Dave Campbell
CFL.ca
Jesse Lumsden’s debut as an Edmonton Eskimo lasted just one quarter. In the opener of the 2009 CFL season, Lumsden dislocated his shoulder ending his season. The next week, the Eskimos travelled to Montreal to play the Alouettes. July 9th, 2009 became the debut of import running back Arkee Whitlock.
If there were ever a book published about how not to make a good first impression, Whitlock would have been the author. Whitlock dropped two touchdown passes, fumbled, and was saw a pass intercepted after it bounced off his shoulder pad. The Eskimos lost the game 50-16 after trailing 19-9 after the third quarter.
Whitlock says he remembers the loss more than about his bad day.
“I think I had missed opportunities but overall as a team, we got kicked,” Whitlock reminisces. “We got kicked around and I remember that the most and then remember the things that I did. The things that I did I don’t think kept us from winning the game because we were still in the game after the third quarter.”
It took Whitlock some time to catch fire but when he did, the CFL took notice. He finished the 2009 season just shy of 1,300 yards rushing and scored 12 touchdowns on the ground and one through the air for a total of 13.
This season, he’s the third best rusher in the league with 430 yards and three touchdowns. Whitlock also boasts a 5.8 yard rushing average. Starting quarterback Ricky Ray has seen a difference in number 36 ever since that tough night in Montreal last season.
“Oh man he’s become one of the best in the league,” said a smiling Ray. “We all have some bad days that you want to forget. His was just his first game, I guess it was kind of good to get it out of the way early but he’s been solid ever since. He’s definitely got the ability to make guys miss. With a running back like that, the offensive line loves that.”
He’s been described as a running back that can make a defender miss through a phone booth. Football people call a running back like that “an ankle breaker”. The offensive line consisting of Calvin Armstrong, Jeremy Parquet, Aaron Fiacconi, Patrick Kabongo, and Kyle Koch have the pleasure of blocking for Whitlock at the line of scrimmage.
Koch says it’s fun to see him juke defenders out of their uniform, “He’s the guy who can bust a big run when maybe we miss a block and he can beat someone. Or when we’re running left and he’ll just take it to the backside guy and take his chances and make that guy look stupid nine times out of ten.”
Whitlock says his ability to be shifty just comes natural to him.
“I’ve been small all my life and I think a lot of guys have different attributes in what they bring to the game.”
“I’ve always been a Barry Sanders type; I love those type of guys who are small but always making guys miss because I think its fun to make a guy clearly miss you. You can’t run over everybody, it’s easy for a guy to come tackle you,” says Whitlock.
Catching the football is one area that running backs coming from the United States need to get used to as backs are more displaced in CFL. The other important skill backs must get used to is protection or blocking in the backfield especially on blitzing situations.
When you consider linebackers in the CFL look more like defensive backs here than defensive ends like in the NFL, it’s not easy. Ricky Ray says Whitlock has greatly improved as pass protector.
“We put a lot on the running backs as far as protection,” explained Ray. “We give them a lot of different reads. It’s not like they’re checking one guy, they’re checking multiple guys on both sides. They really have to know their stuff. Arkee does a good job of scanning and protecting but still getting out on his route too.”
Head coach Richie Hall could have kicked Whitlock to the curb after the Montreal disappointment but he stuck with him. Whitlock says now it’s easy to forget about July 9th, 2009 because of his solid play.
“I think last year I was motivated to have more good games to get people to move away from Montreal,” he says. “I don’t even remember Montreal because there have been so many games since then.”
22 to be exact.
Notes: The Eskimos look to have safety Saleem Borhot back in their lineup after he missed one game with a groin injury. Jason Nugent would be used on special teams. Defensive back Jason Goss will make his return after being a healthy scratch last week. Lenny Walls has a foot injury and is out. Kick-returner Skyler Green may return after missing the last four games with a leg injury.