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Starting QB aims to help turn fortunes around in visit to play former team in Vancouver
Published Oct 03, 2025 • 5 minute read
Vernon Adams Jr.
Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. reacts after beating the Edmonton Elks in CFL action at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia
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Vernon Adams Jr. admits to having his confidence shaken during September.
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Will the Halloween month ahead be just as scary for the Calgary Stampeders quarterback?
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It better not be with the tail-end of the Canadian Football League campaign on tap.
Because as the starting QB goes, so go the Stampeders, who suddenly have struggled with three straight losses after a mostly solid season.
“Yeah, we need confidence and that starts with me,” said Adams, who leads the Stampeders (8-6) into Saturday’s CFL contest against the host BC Lions (8-7) in Vancouver (5 p.m., TSN, CHQR 770 AM/107.3 FM the Edge).
“I’ve lost my confidence the last few weeks. I’m not playing like myself and things like that. And, you know, I’ve just come to realize this week, I just have to be me.
“Regardless of win or loss, I’m a child of God,” Adams continued. “None of this defines me — none of you (media) guys … nobody. So I’ve just got to keep playing with the ultimate confidence. And when I do that, I’m playing my best football.”
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These days, everybody needs to be playing their best against the Lions, who have won their past three outings — highlighted by a 52-23 butt-kicking of Adams and the Stamps two weeks back at McMahon Stadium.
Nothing seemed to go right for the QB himself on that night. Two early interceptions gave the Lions first-quarter momentum and a 14-0 advantage and then Adams was knocked out of the game when a spotter determined he had suffered a hit to the head.
The team never recovered despite a yeoman’s effort from backup QB P.J. Walker, who also was KO’d from the game with a serious shoulder injury.
And the end result became the second loss of three consecutive that has to have the Stamps somewhat in knots.
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“Yeah, definitely, I think it can affect you mentally,” Stamps boss Dave Dickenson said of the skid that keeps them four points behind the league-leading Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-4).
“The key is try not to look back too far,” the coach continued. “You know, you learn from your past, but you’d better be looking ahead, looking where you’re at.”
Where the Stamps are at heading into Van City is clinging to second spot in the CFL’s West Division. They have one fewer loss and a game in hand on both the Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to give them that advantage in the standings.
And it doesn’t get any easier up against a Lions team led by Nathan Rourke, whose return to the CFL last year made Adams available to the Stamps in the off-season and now has them rising to become a significant Grey Cup contender.
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The Red and White got a whiff of that not long ago at McMahon.
“We did play them two weeks ago and they got the best of us,” Dickenson said. “So there’s an opportunity in front of you to just make a better performance. Play better football and play winning football and put yourself in a position — hopefully in the fourth quarter — that it’s you that has the lead and then try to grind it out.
“So we’re really pretty focused on just a singular job of getting out there and finding a way to play better football and winning football and make sure, in the fourth quarter, we’re the team making the plays.”
Of course, that starts with Adams — a confident Adams, the Stamps hope, come Saturday.
“I’ve got a great team around me,” Adams said. “I don’t have to be Superman. I don’t have to do everything on my own. Let me get these guys the ball — give them an opportunity — make proper decisions and be smart with the football.”
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Smartly, his teammates haven’t given up on the veteran.
The truth is they believe the togetherness of the dressing room — something they all seem to embrace — is due to the QB’s leadership.
“It starts with V.A. to be honest,” Stamps defensive back Godfrey Onyeka said of what the players consider to be a close-knit ‘brotherhood.’
“Like, I’ve never played with a quarterback who’s so easy to relate to, who can actually talk to you and talk to everyone about anything really.
“So I think it starts from the top. We’ve got really good leaders in V.A., (Derrick) Moncrief and Marquel (Lee). We added (Adam) Biggie (Bighill), which helped a lot, too. And it’s just a good group of guys.”
Fortunately, the leadership load won’t all be on Adams when Onyeka and the Stamps take the field Saturday.
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Lee makes his much-awaited return at middle linebacker after a biceps injury knocked him out Week 2. And being listed as out because of something ‘not injury related’ earlier this week at practice, strong-side linebacker Moncrief is slated to suit up against the Lions.
Bighill, however, comes out of the lineup in what’s likely a load-management move for the veteran who returned to action last month after being out a year with a torn ACL.
SHORT YARDAGE
DL Lorenzo Mauldin makes his debut for the Stampeders as the starter at the all-important rush end spot. The CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2022 was acquired via trade last weekend … RB Vyshonne Janusas is the other addition to the Stamps roster this week … Besides Bighill, two more players come out of the Stamps lineup in QB Logan Bonner and DL Byron Vaughns, who was released by the club earlier this week … A couple of Stampeders are award nominees in Onyeka and WR Dominique Rhymes for the Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Trophy and the Tom Pate Memorial Award, respectively. The former is presented annually to CFL player who best demonstrates the attributes of Canada’s veterans in times of war, peace and military conflict, while the latter is a CFL Players’ Association honour given to a player with outstanding sportsmanship and someone who has made a significant contribution to his team, his community and the association … Stamps DL Clarence Hicks was named the Pro Football Focus defensive player of the month for September and listed on the PFF All-September Honour Roll with a grade of 84.7%.
tsaelhof@postmedia.com
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