all his football moments, especially the big ones in high school under the Friday night lights of the Cotton Bowl.
“Just doing it for my grandmother,” said Bynum, who lost her to breast cancer while he was playing NCAA football with the UAB Blazers.
“She was always at the Cotton Bowl.”
And he was always giving it his all and feeling it all.
“Man … it’s like no other game,” said Bynum, of playing for Lincoln High School under the bright lights in Texas. “Besides the Super Bowl, it’s probably the biggest event of the year. It’s two rivals in the same ’hood, like we go against each other and it’s bragging rights. We’re like three minutes apart …
“It’s everything.
“If you’re from Dallas, everyone knows. We play at the Cotton Bowl, so you know how that goes.”
He believes those Friday night lights made him the person — and gridiron warrior — he is today.
“Like I just feel I can go through anything and bounce back — nothing is too hard for me,” continued Bynum, 27. “I love the adversity. That’s when I’m most comfortable when I’m going through things like that. It just shaped me where I come from.”
The Stamps hope it shapes him for where he’s going this year.
“I had my time in Edmonton — had a great rookie year and got injured my second year,” added Bynum. “You know … it’s just circumstances — things happen, things change, rearrange … So I got presented the opportunity to come here.
“I want to win a Grey Cup here. Of course, I have personal expectations, but I’m team-first, and then, I’ll just let that align with our team success.”
Short yardage
Stampeders main camp continues Wednesday with a morning session at McMahon Stadium (10:45 a.m.) … The second and final pre-season contest for the club is slated for Friday, May 29, against the host Edmonton Elks (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM) … Game 1 of the regular season goes Friday, June 5, against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM, TSN).
]]>Related
‘The Sexy Dexy’ might become a thing at McMahon Stadium.
That and a few other dances if Elijah Hills makes the squad and has his way with opposition quarterbacks in the Canadian Football League.
At least, the young defensive lineman showed his moves Monday in celebrating his first snaps with the Calgary Stampeders.
“I have a lot of passion for this game,” said Hills, whose sack dance in the home team’s pre-season win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders didn’t go unnoticed at McMahon.
“And I have family that watched this game, and I know they love seeing me go out there and do my thing, so I like to stand out a little bit and celebrate,” continued Hills. “You know … the hard work comes to fruition.
“So I just like to show it a little bit.”
Hills is showing more than just a little bit in his rookie push to become a member of the Stampeders.
At 23, the youngster from Rockaway, N.J., is showing out along the d-line during Red and White training camp, with his Monday’s game effort earning a shoutout from head coach Dave Dickenson post-game.
That’s a monster boost of confidence given the numbers — 17 hopefuls, including nine returnees — and quality in camp.
“He shouted out two of the d-linemen — me and (Norell) Pollard — so it was awesome,” Hills said. “Just to hear my name being called in front of the whole team, it’s surreal.”
His stat line in the victory?
Four tackles — only fellow rookie Jordan Polk had more with five — and the second-quarter sack of Roughriders QB Jack Coan that prompted ‘The Sexy Dexy’, a smooth celebration dance emulating that of NFL superstar Dexter Lawrence.
“Whatever comes, goes,” added Hills, when asked if he does the same sack dance after every QB takedown. “The moment came, and I just did it. I’m a big Dexter Lawrence fan, so it’s the first thing that came to mind, and I just hit it.”
Related
Who are the defensive linemen in Stamps camp?
# Ht Wt Age School
90 Miles Brown 6’1 305 28 Wofford College
1 Clarence Hicks 6’2 224 27 Texas at San Antonio
73 Elijah Hills * 6’3 283 23 Wisconsin
47 George Idoko 6’1 228 25 Saskatchewan
99 Daniel Joseph 6’3 247 29 North Carolina State
75 Steven Kpehe * 6’1 240 23 Queen’s
56 Brandon Maina * 5’11 279 23 Wofford College
53 Khairi Manns * 6’2 228 24 James Madison
72 Tristan Marois * 6’5 243 24 Colorado
91 Te’Mon Morris-Brash * 6’2 246 25 Central Florida
98 Devonte O’Malley * 6’2 295 23 Northern Illinois
7 Folarin Orimolade 5’11 235 30 Dartmouth
58 Shaun Peterson Jr. 6’3 231 26 Central Florida
76 Norell Pollard * 6’1 278 26 Virginia Tech
97 Justin Sambu 6’2 295 27 Baylor
77 Kelon Thomas 6’4 240 25 Okanagan Sun
93 Charles Wiley 6’3 272 28 Texas at San Antonio
* — rookie
The Stamps defensive line definitely turned up the heat last season in the team’s bounce-back, largely due to three impressive talents.
Folarin ‘Flo’ Orimolade returned to the squad to remind fans of his sack mastery from the rush-end position and was dearly missed after suffering a Labour Day achilles injury.
At the other end spot, Clarence Hicks was as good as anyone in the league with 12 QB takedowns.
And inside, tackle Jaylon Hutchings was named an all-CFL star with 38 tackles, eight sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Charles Wiley — with five sacks — Miles Brown, Shaun Peterson Jr. and Canadian Justin Sambu were also solid contributors to the rise of the Red and White d-line.
But with Orimolade still sidelined and Hutchings having left to chase an NFL opportunity, there are spots to be won by the many rookies on hand and more chances for the returned veterans to earn playing time.
Peterson Jr., for one, was on point when healthy and in the lineup.
“We know that things just change — I get that,” said Dickenson, of the losses to the d-line. “But we know everybody’s hungry and everybody wants to do it the right way. Everybody’s trying to do what they can to make their impression and make this team, first and foremost.
“What I like is that I feel like everybody is really locked in and doing what they need to do to try to be better, and I do think — ultimately — consistency and those type of things is what’s going to probably put one guy over the other.”
Sambu is out indefinitely and on the six-game injured list after suffering a leg injury during a camp session earlier this week. Also added Thursday to the six-game list is fellow d-lineman Daniel Joseph.
And Hutchings has since been cut by the Minnesota Vikings and is currently shelved by injury, leading to many questions about a return to the Stamps or another CFL squad in the near future.
Stay tuned for that.
More about Hills
Fresh-face Hills was out of football last year after starring with the NCAA’s Wisconsin Badgers in 2024.
So the 6-foot-3, 283-lb. tackle was champing at the bit to get going Monday.
“I’ve just been hungry, starving for this moment, and I was just ready to go out there and show what I can do,” said Hills, of the exhibition effort. “It was awesome. I just feel blessed … you know. I did a year without playing football, so I was just excited to go out there and just give my all.”
His last action was attending rookie mini-camp with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers after concluding his senior year at Wisconsin and his three NCAA seasons before that with the Albany Great Danes.
In 12 games for the Badgers, he rolled up 26 tackles — including 5.5 for losses — and added three sacks and one fumble recovery. And in 35 games for the Great Danes, he recorded 67 tackles — including 17.5 for losses — 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
“I was just given an opportunity here, and that’s all I need,” said Hills of coming to the CFL. “There’s an opportunity, so I just came here getting ready to work, and whatever happens, happens. It’s all in God’s hands.”
His year away from football included substitute teaching and coaching a freshman team at Delbarton School, a private high school in Morristown, N.J., and a lot of prayer for a return to the game.
“It was just keep praying and just watching film and just watching myself and just telling myself that I’m still the same player that I was when I last played,” added Hills. “And maybe even better.
“We’ve got great leaders up front here on the d-line, and they just motivate us, keep us going and show us the way. The d-line here is the standard, so it was just awesome to just follow their lead and just keep going.”
Short yardage
The Stampeders signed OL Martes Lewis and brought back DB Corey Coley Jr. — both Americans — in transactions announced early Thursday … Main camp continues Friday with a morning session at McMahon (9:45 a.m.) … The second and final pre-season contest for the club is slated for Friday, May 29, against the host Edmonton Elks (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM) … Game 1 of the regular season goes Friday, June 5, against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM, TSN).
]]>Mark Vassett has been heavily challenged in the early days of his Canadian Football League career.
Year 2 for the punter isn’t just about replicating his fantastic first pro campaign.
It’s also about ensuring his accuracy is as pinpoint ever, given the revised rules for the kicking game in the 2026 CFL season.
“Yeah … if I kick it out the side or the back of the endzone, it’s not a point any more,” said Vassett, a rather unheralded — but sensational — pick-up for the Stampeders during their season of transition last year.
“Maybe instead of aiming for the five-yard line, I might aim for the 10 — like not be as aggressive with it,” continued the native of Melbourne, Australia. “But the new rules don’t bother me. I’m pretty relaxed — like I just come to work and do what I need to do. I don’t worry about all that stuff too much.”
There are many who do have worries about how the rules will affect the punting game once the regular slate kicks in June 4.
Vassett himself admits the added adjustments for 2027 might be ever more concerning.
But some are already in place for this season.
Off the top is the long-standing Canadian football tradition of the rouge having been modified.
No more are punt singles in play for kicks that travel through or out the side of the endzone without touching a player on the receiving team.
If that happens, the line of scrimmage becomes the 40-yard line for the receiving team …
A harsh ‘penalty’ for ‘over-punting’, if you will.
Ouch.
“I do think, obviously, one point here and not getting a point there can change a game,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “So we are very aware of it. We think a punter has to do an outstanding job of (hitting the) coffin-corner or not pushing the envelope too far and getting too close to the (goal-line) pylon, so that you go all the way out to the 40.
“It’s pretty punitive to go out of the endzone and then no point out to the 40. To me, that’s very, very punitive.
“But that’s what they want, so that’s what we’ll do.”
In Vassett, the Stamps seem to have a guy who can do just that and avoid the punishment of a punting faux-pas.
Sure he’s got a strong leg. In the 13 games of his rookie CFL season, the Melbourne-area product punted 71 times for 3,551 yards — an average of 50.0 yards per kick to set a new franchise single-season record — with three singles.
But Vassett’s also got the necessary accuracy. He had seven punts that pinned the opposition inside the 10-yard line, which established a league single-season mark.
All that excellence made him the Stampeders’ nominee for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and an all-CFL West Division star.
“I had so much fun,” said 29-year-old Vassett, of his maiden CFL campaign. “Like before I came here, I really didn’t know anything about the CFL, but I quickly learned the game. And my teammates made it so much fun, and we obviously had a pretty good season.
“I’ve always been confident in my ability. So the thing I always say is, ‘Trust your training.’ Like if you put in the work, then you just do what you do on game-day. So I always go into each game confident that I can have a good game.
“That’s just my mindset.”
So far, so good in Season 2 for Vassett, too.
Monday’s 20-15 exhibition affair over the Saskatchewan Roughriders at McMahon Stadium saw him sock three balls for a 52.3-yard average, helping to limit any positive field position for the enemy.
“Mark had a tremendous game, pinning them in tight without kicking it in the endzone,” remarked Dickenson post-game Monday.
Youngster Dawson Hodge also saw action in the contest, punting twice for a 38.5-yard average. The 24-year-old former standout of the U SPORTS’ Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks is trying to find a home in the CFL.
But with Vassett coming off such an impressive debut campaign, that’s a tough order for the B.C. product to take on here in Calgary.
NEW RULES FOR KICKING
• The rouge will no longer include a single point for a missed field-goal attempt that goes wide of the goal-posts. A point will also not be awarded when a punt or kickoff sails through or rolls out the back, or sides, of an endzone without being touched by a returner.
• If a punt, field goal or kickoff settles in the endzone, and the returner fails to take it out or takes a knee, a single point will still be awarded.
• On missed field goals/kicks passing through the endzone, the ball is placed at the 40-yard line.
MORE ON VASSETT
Vassett was a second-round selection — 10th overall — by the Stamps in the 2025 CFL Global Draft and won a battle with fellow Aussie punter Fraser Masin, who was actually the top pick in the same global draft and is now with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
When Masin was sidelined by injury in Week 5 last year, Vassett made the most of his chance to win the job all the way through to the CFL’s Western Final, in which Vassett punted five times for 245 yards with a gross average of 49.0 and a net average of 34.8 yards.
“Just keep getting better,” said Vassett, of what comes next in his young career. “As a punter, you just want to be more consistent and eliminate the bad punts. Just you want your teammates and your coaches to know what they’re going to get each time I go on the field.
“Yeah … definitely a good year last year but never satisfied — always want to keep getting better, come back each season and improve, so that’s definitely the goal.”
Vassett ended his college career for Deion ‘Coach Prime’ Sanders and the NCAA’s Colorado Buffaloes. His final season with them in 2024 saw him average 43.7 yards on 53 punts and finish second in the Big 12 conference in both punts inside the 20 (19) and punts that covered at least 50 yards (15), making him a conference honourable-mention selection.
Over four combined seasons with Colorado and the Louisville Cardinals — which was comprised of 22 games with the Buffaloes and 26 with the Cardinals — Vassett punted 218 times and averaged 43.7 yards per kick. He pinned the opposition inside its own 20-yard line 75 times and had 44 punts that covered at least 50 yards.
Vassett was an alumnus of Warragul Regional College in Baw Baw Shire and a product of the Prokick Australia program, which helps Australians earn football opportunities at U.S. colleges.
“So after high school, I just worked back home in construction and I was playing local Australian football,” Vassett said. “That’s what I did for probably five or six years, and then I heard about the Pro Kick Australia Academy down there and thought, ‘That sounds pretty cool, so I’ll give that a try.’ And I ended up getting trained there for about two years and got a scholarship offer to Louisville. Played two years there and then transferred to Colorado, which was a great time. I loved that place and loved that coaching staff. Playing for Coach Prime was amazing.
“Yeah … so it’s been a long journey — and not something I ever envisioned doing,” added Vassett. “But it’s amazing. I love it so much.”
SHORT YARDAGE
Main camp continues Thursday with a morning session at McMahon (10:10 a.m.) … The second and final pre-season contest for the club is slated for Friday, May 29, against the host Edmonton Elks (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM) … Game 1 of the regular season goes Friday, June 5, against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., QR Calgary 770 AM, TSN).
]]>Tyreik McAllister is a premier return man on the football landscape.
So, true to form, he’s returned to the Canadian Football League from a sojourn down south, hooking up with the Calgary Stampeders in hopes of once again breaking ankles — and tackles — en route to another successful chapter of electrifying runbacks.
“Expect a guy that’s gonna give it 110 per cent every time I’m on the field,” said the shifty McAllister.
“Every time I touch the ball, I’m going to try and score,” continued the 5-foot-9, 183-lb. McAllister. “So I’m just trying to bring some electricity to the stadium and help the team.”
That’s exactly why the Stampeders made him one of their prized off-season acquisitions.
In trying to give a boost to their special teams, which endured struggles last year — especially in the 2025 West Division Semi-final — McAllister was brought in to help in the return game …
At best to give the Stamps a few more touchdowns, and at worst, to give them better field position for the offence, beginning with Monday’s exhibition tilt against the visiting Saskatchewan Roughriders at McMahon Stadium (1 p.m., CHQR 770 AM).
“Whatever the team needs,” said McAllister, who is listed as a rusher. “Whether that’s at running back … you know … whatever. Wherever I fit in the offence, that’ll be my role.”
For now, he’s the guy they’ll key on to run back kicks and punts.
And why not, given his resumé?
McAllister played 16 games for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2023, when he recorded 41 kickoff returns for 1,037 yards, 56 punt returns for 602 yards, seven missed-field goal returns for 408 yards.
His all-purpose yards — he also had 27 receptions for 364 yards and two TDs and 13 carries for 52 yards — and a kickoff-return average led the league that season, and he was the Ticats’ nominee for the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award.
“I feel like this is a place to come in and compete,” said McAllister, of Calgary. “I’ve had some experience (running back kicks) in the past, so I feel like I’d be good with it.”
The Stamps, however, plan to use him for more than just returns, and that’s shown in his work during the first week of training camp.
“Yeah … we’ve been doing a lot with him, and he’s been picking it up,” said Stamps GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “I definitely feel he catches the ball super smooth and clean in the return game. But he’s made a play and made a touchdown as a receiver (in camp). And then, we’ve also put him in at running back. So the guy I think can do a lot for us.
“But don’t overload him, because I find the best returners are those that don’t play a lot of offence or defence — because I feel like it wears them out. So I’d like to at least keep them fresh.”
Related
WHO ARE THE SPECIAL-TEAMS STARS IN STAMPS CAMP?
# Age Ht Wt School
70 Dawson Hodge * (kicker) 24 5’11 184 Wilfrid Laurier
22 Jude McAtamney * (kicker)* 26 6’1 215 Rutgers
30 René Paredes (kicker) 41 5’11 200 Concordia
15 Mark Vassett (punter) 29 6’4 210 Colorado
43 Jason MacGougan (long-snapper) 23 6’0 228 Wilfrid Laurier
* — rookie
McAllister isn’t the only runback artist in Stamps camp.
Returning balls, as well, will be returnee Erik Brooks, who dazzled as one of the league’s best and wowed the McMahon crowd with a punt return for a major last year in the Labour Day Classic.
“Yeah … he’ll return, too,” confirmed Dickenson, of Brooks. “But Erik’s really playing a lot more right now on offence, with Reggie (Begelton) not taking a lot of snaps.”
There’s fellow receiver Kaylon Horton in the runback mix, too. He had 731 combined yards on returns to finish second on the squad behind Brooks and his 1,000 last season.
“I think we got pretty good return guys,” Dickenson said. “Deonta McMahon is a very similar body type (to McAllister), with good speed and able to do a lot of the same things.
“But we’re hoping that we can get some bigger bodies that move people in front of them on returns,” continued Dickenson. “I think probably our weakness last year is we just didn’t do a good job giving our returners the first five yards, giving them a chance to get started on something. And a lot of that was we felt like we were just a little too small. So we drafted big, and we got a lot of big bodies (in the off-season). So we’re going to hopefully do a better job in our blocking schemes in our return game.”
Elsewhere on special teams, the team’s batteries for the punt and kick teams return intact, highlighted by veteran René Paredes — now 41 — being back for a 15th CFL season.
After a spectacular rookie season, all-CFL West punter Mark Vassett, 29, lines up for his second year.
As does 23-year-old long-snapper Jason MacGoughan, with veteran Aaron Crawford no longer with the Stampeders.
MORE ABOUT McALLISTER
The American’s one-year tour of duty in the CFL ended in early 2024, when he left to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.
He signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, scoring two touchdowns in a 2024 pre-season game and later making three regular-season appearances.
McAllister, an NCAA Division 2 standout with the Charleston Golden Eagles, was most recently under contract with the Columbus Aviators of the United Football League.
“My hope was just to put my best product on the field down there,” McAllister said. “And I felt like I did that for most of the time I was there … you know.
“In Vegas, I ended up making the 53-man roster, and things felt good. But once I hit a little bump in the road and I had a shoulder injury, things kind of didn’t turn out the way I expected. It was kind of tough for me just trying to battle back and fight back, and I just didn’t quite get there.
“So I ended up making my way back here.”
He says the Stamps weren’t the only CFL team to make him an offer.
But he liked the chance he saw to showcase his wares in Calgary, where the only teammate from his Ticats days is linebacker Kyle Wilson.
“You know … it’s just a feel thing,” said McAllister, of making the decision to return to the three-down ranks. “You take advantage of the opportunities while they’re there. So that was my thing. The opportunity wasn’t there for the NFL, and it was here for the CFL. So I’m taking my opportunity — and I’m just trying to run with it.”
The Stampeders hope he does just that all the way to the endzone on more than a few occasions.
“I’m always open to do anything as a team to get better,” added McAllister. “I don’t really try to set no numbers expectation-wise on myself, but I just try to come in and be better than I was before.
“And I just felt like I was comfortable here in the CFL in Hamilton and just with the Canadian game period. I just feel comfortable with it all, so I was all ears when my agent told me I had a chance to come back.
“So I was excited about a fresh start.”
SHORT YARDAGE
The Stampeders lost DL Justin Sambu to an apparent leg injury suffered during Thursday’s camp session. He was carted off the field after getting tangled up during a play, with Dickenson hinting a day later it looks like a long-term issue for the Canadian lineman … Main camp continues Saturday with a morning session at Hellard Field at Shouldice Athletic Park (9:45 a.m.) … The second and final pre-season contest for the club is slated for Friday, May 29, against the host Edmonton Elks (7 p.m.).
]]>Everything is right on the left side of the Calgary Stampeders offensive line.
D’Antne Demery is there for at least another two seasons.
So, too, is Zack Williams.
And together they return in 2026 as ‘Blind-side Brothers’ to a unit that was among the best in the Canadian Football League last season.
That’s a heavy burden — a hefty combined weight of 629 pounds — taken off the shoulders of Dave Dickenson in his mission to keep his quarterbacks upright and his running backs running miles.
“I think they’re happy,” said the Stampeders GM/head coach, who’s pleased as punch himself after the off-season re-signings of Demery to a one-year extension through 2027 and Williams to a two-year extension through 2028 in the face of having nearly every contract held by offensive linemen expire after this season.
“It was our goal to try to lock down at least two of the remaining guys,” continued Dickenson. “And so with both Dem and Zack signing extensions, I think that was big for us. They play well together, too — they really do.
“So happy to have them this year — but also, hopefully, it gears us up for the future.”
Demery himself lines up at left tackle — the QB’s much-valuable blind-side protector.
And all-CFL West star Zack Williams “is locked in” beside him at left guard.
The fact both re-upped with the Stampeders in the off-season is no coincidence. They talked about returning together heading into the winter.
“Oh … man, we just got a connection with each other,” said the 6-foot-4, 322-lb. Demery, of left-side success with Williams. “Man … we’ve built something, and we brothers now.
“So it’s like something that we wanted to do — something that we talked about during the off-season. We just stuck to the plan, and we knew we just wanted to stay back and try to come back here and win a Grey Cup.”
But it’s not just Demery and Williams that have turned what had been a struggling unit into one that help the Stampeders contend for the home-town CFL championship in November at McMahon Stadium.
The surprising debut of Chris Fortin at centre in place of injured veteran Bryce Bell, the consistency of ironman Christy Nkanu at right guard and a solid show of next-man-up efforts at right tackle have all contributed to a rise in o-line fortunes.
“I think we just got comfortable with each other,” said 28-year-old Demery, of last year’s success along the line. “We started to figure it out, and we just got comfortable and just started dominating.
“So it’s just keep building this year. One day at a time, one game at a time, one play at a time, one practice at a time …”
WHO ARE THE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN IN STAMPS CAMP?
# Age Ht Wt School
61 William Barnes 26 6’4 336 North Carolina
66 Bryce Bell 28 6’4 304 Wilfrid Laurier
68 Deondre Buford* 25 6’4 321 Cincinnati
60 D’Antne Demery 28 6’4 322 Florida International
62 Cameron Dye* 23 6’3 311 Southern Illinois
57 Chris Fortin 26 6’4 307 Connecticut
64 Tomas Jack-Kurdyla 30 6’4 295 Buffalo
69 Chris Murray* 25 6’2 300 Oklahoma
52 Preston Nichols 26 6’2 284 Purdue
65 Christy Nkanu 27 6’2 325 Washington State
55 Mitchel Schechinger* 22 6’2 306 Guelph
59 Matthew Stokman* 24 6’3 340 Manitoba
56 Jack Warrack* 22 6’5 298 Saskatchewan
67 Zack Williams 29 6’5 307 Manitoba
* — rookie
Cameron Dye, Chris Murray and Deondre Buford are young Americans hoping to land a spot on the Red and White roster.
Matthew Stokman, a seventh-round CFL draft-pick last year, and Michel Schechinger and Jack Warrack — respective sixth- and eighth-rounders this year — are the fresh Canadians in camp, joining experienced compatriots Bell, Fortin, Nkanu, Williams and Tomas Jack-Kurdyla. The only one of those eight Canucks not drafted and groomed by the Stamps is Jack-Kurdyla, who was a fourth-overall pluck by the Edmonton club in 2020.
Add in the three returning Americans — Demery, Preston Nichols and William Barnes — and the hope is the o-line can be as cohesive as it was last year.
“I think it’s just being around each other and understanding each other and communicating with each other,” said Demery, a native of Brunswick, Ga. “One of the big things that I’ve kind of seen early on in my career here is just the communication and kind of trying to be around each other to be a unit.”
WHAT’S UP WITH THE REST OF THE O-LINE?
With Demery and Williams seemingly all-in on the left side, jobs along the rest of the o-line are still up for grabs.
At centre, Bell is back, hoping to recoup his old gig.
And Nkanu has been a fixture at right guard.
But the undeniable talent of Fortin, who was the Stamps’ Most Outstanding rookie last year after being selected eighth overall in the 2025 CFL Draft, is pushing both.
“I’ve been slow-playing Bryce a little bit just to make sure he can stay healthy,” Dickenson said. “But he’s doing a nice job.
“But Chris, Christie and Bryce know there’s only going to be two positions for the three of them. You know … I get that they’re three good players. They all want to start and play and push each other, and hopefully that makes us better.”
And expect William Barnes and Preston Nichols to shore up the right-tackle position, although Dickenson is liking the push from fresh faces at that position, including Murray.
“Yeah … there’s a lot of guys there,” Dickenson said. “Definitely, it’s a job that’s wide open, and we’ll see how everyone does.
“And we’re nicked up a little bit here and there, as well. So take advantage of reps when you get in there, compete hard and get better each day. That’s the big thing.
“I think if you see these young guys and all the guys find a way to improve each and every day, I think that’s the only way to get better.”
Don’t be surprised to see four Canadians start along the offensive line.
A nice ratio-breaker, if you can get it.
“I’m not really working any (Canadian) as much at right tackle, though,” added Dickenson. “We do have multiple guys that have played it. Zack has played it, Chris has played it, and actually, so has Bryce. And Christy played it in college, as well. So we could (put a Canadian there).
“We do feel pretty good with our interior depth. Stokman is stepping up. Even our young draft-picks this year are, too. So I think we got good depth in there. So if we need some help on the outside and we think that’s the best option, certainly we can do that.”
]]>Dejon Brissett comes to the Calgary Stampeders with a little of this and a little of that.
The free-agent signee has got the skills to slot in at any receiver position.
The pass-catcher also has the knowledge and the drive to make a difference.
And the Canadian’s got championship charge after capturing the Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts twice in his Canadian Football League career.
Nice catch if you can get your hands on such a talent, which the Stampeders did in the off-season, making Brissett one of their handful of prized acquisitions during the winter.
“It’s been great so far,” said Brissett, during the early days of Stamps main camp at McMahon Stadium. “I feel part of the team. I feel welcome. The guys are pretty cool, and we communicate pretty well.
“I feel like I fit right in.”
The Red and White want him to slot right in as a key contributor in the pass game.
The team lost American hands-man Dominique Rhymes, last year’s leading receiver with 886 yards, to retirement.
It also lost Canadian breakout talent Damien Alford, the top pick in the 2025 CFL Draft, to the NFL’s New Orleans Saints.
So that meant the need for at least one more set of hands to complement QB Vernon Adams Jr.
“Very impressed with his knowledge base and also his work ethic and his attitude,” said Stamps GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “I think he’s going to fit in great. And we’re looking for him to be a Stamp for a long time.”
It’s why Dickenson signed Brissett to a two-year deal when the CFL’s free-agency window opened in February.
“Good thing about him was he was playing in Toronto with (head coach) Ryan Dinwiddie,” continued Dickenson. “Obviously, Ryan has changed things for what he does (with the Argonauts), but there’s still a foundation core from when he was part of us here (as quarterbacks coach from 2016-19). So Dejon’s got a really good beat on what we’re trying to accomplish.
“Definitely, it’s very similar to Toronto,” agreed Brissett. “There’s some differences with the words and the positions. But for the most part, it’s pretty much the same thing. So I’m flowing right in.”
Right in, the Stamps hope, to a year like the one he showcased in 2025, when he topped the Argos’ pass-catching charts with 907 yards on 65 receptions.
“What we want to do is move him around on the field,” Dickenson said. “We want to put him in at wide-out sometimes and in the slot. Use it. Use what he’s best at, and we’re trying to get to know him a little bit. What is he best at, and what are some things that we think he gives us the best option?”
“I would say I’m a jack of all trades,” answered Brissett. “You know… I can play every position — I can play all five. I can stretch the field, get downfield, jump up and go get the ball. I can also block, as well. A little bit everything.
“But I would say probably running down the field and going up and getting it is what I do best.”
WHO ARE THE RECEIVERS IN STAMPS CAMP?
# Age Ht Wt School
- 14 Clark Barnes 25 6’1 201 Guelph
- 84 Reggie Begelton 32 6’1 205 Lamar
- 17 Dejon Brissett 29 6’1 206 Virginia
- 87 Erik Brooks 26 5’7 178 Fresno State
- 18 Rylan Davison* 24 5’10 206 Mercyhurst College
- 88 Kaylon Horton 25 5’9 169 North Texas
- 78 Jeremiah Hunter* 24 6’2 202 Washington
- 81 Vyshonne Janusas 25 5’11 229 Guelph
- 4 Tevin Jones 33 6’3 222 Memphis
- 82 Jesulayomi Ojutalayo 22 6’2 212 Wilfrid Laurier
- 86 Rashod Owens* 24 6’2 226 Oklahoma State
- 85 Jalen Philpot 25 6’0 203 Calgary
- 24 Matt Sibley* 22 5’10 190 Calgary
- 71 Javin Whatley* 23 5’10 172 Arizona
- 0 Dante Wright* 25 5’9 187 Temple
* — rookie
Beyond Rhymes and Alford, the Stamps return a receiving corps with major upside after Jalen Philpot (830 yards), Erik Brooks (824), Tevin Jones (618) and Clark Barnes (601) all showed out in the pass game.
That was without superstar veteran Reggie Begelton, who went down early last season with an ACL tear and is not yet back in action for the Red and White.
But there’s help in the form of a few fresh faces and promising draftees in camp.
Both Matt Sibley and Jesulayomi Ojutalayo fit both categories, with homegrown Sibley joining the Stamps after starring with the Calgary Dinos. And Vyshonne Janusas returns as a 2025 draft pick to improve on a solid debut season.
Back, as well, is returner Kaylon Horton.
However, what any of the newbies truly bring remains to be seen.
MORE ON BRISSETT
The native of Mississauga, Ont., wasn’t just a twice Grey Cup champ. He was also the Most Outstanding Canadian of the 2024 championship game.
Then came his best production last season of a five-year CFL career that’s seen Brissett roll up 136 catches for 1,905 yards and 12 touchdowns — all with the Argos.
“I played with (Stamps rush-end Folarin) ‘Flo’ (Orimolade) for a while in the other organization,” Brissett said. “Clark Barnes is a Toronto guy from Brampton, so we’ve done some work together.
“And then I worked out with the guys in L.A. in the off-season — got with V.A. and got with other receivers and (running back Dedrick) Millsy (Mills). And we gelled out there. And so we’re just carrying it on to training camp.
“It was very important, I think, to earn the respect of the guys around here and be able to call them by their first name. Getting that chemistry and those relationships is important, and it carries out on the field. We can communicate, and we make it happen.”
Brissett, who was a standout with the NCAA Virginia Cavaliers, was also a contributor on the special-teams units during his tenure in Toronto — with 18 special-teams tackles, eight kickoff returns for 153 yards, four punt returns for 28 yards and a touchdown after recovering a blocked punt.
But it’s that Grey Cup know-how — and he certainly knows how after making three catches for 45 yards and a TD to earn the top Canadian award in the 2024 finale — that has the Stamps jacked about his arrival.
“I’ve been on two teams that got there and won it, so it’s a process, right?” added Brissett of his Grey Cup experience, which also includes a run to the 2022 title. “And so I’ve just kind of been reinforcing that with the guys — not getting too focused on the end goal but on every single step along the way.
“Teams that finish strong and then start strong and finish stronger, those are teams who usually win. So as a guy who’s done it a couple times, I feel like my job is to reinforce that and be a little more vocal but not step on too many toes as I get myself involved at the beginning. Kind of just watch and listen and then apply myself when needed.”
SHORT YARDAGE
The Stampeders got down to numbers on cut-down day ahead of Wednesday’s practice. They released WR Shaq Davis, WR Jordan Kerley, OL Rodeem Brown, DL Savio Frazier, DL B.J. Thompson, DL Max von Muehldorfer, LB Kaylyn St-Cyr, DB Millard Bradford, DB Corey Coley Jr. and DB Josh Proctor … Main camp continues Thursday with a morning session at McMahon Stadium … The Stamps’ first pre-season game goes against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Monday at McMahon (1 p.m.) … The second and final pre-season contest for the club is slated for Friday, May 29, against the host Edmonton Elks (7 p.m.).
]]>Dedrick Mills arrived at Calgary Stampeders training camp with the same pep in his step — and personality — that made him the 2025 Canadian Football League rushing king.
Yup … he’s gung-ho to run it back again.
But with even more gusto — and lighter in weight, to boot — in hopes of answering the cliched question of ‘What will the bruising running back do for an encore?’
“Continue the same thing,” said an excited Mills, during the early days of the team’s main sessions at McMahon Stadium.
“Continue to work, continue to come out here and perfect my craft up. Just continue to bond in with the team so we all get to know each other …
“Just continue to do that stuff but just pick back up on that and just do more — do a whole lot more.”
The all-CFL offensive weapon is throwing out wish-list numbers such as 20 touchdowns and more than 1,500 rushing yards, building on what was his best season ever a year ago, when he took 250 handoffs and ran to 1,409 yards and 11 TDs to become the top rusher in the country and the Stampeders’ most outstanding player.
Mills also hauled in 33 passes for 292 receiving yards in helping lead the Stamps to a terrific turnaround campaign.
“I want to hit 1,500, 1,600, 1,700 yards in the regular season,” Mills said. “And then as far as touchdowns, I need 20 touchdowns, you know? Twenty-plus.
“So just those are just some goals I’m aiming at. It’s just something that I’m working towards.”
That prep began in the off-season, as Mills shed a few pounds in trying to roll up even more real estate in 2026.
“Did a lot of different things that I never really done, like footwork stuff,” said the 29-year-old fifth-year CFLer. “Just went all out this off-season and came back in with my body in the best shape it’s ever been in coming into camp, weighing in at 225 (lbs.) on the dot. Usually I’m coming in 230, 240, 238, 240 … I’m just like the best I ever felt, body-wise, weight-wise.
“Most definitely, it was very important,” added Mills. “I just felt like I needed to work on myself a lot more, especially if I wanted to have a better season than I had last year. Even though I had a great season, I just want to have an even better season.”
The Stamps hope so, too, although they will most definitely take a rerun of last year.
“Mills is ready to rock,” confirmed Stamps GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “He seems like he’s in a good spot. I just want to make sure he stays hungry, meaning that there’s a reason he had a good year. So keep doing those things and don’t be satisfied.”
Related
Who are the running backs in Stamps camp?
# Age Ht Wt School
28 Ludovick Choquette 24 5’9 211 Long Island
33 Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams * 25 5’10 203 Michigan State
34 Tyreik McAllister 28 5’9 183 Charleston
20 Deonta McMahon 26 5’8 178 McNeese State
26 Dedrick Mills 29 5’10 225 Nebraska
* — rookie
Outside of Mills as the no-doubt workhorse and 2025 draftee Ludovick Choquette hoping for more field time in his sophomore season, the running-back room has quite a new look to it.
Tyreik McAllister, 28, returns to the CFL after two years playing four-down football south of the border, but the running back was brought in primarily to be a runback specialist.
Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, 25, is a CFL rookie, a year removed from finishing a six-year NCAA career with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, the UMass Minutemen and the Michigan State Spartans.
And Deonta McMahon, 26, ran the ball 128 times for 578 yards and caught 58 passes for 431 yards for the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts during the last three years.
“The running-back room’s been good,” Dickenson said. “I think Ludo’s looked good.
“And we have another three different backs — we’ve got some scat-type of backs that are fast, pass-catching backs. And then we brought in a similar body type to ‘Millsy’ with Kay’Ron, and he’s doing a good job, as well.”
“A whole bunch of new faces,” added Mills, who’s ready to answer questions from his new backfield mates. “It’s about just bringing those guys along … you know. They’ve been on other teams in the league, but just having them here, it’s good. I feel excited just to get started with these guys.”
More about Mills
Mills’ off-season wasn’t all work and football prep.
The 29-year-old native of Waycross, Ga., enjoyed a life-changing winter — quite the opposite of one that nearly took him away from football a few seasons back.
“Just got married,” said Mills, talking up his new bride, Jasmine, after their recent wedding in Jacksonville, Fla. “So feeling very good … you know?
“The wedding ended up turning into a family reunion, for real. Because I haven’t seen like all my immediate family or like a group of my family in like 10-plus years. So just to have a chance for all them to be there and a whole lot of friends from every walk of life be there — everybody — just made my mental (health) even more better.”
That took a hit when in the spring of 2024, Mills’ best friend, Ronnie Adams, and cousin, RJ Merritt, were both killed in a car crash on a back road in Ware County, Ga. The overwhelming grief of the deadly incident nearly knocked the Stamps running back from the game.
“Yeah … at one point, it wasn’t good,” confirmed Mills. “But we got over that.
“Now, I’m focusing on myself and getting one per cent better every day and just being a team player — just selling out for my teammates and my offensive line.
“I feel great,” added Mills. “Man … I have to say, ‘I feel great. I feel wonderful.’ And I’m just excited to get to work, for real. We ready to go and play right now. We ready to go get this Grey Cup.”
Short yardage
WR Dejon Brissett missed Tuesday’s practice after landing on the turf wrong during Monday’s session … Main camp continues Wednesday with a morning session at McMahon Stadium … The Stamps’ first pre-season game goes against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Monday, May 18, at McMahon (1 p.m.) … The second and final pre-season contest for the club is slated for Friday, May 29, against the host Edmonton Elks (7 p.m.).
Training Camp Huddle
Day 2 of Calgary Stampeders main camp: Quarterbacks in the spotlight
Day 1 of Stampeders main camp: Grey Cup feel to first full huddle of 2026 CFL campaign
]]>Josh Love is blown away by the glorious past of the Calgary Stampeders at the quarterback position.
Doug Flutie, Jeff Garcia, Dave Dickenson …
They’ve all gone — right to the top of the game — where he’d like to go in the Canadian Football League.
“The history here in this organization is awesome,” said Love, one of five QBs in Stampeders camp this spring. “I hope to live up to half what they did … you know?
“I mean … I always looked up to Tom Brady,” continued Love. “But coming here, and obviously going to San Jose State, I really looked up to Jeff Garcia and what he did at San Jose State and what he did here.”
Brady, Flutie, Garcia, Dickenson …
They were all QB2 at some point of their respective careers, which is where Love is looking like he’ll live for the time being with the Stampeders.
And that’s a step up given where the 29-year-old was at in the pecking order just a few weeks back.
Of course, Vernon Adams Jr. is the undisputed first-stringer, especially after signing an extension to keep him with the team through the 2028 campaign.
And P.J. Walker, with all his professional pigskin experience, was considered the backup behind centre with the Horsemen. But just a few weeks back, the former NFL pivot informed the Stamps he was retiring after just one CFL season.
So Love assumed the No. 2 role heading into training camp, which opened Sunday at McMahon Stadium.
“It doesn’t really matter what the pecking order is,” Love said. “In my mind, it’s get more comfortable with the offence, learn the offence, get comfortable with the coaches and all the stuff. It’s about getting familiar with the guys and just getting familiar with the offence.
“So I don’t even think of that,” continued the 6-foot-2, 198-pounder. “I want to come in and compete like I’m starting, because if something happens, I need to be ready to play. So that’s the way I take it. I prepare like I’m a starter, and I take pride in my preparation.
“And I’ve learned a lot from Vernon and a lot from these coaches. And I really take pride in that.”
Related
Who are the QBs in Stamps camp?
# Age Ht Wt School
3 Vernon Adams Jr. 33 5-11 190 Oregon
11 Jacolby Criswell* 24 6-1 230 East Tennessee State
12 Josh Love 29 6-2 198 San Jose State
16 Ben Wooldridge* 26 6-2 214 Louisiana
19 Quincy Vaughn 24 6-4 250 North Dakota
* — rookie
Draftee Vaughn, of course, slots back in as the Stamps’ short-yardage weapon. The tall QB carried the ball 37 times for 67 yards and six touchdowns while being used for third-down conversions and goal-line situations during the 2025 CFL campaign.
Wooldridge and Criswell, meanwhile, are new to the club, with one of them likely to earn a spot on the practice roster with the Stamps.
“Ben we’ve been talking with a little longer — he almost came up last year on our practice-roster expansion,” said Dickenson, the Stampeders’ GM/head coach. “So we know more about Ben, and I thought he’s doing well — he’s figuring things out.
“And Jacolby was one of those got-with-us-late players. I think the CFL game is different for him. But we like his talent, and he’s a good runner — strong. We’ve just got to make sure we get him up to speed.”
What does Love bring to QB?
Speed isn’t something Love necessarily brings to the field.
He’s not a runner, per se, like Garcia or Flutie.
Love is more Brady in terms of standing in the pocket and perhaps even more like Dickenson by being elusive in the backfield when he needs to be.
“I’ll try to move around a little bit,” Love said. “But I’m not gonna run around there like crazy. I’m going to be confident in the pocket and confident with what I see and deliver.”
He delivered sparkling numbers in his second year with the Michigan Panthers — a 60.6% passing efficiency for 1,556 yards and 13 touchdowns — during the 2023 USFL season.
And then he spent a year with the UFL’s Memphis Showboats in 2024 before arriving in Calgary ahead of the CFL season.
“I think I’m a guy that takes command and has a good understanding of the offence,” said the native of Mission Viejo, Calif. “And I’m always still learning and trying to learn as much as I can as I go and suck up all the knowledge from the coaching staff and Vernon.
“I try to extend plays — and I can. But I’m a guy that’s going to stand there in the pocket and make throws.”
The Stamps got a little taste of that in Love’s first year, as he went 5-of-8 for 67 yards in a couple of appearances for the Red and White last season.
In Week 20 action against the Toronto Argonauts, Love featured in the fourth quarter, with his performance highlighted by a 50-yard connection with receiver Jalen Philpot.
“He was progressing well last year,” said Dickenson, of Love. “And I thought when he played at the end of the year — he did really some good things. We thought we could win with him last year.
“He’s not a young guy, he’s hungry, he’s a great teammate, and he’s a worker,” continued Dickenson. “I’d like to see him progress in his read progressions. But one thing he did last year is he pushed the ball down the field, and he’s not afraid to make a mistake. Those are important things as a quarterback.”
But does it make him QB2 for the Stamps?
Stay tuned.
“Playing with the scout team last year against our defence was great, because our defence is unbelievable,” Love said. “All those reps I did on scout team and all the reps I do on my own has really helped.
“And I’m having a blast just soaking up all the knowledge. You’ve got Dave and all his history. You’ve got (quarterbacks coach) Jarious Jackson in the room coaching us now — and he’s this unbelievable player and coach. And I’m just trying to suck up everything I can from Vernon, trying to be there for him and anything he needs.
“So I’m just taking it one day at a time and trying to soak up everything I can.”
Short yardage
Main camp continues Tuesday at McMahon (10:10 a.m.) … The Stamps’ first pre-season game goes against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Monday, May 18, at McMahon (1 p.m.) … The second and final pre-season contest for the club is slated for Friday, May 29, against the host Edmonton Elks (7 p.m.).
]]>Ashton Miller-Melancon brings a jack-of-all-trades mentality to the gridiron.
Need a cornerback outside to pick off passes? He’s good at that.
How about a defender inside to knock down balls? The Canadian has his hand up.
A free-baller to play centre field? He’s up for the job.
Or a guy to step into the front seven and fill the gaps? Right in his wheelhouse.
“I consider myself a very versatile player,” said Miller-Melancon, a 2025 draft-pick who’s turning heads with that flexibility at Calgary Stampeders rookie camp.
“I feel very comfortable playing, really, all the positions,” continued the defensive back. “Throughout my university career, I played all the both corner spots, both halfback spots, some linebacker and safety. So walking in here, any position that they ask me to play, I’m willing and ready to play.”
That makes homegrown Miller-Melancon the kind of ratio-breaker every Canadian Football League franchise loves to have at its disposal.
Included are the Stampeders, with GM/head coach Dave Dickenson pleased as punch to see the eighth-round draftee — 65th overall last year by the Red and White — rounding into the kind of rookie who can push for a position in his second year trying to crack the lineup.
“It used to be back in the day when you send guys back to school, they could come back and they were considered what’s called a non-counter,” Dickenson said. “But now they’re part of your roster, and it makes it hard, because if you have a guy that comes back, he certainly takes up a spot.
“But what I’m happy about is they always seem to come back with the foundation and they’ve already heard what we’re selling and they already know what we’re doing.”
That seems to be Miller-Melancon to a tee in his return to the Stamps from Queen’s University.
“I really thought Ash is coming in here in great shape,” said Dickenson, of the 24-year-old native of Pointe-Claire, Que. “I’m excited to watch him continue to grow. And he knows he’s in tough and there’s a lot of good players here at camp. We’ve got a great, great Canadian content in our back end. But he looks the part and he’s doing the right things. And I do think he’ll show well when he gets his chances.”
He showed oh-so well in his five years of U SPORTS football with the Queen’s Gaels.
Miller-Melancon played 48 games from 2021-25, racking up 197 career tackles, 39 passes defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
For his efforts, he was recognized as an Ontario University Athletics all-star four times and named a first-team all-Canadian on one occasion. He was also a member of the OUA all-rookie team in 2021 and was a U SPORTS academic all-Canadian, as well as being named recipient of Queen’s University’s Jenkins Trophy for the varsity teams’ senior men’s sports athlete who best displays qualities of competitiveness, leadership, sportsmanship, dedication, humanitarianism, scholastic achievement and exceptional contributions to his team.
Most notably on the field, he recorded more interceptions — a whopping 21 — than any Gaels player all-time.
“He’s a ball hawk — he has tons of interceptions,” agreed Dickenson. “He’s smart, too. And what I like about him is he leaned out, but he got bigger (compared to last spring). He looks physically ready to take on any challenge. He’s comfortable with our coaches in the system and with (defensive backs coach) Barron (Miles), and I just feel like his voice is stronger.”
The hopeful believes attending camp with the Stamps last year gives him a leg up to get his hands on a position this spring.
Certainly, he’s proven he knows how to grab what he wants.
“Looking back at my university career, interceptions is what I was known for, and I’m very proud of that,” said Miller-Melancon. “But at the same time, I also think I can add into the box — I’m a great tackler.
“And then on special teams, I can just give max effort and get down the field and really cause problems for the opposing team. So I think I’m a very versatile player. I wouldn’t just limit myself to ‘ball hawk’, but it is a great compliment to get.”
His fast track to becoming a CFLer is, indeed, to take flight on special teams for the Stampeders.
Adapting to such a role would make easier the ‘big challenge’ of making the cut for an eighth-rounder before he gets the opportunity to show off his defensive prowess.
And that’s something Miller-Melancon seems to be embracing.
“I think it’s important that you have versatility, and I think we have a lot of those guys,” said Dickenson, listing off a handful of his Canadian defenders — including Adrian Greene, Godfrey Onyeka, Ben Labrosse, Anton Haie and Dolani Robinson — who have proven they can play any position. “Because when you go into a game and there’s injuries, it’s the guys that know the entire system — not just their spot — that are the ones that bail you out.”
And, ultimately, make names for themselves in the CFL.
“Yeah … my expectation is really to just work, work hard every day and earn it every single day,” added the 6-foot-2, 203 lb. talent. “So to make the roster, I have to be a dog on defence, making sure that I’m doing all the right things, and then especially be a dog on special teams to make sure I’m providing value to the team and making the team better than it was without me. So it’s just being consistent every day in my pursuit and just trying my best to be the best player possible is what’s going to help me crack this roster.
“It’s a great group of guys here, and I’m just excited to keep playing with them and just keep getting better every day with them.”
SHORT YARDAGE
Rookie camp for the Stampeders concluded Friday at McMahon Stadium … The CFL club hosts hundreds of keen kids on their home turf Saturday for the annual Jr. Stamps Camp, presented by William Huff Advertising Ltd. (10 a.m.-3 p.m.) … Main camp opens Sunday on the team’s home turf (9:45 a.m.) … The Stamps’ first pre-season game goes Monday, May 18, at McMahon versus the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1 p.m.) … The second and final pre-season contest for the club is slated for Friday, May 29, against the host Edmonton Elks (7 p.m.).
]]>A home-field Grey Cup celebration come November …
And two more to boot elsewhere in the follow-up Canadian Football League campaigns?
Dream big if you want, Stamps fans.
We’re now in a sporting world where that can actually happen given the move made Thursday by the CFL franchise.
Yes … the Calgary Stampeders have thrown themselves into championship contention for at least the next three seasons by signing quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. to a two-year contract extension.
The massive move announced Thursday — of $500,000-plus each year, per reports — keeps the American leader and talent with the Red and White through the 2028 season.
“We’ve actually been in conversation since the end of last year, and we’ve wanted to do it,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “It’s kind of hard to predict the future. I think Vernon, it took him to just be comfortable with the numbers. But then also, I think he knew we’re trying to set this up for not just this year.
“We’re excited that Vernon gives us that opportunity.”
And how.
The veteran QB came as advertised after a pivotal trade with the BC Lions following the 2024 CFL campaign. Adams jump-started a stagnant offence, delivered production from the quarterback spot again and put the Stamps back on the winning path.
“We thought we did a good job getting back into the playoffs and getting back to a winning culture here,” Adams said. “Everybody likes stability, right? And, like I’ve said, I’ve always wanted to play here, so why not extend and know that I’ll be here with the guys and keep building on something special?”
In his first year with the Red and White, Adams played and started 17 regular-season games, posting an 11-6 record. He completed 280-of-429 pass attempts for 4,247 yards and recorded 21 touchdowns, one two-point convert and 14 interceptions. He added 40 carries for 332 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions. In the Western Semi-Final in a shoulda-coulda loss to the Lions, Adams completed 23-of-33 pass attempts for 334 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and rushed three times for 24 yards.
“I really believe last year, towards the back half of the year, he was really doing some great things,” said Dickenson, of his 5-foot-11, 190-lb. dual-threat field general. “You know … he felt healthy. He was extending plays, using his feet, making good decisions, pushing the ball down the field when he needed to but still taking the completions when not. I thought, honestly, he was playing his best football at the end of the year.
“So we expect a big year from him. No pressure, as far as lighting the world on fire. Just go do your job. Be that guy you’ve always been. But … yeah … improve, grow …
“When you grow, that’s success, in my mind.”
“There’s always room to grow,” admitted Adams, now 33 and sporting a CFL all-time 49-28 record as a starter, with 20,437 yards and 117 touchdowns. “I’m in the room early. I’m at here at rookie mini-camp. I’m taking notes.
“I’m in Year 10 or 11 … but I’m taking notes. There’s always room to grow. You can never settle. You can never get complacent. And that was my big message on the off-season.”
The message of the Stampeders with the off-season re-signings and extensions of running back Dedrick Mills, offensive lineman Zach Williams, defensive lineman Clarence Hicks, cornerback Adrian Greene — all CFL or division all-stars — and now Adams — is to go forward with a core on which they can count.
“We like the character and the composition of the guys, like we think we’re an up-and-coming team that can do some things,” Dickenson said. “Football is a tough business, it’s not guaranteed contracts, and it’s trades … But when you get on the same page with guys and they want to be here and you want them here, and you can provide that stability …”
It bodes well for the future of the franchise.
And of course, keeping a top-flight QB in the stable is vital to any success.
“The continuity of having a quarterback that can lead your team and know who you are, set the culture, do all the things and continue to play good football, that’s the sign of a winning organization,” Dickenson said. “So we wanted to do that (by extending Adams), and we’re happy to get it done.”
“I’ve just have been praying on this extension,” added Adams. “Like I said, I’ve always wanted to play here. And I’m glad, I’m thankful that I got to extend my years here.
“We did a good thing last year with the guys and got most of the guys back. And so it’s an awesome feeling. And when you’re wanted … you know … that feels great. And so I’m glad I’m doing it here.”
]]>Matt Sibley says he has “all the jerseys” of the Calgary Stampeders.
But the official one now hanging in his locker at McMahon Stadium is the one that excites the Calgarian most …
For good reason, of course.
“I’ve dreamt of this for a long time,” admitted a smiling Sibley, after becoming a draft pick last week of his favourite football team.
“Yeah … I’m a huge Stamps fan,” continued the 22-year-old wide receiver. “My family had season tickets — I think the first game I went to I was only like a month old or something. It was a big family tradition. So been coming to Stamps games since I was a little kid. And I’ve got all the jerseys, and … yeah … I’ve spent a lot of time at McMahon Stadium.”
Sibley now has the opportunity to spend his career here after being plucked by the Stampeders in the third round of the 2026 CFL Draft.
The longtime Calgary Dinos star hopes it leads to following in the cleats of the many offensive weapons he grew up rooting for with the Red and White.
“I was a big Ken-Yon Rambo fan — huge,” Sibley said. “I’ve always watched him. I feel like I’ve always kind of tried to model my game similar to him.
“And Nik Lewis … I was a huge fan. I think we play a bit differently. To be honest, he’s got a few pounds on me, but those two guys are two guys I always watched.
“And obviously, Jon Cornish and Jabari Arthur — my receivers coach of the Dinos — watched them a ton.”
Along the way, he’s picked up a few things from his idols, and those skills have caught the eyes of everyone along the way.
Especially his ability to catch the ball.
He’s already impressing through two days during the three-day Stamps rookie camp at McMahon.
“Once the ball’s in the air, it’s my football,” Sibley said. “That’s something that I’ve always taken pride in, and it’s something I’ve developed, especially at my time at U of C over the past few years.”
Indeed, the arts student and 2023-24 U SPORTS academic all-Canadian spent the last four seasons with the Dinos, hauling in 105 catches for 1,302 yards and seven touchdowns.
“I think I’m deceptive in my route running — I’m a true route runner,” continued Sibley. “In my eyes. I feel I can get open anywhere on the field.
“I have good hands and good speed, and I’m good with the ball my hands. So I think it’s just getting that separation.”
He’s not too shabby on special teams, either.
The former Ernest Manning High School star and Okanagan Sun junior football standout has 100 punt returns for 808 yards and 27 kick returns for 585 yards.
“This kid’s an explosive football player,” said Dwayne Cameron, the Stampeders director of Canadian scouting. “He’s fast, twitchy — he runs sub 4.6. Not the biggest guy at 5-foot-10-and-a-half and 190 pounds. So he’s got to go out there and be tough and gritty and make his mark and try and make this roster as a receiver.”
“He’s growing,” continued Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “He’s getting better each and every year. He’s strong. He’s willing to get in the weight room. You know … he’s just not the biggest man, but every level he’s competed at, he’s done well.
“And he had to do the hard road — go to the regional combine and then to the national combine, and he just kept excelling. I’ve got faith that he’ll be a good football player in the pros, as well. It takes some time, probably, but he’s out here.”
Sibley admits the last few weeks have ignited “the highest highs of emotions,” and he knows there’s business at hand to become a Canadian Football League fixture on the field.
“It’s all business now … yeah,” Sibley said. “The team meetings were a wake-up call for sure. That’s a lot of info — they’re definitely testing the mind. And it’s fun, it’s a lot of learning, and a lot of just development that I’m going to go through.
“And I’m all for it. I’m ready to grind.”
The Stamps hope to see that happen from the hometown kid.
“The local connection is just a bonus for us,” Dickenson said. “I mean … we’re going to draft the best player, but for him to be from Calgary and obviously, I think he bleeds red.
“It’s a cool story. But he’s out here to earn his spot and compete. And I trust that he knows what to do, as well, as he’s a good athlete.”
If his work ethic matches his excitement — Cameron said he was the most thrilled of all the selections on draft night — then becoming a CFL talent shouldn’t be a problem.
“It was cool getting the call,” Sibley said. “But it was really real once I saw the helmet. I think walking into the locker room and seeing the white horse that I’ve dreamt of for so long was like, ‘OK … here we go.’ And actually putting it on, seeing myself and seeing my face in that helmet was pretty special. So that’s when it really kicked in.
“I really want to give back to this community and be a part of Calgary and be a role model for the next generation. And so for me to crack this roster and be in front of the eyes of the youth in Calgary is special.
“I really I want to represent,” added Sibley, who is a flag football coach in the city. “I want to have that last name on the back of the jersey and have the youth look up to somebody that they can see that you can be a hometown kid, a Canadian kid that can get the job done in the CFL.”
SHORT YARDAGE
Rookie camp concludes Friday, with the 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. session at McMahon … Main camp opens Sunday on the Stamps home turf … The Stamps’ first pre-season game goes Monday, May 18, at McMahon (1 p.m.) … The second and final pre-season contest for the club is slated for Friday, May 29, against the host Edmonton Elks (7 p.m.).
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The freshest of talents took the field Wednesday for the Calgary Stampeders.
Yes … rookie camp has arrived for the Canadian Football League franchise, signalling the on-field start of the 2026 campaign.
It’s a group the Stampeders hope helps elevate the future — both for this year’s Grey Cup hoist in November at McMahon Stadium and for seasons beyond — and sets a good tone for the coming weeks in the team’s preparation for the much-hyped campaign ahead.
“It wasn’t a super fast-paced practice by any means,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson, of the initial camp session on the home turf of McMahon. “I didn’t really feel a lot of the juice. I think that’s a product of the guys just trying to feel out the process, feel out what this game’s about.
“But I’m hoping in this rookie camp, we find some guys that are really going to push the vets and make us better.”
Rookie campers totalled 45 — plus the team’s new and veteran quarterbacks — for the first day of the three-day camp, which closes Friday ahead of Sunday’s start to main camp.
The freshmen group on hand includes the seven selections made by the Stamps in last week’s CFL Draft, highlighted by sixth-overall choice Eric Rascoe.
“A lot of moving parts,” said Rascoe after Day 1 of rookie camp — his first exposure to Canadian football. “But it’s really fun — a really fun game to play. I’m enjoying it. Just trying to be a sponge right now and soak everything in. Just come in and buy into what we have going on in Calgary, buy into the process, buy into the family culture and understand the principles, the mission and the values that they carry here.”
The linebacker was the club’s gem of the pick-em, as a player with professional football experience already under his belt, having played with the Indoor Football League’s San Antonio Gunslingers last season before obtaining his Canadian status to make him eligible for the CFL Draft.
“Eric’s almost 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds and has the ability to get up to 225 or 230 and move to one of the inside linebacker spots,” said Dwayne Cameron, the Stampeders’ director of Canadian scouting. “So we’ll see where (defensive coordinator) Bob Slowik wants to slot him.”
Rascoe, a standout with the NCAA’s San Angelo State Rams, signed with the club after the Stamps made him their first-round choice, as did the six other prospects chosen the draft.
And now here they are in Calgary looking to make the grade in the CFL.
WHAT’S THE SKINNY ON THE DRAFTEES?
Here’s a closer look at the 2026 CFL Draft selections by the Stampeders …
LB Eric Rascoe (IFL’s San Antonio Gunslingers), 1st round (sixth overall)
The skinny: Rascoe was the fastest linebacker at the CFL Combine, with a swift 4.56-second 40-yard dash.
Cameron: “Eric was a highly productive player in college — 8.5 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, five interceptions … So he makes contributions in a lot of different ways. A very explosive athlete.”
WR Jesulayomi Ojutalayo (U SPORTS’ Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks), 3rd round (26th)
The skinny: Ojutalayo had a pedestrian 44 catches and six touchdowns over his career as a U SPORTS receiver, but he starred on special teams for the Golden Hawks with 26 special-teams tackles.
Cameron: “We’re getting the best special-teams wide receiver we feel in the CFL Draft. He’s excited. He’s pumped. He’s going to come in and develop as a receiver. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s on the roster Week 1, covering kicks for us.”
DL Tristan Marois (NCAA Colorado Buffaloes), 3rd round (27th)
The skinny: Marois finished up his college career playing under Deion Sanders with the Buffaloes as a backup defensive lineman.
Cameron: “But in his last year at Robert Morris University, he had 25 tackles, 3.5 sacks, six TFLs … He’s going to join a defensive-end group that has Kelon Thomas in it and has (2024 draftee) George Idoko, and he’ll compete for a special-teams spot on our roster.”
WR Matt Sibley (U SPORTS’ Calgary Dinos), 5th round (44th)
The skinny: Sibley is a hometown talent, who hauled in more than 100 balls and rolled up 1,300 yards as a star pass-catcher with the Dinos.
Cameron: “I feel like we made a dream come true here. But look, this is not a charity situation. This kid’s an explosive football player. He’s fast, twitchy — he runs a sub-4.6(-second 40-yard dash). And not the biggest guy at 5-foot-10-and-a-half and 190 pounds, so he’s got to go out there and be tough and gritty and make his mark and try and make this roster as a receiver.”
OL Mitchel Schechinger (U SPORTS’ Guelph Gryphons), 6th round (53rd)
The skinny: Schechinger played both guard and tackle in the university game and was a second-team OUA all-star o-lineman last year.
Cameron: “Interesting note on Mitch … he goes up in weight for football, and he goes down in weight for wrestling. He’s an OUA medallist for a wrestler. So he’s got that toughness and that grittiness. And he’s highly intelligent.”
DL Stephen Kpehe (U SPORTS’ Queen’s Golden Gaels), 7th round (62nd)
The skinny: The 6-foot-1, 245-lb. Kpehe can fly for a big guy, running the 40 in around 4.70 seconds, and that’s rare.
Cameron: “So this is a young man who you’re kind of betting on the athletic traits. We’ll see where he fits, whether he’s going to be an on-the-ball guy or whether he’s going to be an off-the-ball guy. But his primary focus right now should be special teams and trying to make the roster that way.”
OL Jack Warrack (U SPORTS’ Saskatchewan Huskies), 8th round (71st)
The skinny: The 6-foot-5, 295-pounder was a Canada West all-star in 2024 at a university program known for producing solid pros along the o-line.
Cameron: “He’s a young guy that may ultimately end up going back to school. He’s played tackle. He’s probably going to have to kick inside the guard. We’ll see how it goes from there. I know (offensive line coach) Ucambre Williams and (offensive coordinator) Pat DelMonaco were both happy to get him.”
Among other rookies on hand is kicker Jude McAtamney, who was the team’s first-round pick — sixth overall — in the 2026 CFL Global Draft and a handful of players signed just last week in American receiver Rylan Davison, American offensive linemen Deon Buford and Cameron Dye, American defensive back Ike Larsen and Canadian linebacker Olivier Ruest.
With P.J. Walker having retired, the Stamps have also inked and brought in quarterback Jacolby Criswell, a standout with the NCAA’s East Tennessee State Buccaneers in eight games last season after time spent with the North Carolina Tar Heels and Arkansas Razorbacks.
“The big thing for the rookies is try to build a foundation of knowledge, so that when we install or get going with the main guys that the rookies are a little bit ahead of maybe what a true rookie would be,” added Dickenson. “You’ve got to try to make it as equal a playing field as possible. But it’s tough in three days. I mean … seriously, it’s just really difficult.
“But if you can make it through the first two cuts and get to that first pre-season game (May 18 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at McMahon), that’s when football players are decided. The games are where decisions are based.”
SHORT YARDAGE
Canadian DL Anthony Federico retired just ahead of camp. During his Stampeders tenure from 2024-25, Federico made two defensive tackles and three special-teams stops over 11 games … The Stampeders have released American WR Jeff Foreman … Rookie camp continues with a second-day session Thursday from 9:50 a.m.-11:30 a.m. … Practice on the final day Friday goes from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
The Calgary Stampeders have been informed by American quarterback P.J. Walker that he has decided to step away from football after nine years of playing professionally.
In addition, Canadian linebacker Nicky Farinaccio has been released, and American defensive backs Brady Breeze and Lance Robinson have also retired.
Walker, 31, was signed in October 2024 and remained on the team’s practice roster until the end of the season. He served as the Stamps’ backup quarterback in 2025, suiting up for 13 games and starting the Week 9 game in Ottawa.
He completed 35-of-59 passes for 395 yards with Calgary while throwing two touchdown passes and four interceptions. Walker also had seven rushes for 32 yards and a major.
Walker signed with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts in 2017 and then joined the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL, playing and starting five games for them in 2019. He also spent time with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks from 2020-24. Walker was active for 21 games in the NFL and made nine starts across his stints with the Panthers and Browns.
The Elizabeth, N.J., native played collegiately at Temple and finished his Owls career as the school’s all-time leader in completions, passing yards and touchdown passes.
The 26-year-old Farinaccio, a 2025 fourth-round draft pick, made three defensive tackles and two special-teams stops in three games last season.
Breeze, 28, joined the Stamps midway through last season and played four games including one in which he started. He had five defensive tackles, two takedowns on special teams, one punt block and one punt deflection.
Robinson, 26, made starts in both of his 2025 appearances and recorded one defensive tackle.
]]>The Calgary Stampeders will soon have an all-new on-field appearance, with re-designed home and away uniforms for the 2026 season.
The unveiling took place at Wednesday evening’s Red and White Rally inside Stamps House at the north end of McMahon Stadium.
Created in partnership with New Era — the Canadian Football League’s official outfitter — the uniforms continue to exclusively showcase the Stamps’ traditional red and white colours, but with some notable design changes.
Calgary’s home and away jerseys now feature significantly altered shoulder striping, a familiar Western-style number font, the team logo underneath the front collar and a CGY wordmark on the back of the neck. The pants now include the same CGY wordmark on the front of the hip and a single stripe down the side. The jerseys and pants will complement the existing version of red helmets.
“Our new uniforms for the 2026 season represent the next chapter of the Calgary Stampeders legacy,” said Stampeders president Jay McNeil. “The Stampeders brand means a great deal to our fans across Southern Alberta and beyond. These new uniforms respect the traditions that define our club while introducing design elements that connect with the next generation of Stampeders fans.”
The Stamps will sport their just-released look for the first time in Week 1 of the 2026 regular-season schedule when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Calgary will wear their existing black uniforms for the Labour Day Classic against the Edmonton Elks at McMahon Stadium on Monday, Sept. 7.
RED AND WHITE SELECT TWO IN 2026 CFL GLOBAL DRAFT
Jude McAtamney
First round (sixth overall)
Kicker
College: Rutgers
Height: 6.01
Weight: 208
Born: May 9, 2000
McAtamney, a product of Northern Ireland, spent his 2021 season at Div. II Chowan University in North Carolina and played nine games, making six of 10 field goal tries and converting all 47 extra-point attempts for the Hawks. He then transferred to Rutgers for two seasons (2022-23) and played 25 games. McAtamney was successful of 12 of 19 field goal attempts, had a 95.8 per cent success rate on his extra points and delivered 106 kickoffs for a 60.5-yard average with the Scarlet Knights.
He went on to play five games for the National Football League’s New York Giants across the 2024-25 campaigns. McAtamney went three-for-three on field goals and 10 of 13 on extra points for the Giants and executed 10 kickoffs for an average of 63.8 yards.
Jireh Ojata
Second round (15th overall)
Defensive lineman
College: Purdue
Height: 6.03
Weight: 268
Born: June 25, 2002
Ojata was born in Carmel, Ind., before moving to his native Nigeria and returning to the United States for middle school.
He spent four seasons (2020-2023) at Indiana’s Franklin College, a Div. III program. Ojata played 36 games for the Grizzlies, tallying 160 tackles including 48.5 tackles for loss, 32 sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, five pass breakups and four blocked kicks. He was a three-time first-team all-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference selection and the HCAC’s 2023 Defensive Player of the Year. Ojata then spent his 2024 season at Purdue, recording 12 tackles and one sack in 12 games for the Boilermakers.
The Calgary Stampeders hope Eric Rascoe is Alex Singleton 2.0.
Speedy, lanky, motivated …
And, of course, talented.
With the sixth overall pick in Tuesday’s 2026 Canadian Football League Draft, the Stampeders plucked the pro-ready linebacker, believing he can deliver at a spot that’s thin in the Calgary defence.
Perhaps like Singleton, now an NFL leader, did in becoming a CFL superstar at the position.
“Yeah … we got a ‘fake Canadian,’” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson of Rascoe, who’s mother — like Singleton’s — is a native of Canada to make him eligible for the annual CFL pick-em.
“But guess what? Alex was a hell of a player. (Former ‘fake Canadian’ receiver) Ben Cahoon, too,” continued Dickenson. “And guess what? This kid … he’s got structure, he’s got support, he’s disciplined, he’s motivated, he’s a football player. It was a good pick for us. We were excited to get him.”
The 6-foot-2, 215-lb. Rascoe says he’s excited to join the Stampeders.
“Just very, very thankful, man … very thankful,” said an elated Rascoe. “It was in my head — kind of felt like it was going to be Calgary, and when I saw my name pop up, I said, ‘OK, I was right. There’s confirmation. So definitely just a lot of relief and thankfulness.”
A native of the Netherlands, with a mom who was born in Toronto, the 25-year-old comes to the Stamps already with professional football experience.
After a standout five-year tenure with the NCAA’s Angelo State Rams, Rascoe played last season for the San Antonio Gunslingers of the 2025 Indoor Football League, recording 39 tackles, two passes defended and one sack.
It was Rascoe’s way of staying ready for the 2026 CFL Draft instead of sitting out the year since graduating from the college ranks.
“He knew he was going to take a year off,” Dickenson said. “So why just sit on the street and wait? He wanted to compete and play and get better. I’m telling you the guy’s motivated. He’s going to be a great addition to our team. And … you know … he’s 26 or going to be 26, so it’s not like you get a young, inexperienced guy. This guy is a man.”
“I’m a football player — I’m somebody who loves the game,” agreed Rascoe. “I try to be versatile and do a lot of different things. I think if you watch my tape, you’ll see me doing a lot of different things. And so I just like to call myself a football player.”
He proved that at the CFL Combine last month in Edmonton, where he excelled in the eyes of scouts.
“I do like seeing guys,” Dickenson said. “I’m a fan of being able to see a guy in person … you know. And he was one of the guys that took the time to come up to the combine and compete. And he played both (weak-side) linebacker and (strong-side) linebacker, and to me, he excelled at the combine. He ran well. He competed hard. His interview was outstanding.
“We were hoping we’d get a chance to draft him.”
So, too, likely were other GMs given his performance there.
He was the fastest linebacker at the combine, with a swift 4.56-second 40-yard dash.
“I met his dad up at the combine, and I just felt like this guy really wants to play in the CFL,” Dickenson said. “He wants to play football, and he feels like this would be a great opportunity. And we needed that body type anyway. We needed a guy with some length and some speed, and we’re really light in the linebacker spot. We’ve been that way for a couple years.
“We lost Jacob Roberts (to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings) at the Will (weak-side) linebacker position. I think he’s a tweener. I think he can play some Sam (strong-side), but (Derrick Moncrief) was pretty, pretty good last year over at the Sam, so I’m not gonna put that pressure on (Rascoe).
“I definitely think Micah Teitz did a good job for us last year, and so there’s great competition,” added Dickenson. “It gives us at least two options. We really felt like last year, behind Micah, we were scrambling a little bit, so just felt like it was the right pick, the right character, the right person. He’ll fit in great in Calgary, and I’ll have him call Singleton, make sure Alex shows him where to go and where not to go, and hopefully he has that same type of career for us.”
HOW THE DRAFT WENT?
With the first pick in the draft, the Ottawa Redblacks chose offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro, a hulking lineman who starred last year for the NCAA’s Purdue Boilermakers after earning the top offensive lineman award in U SPORTS with the University of Manitoba Bisons the year previous.
At No. 2 was Queen’s Golden Gaels offensive lineman Niklas Henning, the top-rated U SPORTS talent in the CFL Scouting Bureau’s final rankings, going to the Toronto Argonauts.
At 3, the Edmonton Elks took Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive lineman Dariel Djabome.
At 4, it was the Winnipeg Blue Bombers taking linebacker Nuer Gatkuoth of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
And o-lineman Jonathan Denis, of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, was selected fifth by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Then came Rascoe to the Stamps with the sixth selection.
He’ll be ready for training camp, when rookies report May 6.
“As far as physically, man … yeah … I’m ready to go,” Rascoe said. “You know … you come off of that combine training, and you’re in some of the most peak shape you’ll probably ever be in. And so I’m definitely excited and ready to go.”
Hopefully, Alex Singleton-ready.
“Alex Singleton?” added Rascoe. “What an incredible story he was in his time in the CFL with Calgary. And obviously, you know how great of a player he’s turned out to be down south in the States, right? But, yeah, that dude is amazing.”
2026 STAMPEDERS DRAFT CLASS
- 1st round (sixth overall) — LB Eric Rascoe (IFL’s San Antonio Gunslingers)
- 3rd round (26th) — WR Jesulayomi Ojutalayo (U SPORTS’ Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks)
- 3rd round (27th) — DL Tristan Marois (NCAA Colorado Buffaloes)
- 5th round (44th) — WR Matt Sibley (U SPORTS’ Calgary Dinos)
- 6th round (53rd) — OL Mitchel Schechinger (U SPORTS’ Guelph Gryphons)
- 7th round (62nd) — DL Stephen Kpehe (U SPORTS’ Queen’s Golden Gaels)
- 8th round (71st) — OL Jack Warrack (U SPORTS’ Saskatchewan Huskies)
- The CFL Global Draft, which features two rounds of selections — with the Stamps at sixth in both of those rounds — follows Wednesday (11 a.m.).
Welcome to the wacky new world of the Canadian Football League.
With rule tweaks and massive field changes set to upend the landscape of our game this year and next, why not throw in a few alterations to the schedule and the playoffs, as well?
Go whole hog with a pigskin facelift, so to speak.
The CFL announced Tuesday its finalized updates to the season schedule and reached an agreement with the CFL Players’ Association on a refreshed playoff format beginning in 2027.
That is the earliest start ever to the regular season, beginning on the Victoria Day weekend, the earliest start ever to the post-season — with two more teams and four more games added to the playoff mix — and the earliest-ever Grey Cup date.
“All summer long, the CFL will be front and centre — exactly where it belongs,” said CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston. “We’re establishing CFL long weekends, from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving, to create can’t-miss events for fans in the stadium and those watching at home.”
No … it’s not your dad’s CFL anymore.
And it’s certainly not your granddad’s Grey Cup, with an early November date now in line for upcoming championship finales. The 2027 Grey Cup is set for Nov. 7.
After traditional — and even fair-weather — fans were set ablaze with anger over the coming rule and field changes — especially with regards to shortening the field and moving the goalposts to the back of the end zone — the new playoff format might further infuriate the faithful.
Eight of nine teams now make the post-season as the most curious news that came out Tuesday.
That’s pretty much the entire league.
Laughable, some might rightly declare.
“We can’t get around that,” said Stampeders president Jay McNeil, when asked about the expected opposition to the eight-team playoff agenda. “But at the end of the day, it’s still a tough road to the Grey Cup, and so it’s going to take a lot of work, and good teams are going to make it to the final.”
It’s coming, regardless — just like the field changes — as Johnston continues to put his stamp on the league from the commissioner’s chair.
“It’s about being innovative,” McNeil said. “How do we engage our fans and make an exciting game? And so when you look at all the possibilities that could happen in the playoffs, it’s pretty crazy. And the road to the Grey Cup just got harder, and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
WHAT ARE THE 2027 SCHEDULE CHANGES?
This from the CFL …
• The season will shift to begin Victoria Day weekend, anchoring the start of each new CFL campaign with an iconic Canadian holiday and the unofficial start of summer.
“From May to Thanksgiving, long weekends will serve as defining moments in the regular season, creating new tentpole CFL traditions in addition to the league’s legendary Labour Day weekend games,” said the league in Tuesday’s statement. “The new start to the season also means the post-season will conclude earlier in the fall, taking full advantage of warmer weather for fans in attendance and providing prime playing conditions for CFL stars to showcase their skills.”
Our take: We think it’s a tweak most fans can get behind. Warmer weather to watch football is never a bad thing, even if uber-traditionalists swear by the sport needing to be played in cold conditions.
The shift in the schedule — this year’s opener is June 4 — is a long time coming.
“I’m not gonna lie,” McNeil said. “When this (shift) first came up, we talked about the improvements in weather by moving the season up. I said, ‘Well … you haven’t been to Calgary in April, so (it can be chilly for training camp). There is a possibility that we could be dealing with that.”
Again from the CFL …
• The roar of the season reaches a crescendo with a major update to the post-season. Four additional playoff games amp up late-season intrigue as teams battle for all-important playoff positioning. Finishing top two in the divisions guarantees at least two playoff games for those teams. Post-season re-seeding — regardless of division — and two victories being required to advance to the championship introduces the possibility of post-season rematches and new playoff and Grey Cup clashes.
“More games, more drama, more entertainment …” said the commissioner. “That was the mission, and that’s exactly what this format will deliver. We’re raising the stakes so every game carries real consequences — more teams in the hunt, right to the end.”
The league worked closely with the CFLPA to integrate the new structure into the existing collective bargaining agreement.
“This proposal sparked important and productive discussions, with a clear focus on ensuring our members benefit from any changes,” said CFLPA executive director David Mackie. “It represents a meaningful step forward that supports both player compensation and the continued growth and excitement of the league, while reinforcing a framework where players share in that growth.”
Our take: More playoff games is never a bad thing. It’s where the excitement lies.
And if the players like it, then it offers incentive to those who create the excitement.
Thumbs up. Let’s run with it.
“The battle down the stretch going to be really exciting,” McNeil said. “Because every point is going to count as you’re fighting for those top two spots.”
WHAT IS THE NEW PLAYOFF FORMAT?
With four teams now making up each division in the post-season, there are no bye-weeks.
And the first- and second-place finishers can lose their first playoff game and remain alive in the chase for the championship.
• 1-v-2 games: The first- and second-place teams in each division square off. Winners earn a bye to Round 3 (Grey Cup semifinals) with home-field advantage for those games, while losers move on to Round 2 (elimination games).
• Play-in games: Teams finishing outside the top-two in each division are seeded Nos. 5-8, with No. 9 being eliminated from playoff contention. The play-in games will see No. 5 host No. 8, and No. 6 host No. 7. Winners then advance to Round 2, while losers are eliminated.
• Division showdown games: Losers host play-in game winners with matchups based on regular-season records. Winners then advance to semifinals and losers are eliminated.
• Semifinals: Winners host elimination-game winners with matchups based on regular-season records. The victors advance to the Grey Cup.
Our take: It’s a whole new ballgame when it comes to Grey Cup tradition. With re-seeding, it’s no longer a guaranteed East-v-West matchup in the finale. That is two teams which originally begin life in the West Division playoffs could end up meeting each other in the Grey Cup, and the same goes for foes in the East. That’s a twist on tradition that will further upset fervent fans.
But we love it.
And giving the top-two teams in each division one extra life is keeping up with the sporting times. Other leagues have embraced it, as it gives those most deserving a break from one bad day during a crucial moment of the schedule. That allows for a possible best-on-best meeting in the Grey Cup.
Bring it on.
“There are some things that we’re going to have to work through,” added McNeil. “There is a lot of change coming for 2027, but it is about making this game more innovative, more exciting and more fan friendly. And so have some patience with us and wait and see what happens.”
]]>The Calgary Stampeders won’t have control of the board from the first whistle of the 2026 Canadian Football League Draft.
Not like last year.
That’s because it was a strong 2025 campaign, setting them further back in the draft order — into the sixth spot overall — to select Canadian talent.
From an organizational standpoint, that’s good news, because it means the Stampeders enjoyed a successful season with a hopeful strong foundation to follow from it.
But it makes the 2026 CFL Draft all that much more difficult to navigate in making their first of seven selections through eight rounds come Tuesday (5 p.m., TSN).
“When you do have five teams in front of you, there’s no real way to know what’s going to happen before your pick,” said Dwayne Cameron, the Stampeders’ director of Canadian scouting. “We’ve done a couple mock drafts. And of course, when you do these mock drafts, you want to present different scenarios, so that you kind of get an idea of how things might go. And so it could go any number of 100 different ways.
“So it really is tough to tell at this point in time.”
The sixth pick isn’t exactly sexy.
There’s no choosing the guy you like best of all eligible draftees, as was the case last spring when the Stampeders were able to have their pick of talent by owning the top draft spot overall.
You’ll recall they chose dynamic wide receiver Damien Alford, who dazzled in his one season with the Red and White before attracting NFL attention and signing with the New Orleans Saints early this year .
But the sixth spot still offers the chance to get a prime prospect.
And Cameron declares the pool to be a deep one this year.
“Yeah … I’ll never speak to specifics in terms of names of players, but I will say the draft continues to become more talented each and every year,” offered Cameron. “Both with the U SPORTS guys and the Canadians that have opportunities in the NCAA, the overall talent level continues to climb. It used to be a major thing if there was one Canadian guy that had an NFL opportunity. And now — seemingly every year — there’s five or six guys, and so that has a trickle-down effect.
“But the first-round guys that are going to go in our draft — whether that be to Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton or wherever — they’re going to be names that CFL fans of each respective team is going to get to know quite quickly, because they’re very, very good players.”
After a wobbly 4-14 2025 campaign, the Ottawa Redblacks own the first overall pick in Tuesday’s draft, with offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro the most named talent in that spot on the many mock boards.
But there are others having clearly made their cases to be the top choice …
Who are the top Canadian prospects?
The consensus talent is edge-rusher Akheem Mesidor after starring with the NCAA’s Miami Hurricanes.
But don’t expect to hear his name early Tuesday — or even at all — given he was a first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft last week.
The Los Angeles Chargers plucked the Ottawa native at 22nd overall, meaning they are super serious about Mesidor as a long-term player in the four-down football ranks.
Nova Scotia’s Logan Taylor, an offensive lineman from the NCAA’s Boston College Eagles, was the only other Canadian selected in the NFL Draft, when the Chargers took him in the sixth round — 202nd overall.
And because of his lower draft value south of the border, he could end up going high in the CFL pick-em, especially since he ended up being the No. 2 rated prospect in the CFL Scouting Bureau’s final rankings — second only to Mesidor.
“There’s a certain risk-aversion level that you have to grade for yourself,” Cameron said. “There are certainly guys that are going to be more fringe NFL guys, but they’re very, very good players. And so you have to decide what is the risk that we’re willing to use a first-round pick on a guy that is in the NFL right now but we think might be available — whether that be in August or September — when NFL cut-downs are made.
“Maybe he’s going to be a guy that’s longer term in the NFL.”
Here are 10 players to keep an eye on to become early draft picks …
• OL Giordano Vaccaro starred last year for the NCAA’s Purdue Boilermakers after earning the top offensive lineman award in U SPORTS with the University of Manitoba Bisons.
• OL Logan Taylor , of the NCAA’s Boston College Eagles, was selected by the Chargers in the sixth round of the NFL Draft after a stellar tenure as a multi-position performer along the line at BC.
• OL Darius Bell , of the NCAA’s East Carolina Pirates, has left-tackle experience, having started regularly at multiple positions in four college seasons.
• OL Kevin Cline , also of Boston College, signed with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins over the weekend after being the full-time starter at right tackle during the 2025 NCAA campaign.
• OL Niklas Henning , of the U SPORTS’ Queen’s Gaels, was a second-team all-Canadian lineman in 2025, a one-time tight end in the OUA, and has reportedly received a couple of rookie mini-camp invites with NFL squads.
• WR Nate DeMontagnac , of the NCAA’s North Dakota Fighting Hawks, broke out for 38 catches, 462 yards and two touchdowns to become the highest-placed receiver on the 2026 CFL Scouting Bureau final rankings.
• DL Nuer Gatkuoth , a three-year star with the NCAA’s Wake Forest Demon Deacons, rolled up 39 defensive tackles, 8½ tackles for losses and one forced fumble.
• LB Eric Rascoe , of the NCAA’s Angelo State Rams, played for the San Antonio Gunslingers in the 2025 Indoor Football League and recorded 39 tackles, two passes defended and one sack.
• LB Dariel Djabome , of the NCAA’s Rutgers Scarlet Knights, racked up a sensational 176 defensive tackles to go with 12 tackles for losses, 5½ sacks and four forced fumbles during his two years as a starter in the Big Ten.
• DB Malcolm Bell , of the NCAA’s Michigan State Spartans, had 49 total tackles, five tackles for losses, six pass knockdowns and one sack and is off to a rookie mini-camp with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.
“I can tell you right now … the guys that are drafted, no one’s taking those guys super early, because the NFL teams are fully invested in those guys with multi-year contracts,” Cameron said. “But for the guys that are undrafted free agents or rookie mini-camp guys, you’ve got to weigh your level of risk-aversion, because you could take a guy in one of those situations in the first round and ultimately he makes the NFL team he signs with — and that’s happening more and more frequently with expanded practice rosters in the NFL.
“You know … there’s obviously more jobs available in the U.S. with those expanded practice rosters, and so the guys that you used to assume that you would get fairly quickly back in the CFL are hanging on longer down there. “
Who will the Stamps draft?
Given the success of last season, they could go any direction.
“I think we’re fortunate that we have a solid roster,” said Cameron, refusing to tip his hand about who the Stamps have atop their draft board. “I don’t know that we have an immediate, specific need for anybody to come in at any position — regardless of where we draft — and step on the field and play for us right away. So we’re comfortable that way.
“Since there’s no anxiety over the idea that we have to get a specific position player, we’ll see what happens with the first five picks in front of us in the first round. And then, of course, we’ll have four or five names in mind that we’ll be comfortable taking based on how the board falls to us.”
Three of the last four first-round choices made by the Stampeders have been receivers in Alford (2025), Cole Tucker (2024) and Jalen Philpot (2022).
And wouldn’t you know it? It’s a deep draft at that position again, says Cameron, who adds there’s plenty of talent available to choose from on the offensive line, as well.
“It’s a good offensive line group,” Cameron said. “Probably the depth of the talent is a little bit better this year at the linebacking group and the wide receiver group. I just think, overall, those are deeper than they have been the last couple years.
“The offensive line group, obviously, is a priority. That’s always a priority for the CFL, just because most teams play at least two and some three and four Canadians in that group. So you’re always fighting for those guys right there. And once again, that class is well represented, both with NCAA players and U SPORTS players.”
What does the Stamps draft look like?
The Stamps don’t have a second-round choice this year after trading it to the BC Lions as part of the deal to get QB Vernon Adams Jr. last season.
Instead they’ll have two picks in the third round, with the 27th overall coming back from the Lions in exchange for Adams.
Also, the Stamps are without a fourth-round draft pick, having traded that to pick up defensive lineman Lorenzo Mauldin IV from the Redblacks last September.
Here are the Stampeders draft slots …
1st round — 6th overall
3rd round — 26th overall
3rd round — 27th overall (from Lions)
5th round — 44th overall
6th round — 53rd overall
7th round — 62nd overall
8th round — 71st overall
The CFL Global Draft, which features two rounds of selections — with the Stamps at sixth in both of those rounds — then follows Wednesday (11 a.m.).
“The work to prepare for the drafts are pretty much complete,” added Cameron. “The CFL Draft is a unique process, and it makes — I believe‚ scouting in our league a little bit more challenging than it is in the NFL, where you just simply say, ‘Hey … tell me who the best player is, and let’s draft that guy.’
“There’s a lot more factors that go into who you select and when you choose to select them than just talent.”
]]>The Calgary Stampeders have signed American return specialist and running back Tyreik McAllister.
McAllister played 16 games for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2023 when he recorded 41 kickoff returns for 1,037 yards, 56 punt returns for 602 yards, seven missed-field goal returns for 408 yards and one touchdown, 27 receptions for 364 yards and two touchdowns and 13 carries for 52 yards.
His 2,463 all-purpose yards and kickoff return average led the CFL that season and he was the Ticats’ nominee for the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award.
The 5-foot-10, 185-lb. native of Latta, S.C., then signed with the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, scoring two touchdowns in a 2024 pre-season game and later making three regular-season appearances.
McAllister, who turns 28 on April 17, was most recently under contract with the Columbus Aviators of the United Football League.
During his collegiate career, McAllister suited up 38 times over five seasons (2017-21) at Charleston. As a senior with the Golden Eagles in 2021, his average of 7.6 yards per carry ranked third in the nation as he was named the Mountain East Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year. He also received first-team all-MEC honours in each of his final two years.
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