By Geoff Crane
Stampeders.com
Its deja vu for the Calgary Stampeders again as they find themselves having to work through numerous injuries to their lineup this season that has tested their depth time and time again. The “Next Man Up” philosophy has become more a way of life.
One benefit to having to move players around is the opportunity to find hidden gems in mid-season acquisitions.
Last year, the horsemen brought in a free agent by the name of Jeff Fuller, who went on to make an immediate impact and turned into a dangerous offensive threat for Calgary this season.
In Friday’s match against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, a new face in receiver Eric Rogers will make his 2014 debut, standing in for the aforementioned Fuller and Joe West.
Could he be another hidden gem?
“I’m just trying to get ready,” says Rogers when asked how he felt about making his first CFL start. “I’m learning my plays and making sure I know my assignments so that there is no drop-off from Joe (West) or Jeff (Fuller).”
The California Lutheran product was a three-time Southern California Intercollegiate Conference all-star and was named the conference’s offensive player of the year in 2012 while also setting numerous school records.
Post academics, Rogers spent time in training camp with the Dallas Cowboys and with the Arena Football League’s Portland Thunder.
Earlier this year, he signed with the Ottawa RedBlacks and finally in July with the Calgary Stampeders, for whom he has spent time on the practice roster learning the Canadian game.
“It’s a more complex playbook up here with all the motions and everything that goes on before the snap of the ball,” says Rogers, who credits the veterans on this team with helping him get up to speed and prepare for this opportunity.
“When I first got here as the new guy, they were helping me little by little.
“Now I feel like I have a good grasp of the playbook and I’m ready to play and they’ll continue to help me even after.”
At six-foot-three and 210 pounds, Rogers is an intriguing player as a receiver who possesses some of the same traits as Fuller in terms of his strong hands and ability to jump and compete for balls thrown his way.
The Stamps hope Rogers will be using all those tools as they square off against a Roughriders team that gave the Red and White all they could handle three weeks ago in Regina, narrowly losing to Calgary 31-24.
Going up against one of your team’s biggest rivals in your debut game could be intimidating for anyone but Rogers insists he’s not buying into the hype.
“I don’t care who we play,” he says. “There are only eight other teams in the league so I feel like everyone is a rival.
“Once the ball is hiked and that first play happens, it’s right back to football, all the butterflies are gone and you focus on making the right plays.”
At the end of the day, Rogers hopes he’ll be able to help his squad to a league-leading 14-2 record and be able to show what he can do.
“Basically, I’m just going to be physical and compete for balls,” says Rogers. “I’m going to try to take advantage of the opportunity, go out there and have fun.”