By Allen Cameron
Calgary Herald

After spending Saturday night celebrating that day’s regular-season-ending victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Calgary Stampeders defensive tackle DeVone Claybrooks arrived home with his roommate Charleston Hughes in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

It had been a long, exhausting, and, yes, satisfying day, but the adrenalin was still flowing, so going immediately to sleep would have been tough.

Instead, the two decided there’s no time like the present to start preparing for the next challenge. So they turned on the TV and starting watching the Edmonton-Saskatchewan game they’d recorded on Friday night.

“We were watching 4 o’clock in the morning,” said the smiling 34-yearold. “I was kind of restless, and Charleston and I just decided to turn it on.”

That’s what the prospects of playing post-season football will do to a guy who’s been there, done that and bought the T-shirt when it comes to professional football.

But Claybrooks comes by it honestly; he can still remember his first taste of the playoffs – as an 11-year-old growing up in Martinsville, Va., playing for the Bassett Bengals – and, by the way, playing running back.

“We won the city title, and I was the MVP,” guffawed the less-than-fleet-footed six-foot-three, 300-pounder. “I SWEAR I was a running back; I was a running back in high school, too, before I got fat in college. Hey, didn’t you see me out there covering the receivers (on Saturday)? I had to do that a bunch. AND, I had to cover their running back man to man. Hey, slim and trim.”

Well, maybe, but a more accurate description today may be “old and wise,” although at times these past two weeks, Claybrooks has looked more wise and less old with each passing play.

After dressing for Calgary’s first 11 games and being part of the rotation on the D-line, he was a healthy scratch for three of the Stamps’ next five games – a situation he didn’t necessarily embrace, but understood.

“Coach Jones (defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones) gave me the analogy of a ’67 classic car; you don’t take it out that often, but when you DO take it out, it’s definitely a headturner,” said Claybrooks. “I mean, I didn’t really like (sitting), but no one player is bigger than the family. I’m playing pretty well right now, the team’s playing pretty well, we’ve won three in a row, and we’re right where we need to be.”

Claybrooks’ contributions aren’t necessarily showing up in the stats sheet, but rest assured, he’s been making significant plays in the Stamps’ past two wins, over the top two playoff seeds in the East, Montreal and Winnipeg.

His game-saving tackle on Anthony Calvillo’s two-point conversion attempt in Montreal stands out, but Claybrooks has also played a role in the Stamps keeping two quality running backs – Montreal’s Brandon Whitaker and Winnipeg’s Chris Garrett – mostly in check.

And you can make the argument that his more significant contribution has been in helping the young defensive lineman – particularly rookies Junior Turner and Brian Bulcke – become contributors.

“He’s not selfish at all,” said linebacker Juwan Simpson. “He’s all about helping you, and by helping you, it gains for him, too. He understands that, where a lot of young players don’t. He’s a smart player, he understands this defence inside and out, and there’s not a trick he doesn’t know.”

Claybrooks doesn’t have a title, but there’s no question that he’s been helping defensive line coach Brent Monson as an unofficial assistant this season, and enjoying the challenge.

He keeps the youngsters on the field after practice to work on technique, and Turner, in particular, has taken some major strides in the past month.

“It’s paying off, you can see the improvement in Bulcke and Junior, and the other guys we work with,” said Claybrooks. “You put in the extra time after practice, and that, in turn, has made our defence work a lot better.

“Actually, I think we’re ALL playing good football right now. I’m just a cog in the engine that keeps on going. It’s a team effort; with Bulcke inside, and Junior Turner’s playing really well, and then with Juwan and Hammer (Robert McCune) at the linebacker spots – the triangle of the linebackers and the D-line are playing really well together, and we’re feeding off each other. It’s not about me; it’s about everybody doing their jobs, and everybody making the plays when they’re supposed to make them.”