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By Max Campbell
Stampeders.com
The Calgary Stampeders will begin their 2015 pre-season schedule Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. when the BC Lions pay a visit to McMahon Stadium.
Several CFL veterans are set to make their Red and White debuts on Friday night including DL Brandon Boudreaux, DB Joe Burnett, LB Jasper Simmons, OL Paul Swiston, DL Eric Taylor and DL Shomari Williams.
The Stamps’ 2015 draft class will also have their initial opportunity to prove their worth in live action with the exception of first-round pick Karl Lavoie as the offensive lineman is currently nursing a shoulder injury. Also, a knee ailment will sideline wide receiver Jeff Fuller, who is expected to recover in time for the club’s Week 1 game on June 26.
The Leos named Jeff Tedford their 25th head coach in franchise history during the off-season after Tedford served as offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League last year. His previous head coaching experience came when he was in charge of the NCAA’s California Golden Bears for 10 consecutive seasons from 2002-12.
Tedford played quarterback for Calgary in 1986 before filling the role of offensive assistant four years later for the Stamps. Wally Buono was patrolling the Stampeders’ sideline at that time and, as the current general manager of the Lions, also hired Tedford into his current position last December.
Calgary is coming off a league-best 15-3 record a season ago while their upcoming opponent finished with a 9-9 mark, finishing fourth in the West.
A victory in the 102nd Grey Cup gave the Stamps’ their seventh championship in franchise history with a 20-16 triumph over the Ticats in Vancouver. Bo Levi Mitchell was named the game’s most valuable player in his first season as the team’s No. 1 pivot.
The Lions, who will be returning to Calgary to do battle on Sept. 18, suffered a disappointing end to 2014 with a 50-17 defeat as the crossover team in the Eastern Semi-Final to the Montreal Alouettes.
Next week, the final tune-up prior the regular season, sees the Stampeders head to Saskatchewan while BC will host the Eskimos from David Sidoo Field at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium. Both matchups will take place on June 19.