Everything changed in the blink of an eye.
After winning the 111th Grey Cup, the Argonauts defensive line was decimated by defections. It started on January 10 when Folarin Orimolade was traded to Calgary for linebacker Cameron Judge. Three days later Ralph Holley signed with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.
The biggest hit in terms of sheer volume came on the first day of free agency, February 12, when Jake Ceresna, Robbie Smith, and Jared Brinkman and all signed deals with the Edmonton Elks.
All of a sudden, the Argos defensive line group was down a total of five key players who combined for 31 sacks last year.
Replacements were brought in via free agency, but only three of the defensive linemen who dressed in the Argos Grey Cup win over Winnipeg remained in Double Blue; Jordan Williams, Thiadric Hansen, and Derek Parish.
Of those three, Parish had the greatest impact a year ago, contributing a half-dozen sacks in his rookie campaign.
This season, he’s ready to increase his contributions on the field.
“I was able to go into the off-season with a notion of how to get better at the game within the game,” Parish told Argonauts.ca. “Last year I was ignorant to it and didn’t have that knowledge, but now I feel I’m a little more comfortable in terms of my training and getting better in this training camp.”
It’s hard to watch Parish and not think of his former teammate Flo Orimolade. Both are shorter than your average end, they know how to use that natural leverage to their advantage, both have an elite combination of speed and power, and both have great bend.
But when asked what he learned the most last year from a veteran who shared so many of the same attributes, the first thing out of his mouth wasn’t a physical trait.
“His knowledge of the game,” said Parish of Orimolade. “He would always give me pointers and tips on how something would play out and just help me raise my IQ in the Canadian league. Every time Flo or another vet would talk, I’d be a sponge. Even if I wasn’t asking him and he’d say something to somebody else and I’d hear him, I’d write it down.”
With the defections in the group, Parish is remarkably the veteran along the d-line with 18 games played as an Argo. Anthony Lanier and Bryan Cox have played more CFL games, but Parish has the most seniority in games played in Double Blue.
He’s ready to assume a leadership role if it’s needed.
“That’s something that I would love to step into, but I also believe that has to be earned,” said Parish. “By keeping my energy up every day, showing up for these guys on the field, I think that’s a great start. If I get accepted in that role I would gladly step into it, but I’m, going to do my best to get myself and the guys around me better.”
Spoken like a true leader.
It’s not just the players that are new to the group, as last year’s defensive line coach, Demetrious Maxie, left for Edmonton as well. Maxie’s replacement is a perfect fit for a young group.
Greg Marshall knows a thing or two about playing defensive line. Not only has he been a coach since retiring in 1987, he was a tremendous player, named an all-star four times, and was named the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Lineman in 1983.
He likes what he sees in Parish.
“You can tell he’s a guy that likes playing the game,” Marshall told Argonauts.ca. “He has fun out there even though he’s working hard. He likes to be the leader of the group. He’s done a good job in camp, I like the way he works. I like the way he tries different things when you make suggestions, he’s coachable. He’s just enthusiastic when he’s out there on the football field.”
Marshall was equally enthusiastic about the Houston native’s potential.
“I think he can be a very good pass rusher in this league. I think he’s excited by the fact that he’s going to get more opportunities than he got last year. We need someone to step up and fill some of the void from the guys that were here last year. He was more of a rotational guy maybe getting 20 snaps a game, this year he’s probably going to be one of the front line guys getting 50 snaps a game. He looks like he’s prepared for it in the off-season and he’s had a good training camp so far.”
Argo fans will be watching the evolution of the defensive line as the season progresses, anxious to see who steps up to replace the numerous players who left. There is little doubt that if they watch the group, number 97 will catch their eye very quickly.
ARGO NOTES For the second straight day the defence had the better of the offence during the scrimmage and skelly periods…One offensive player who had a good day was Calvin Turner Jr., who made a sensational sliding, over the shoulder catch, while also catching a TD pass when the team was working on red-zone offence…Several pairs were as returners during kickoff drills. The first pairing, not surprisingly, was Janarion Grant, with Deonta McMahon as the off-back.