Dave Campbell
CFL.ca
It’s always good advice to listen your mother. For Eskimo safety Elliot Richardson, it took him awhile to take that to heart. Richardson received a new pair of cleats from his mother as a Christmas present recently. Until last Sunday, Richardson never wore the new footwear.
After his performance in Moncton, it proves mother knows best.
Richardson enjoyed his best performance of his Canadian Football League career recording two interceptions, four defensive tackles and one forced fumble. The performance earned Richardson the CFL’s Defensive Player of the Week and Canadian Player of the Week honours.
“I knew I had a pretty good game, there’s some other Canadians that had a pretty good game this week as well,” said Richardson. “I know (Hamilton Tiger-Cat receiver) Dave Stala had four (catches) for 125 (yards) and two touchdowns. On my own team, Calvin McCarty has two touchdowns as well (along with 84 yards rushing on 10 carries). In the back of my mind I knew maybe I could have a chance at Canadian. I thought I had a bit better of a chance to win Defensive Player of the Week. I was pretty surprised and pretty happy about getting both.”
Richardson thought he’d scored the first touchdown of his CFL career on Sunday at the end of the first half. Richardson scooped up a Cleo Lemon pass and rumbled what he thought was 85 yards for a touchdown. As it turned out, it was only an 84-yard run as video replay showed Richardson was down at the one-yard line as a result of a spectacular touchdown saving tackle by Argonauts running back Jeff Johnson. The result was plenty of ribbing from his teammates which he expected.
“I hear it every day, multiple times a day,” smiled Richardson. “It’s just a learning lesson, I’ve never had that much space in front of me before and I didn’t know what to do with it all. That’s when I started turning back and looking around so I’ve learned something for the future. Instead of looking back and turning around just keep on looking ahead and if you’re going to get tackled, you’re going to get tackled. Just keep on going full steam.”
Richardson played for the University of Acadia Axemen of the CIS for four seasons and started in 35 games. He was named AUS rookie of the year in 2005 and was named a first team conference all-star three times and a second team all-star twice. He also was named an Academic All-Canadian twice during his CIS career.
Richardson signed as a free-agent just before the start of training camp in 2009. By the first game of the season, he was patrolling centre field on the defense as starter Scott Gordon went down with a leg injury. Fast forward to training camp 2010, Richardson was poised to be the man in the middle until he broke his wrist in the final pre-season game at Empire Field in Vancouver. Richardson was placed on the nine-game injured list.
Now, Richardson is back and he has played two games and has looked every bit like the player who excelled in training camp.
Richardson is listed at 5’9” and 190 lbs. and still loves to deliver a punishing blow to an opposing receiver who crosses his path. What Richardson lacks in size he makes up for between the ears. Teammates notice how he thinks about the game and his constant chatter in the huddle is a bonus.
“It all really started for me in the off-season,” explained Richardson. “I knew early on I was going to get the chance to come in and compete for a job. Really there would be times I was lying in bed thinking about our different coverage and then thinking about routes we were getting and how to play each one. The game really slowed down for me, it allowed for me to focus not just on my responsibilities but focus on what I’m seeing and be able to make plays.”
And with a nice pair of shoes from mom as well, don’t forget that now Elliot.
NOTES: Sunday marks the first of a home-and-home series against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as the two teams will meet again this Friday at Ivor Wynne Stadium … Slotback Kelly Campbell will miss his second straight game with an injured ankle … Defensive end Kai Ellis is out with an injured leg … Defensive tackle Dee Sterling will miss the game with an injured knee … Defensive back Lawrence Gordon hurt his left elbow last week in Moncton against Toronto and is out … Randee Drew will come back into the lineup after missing last week’s game with the flu … Running back Brad Lester is out with the flu so import Daniel Porter will share the backfield with Calvin McCarty … Linebacker Mark Restelli is slated to return after missing the last 10 games with a knee injury and will play on special teams and back-up current starter Rod Davis.