Team: Saskatchewan Roughriders
Number/Position: #19 / RB
Date of Birth: November 19, 1976
In the Canadian Football League, ask any coach what
wins football games and you will find an inordinate
number that say "Special Teams". Take the
Saskatchewan Roughriders, for example. In their 51-41
win over Ottawa on August 17, 12 of those points came
on special teams. One in particular lit up the crowd.
Corey Holmes ran back a punt 87 yards for a major to
contribute to the Riders' cause. That would be the same
Corey Holmes that won the John Agro Award for special
teams play in 2002. And Holmes has an understanding
of the importance of his contribution in that area.
"We have a great group of players on special teams,"
he offered recently. "It is very important for
us to produce during games because it gives us instant
field position." Sounds easy enough, but guess
again. Holmes is one of the players that have an innate
understanding of the importance of the larger CFL field.
"It was a big difference for me when I first came
up here but I do like it because there's more room for
me to run and hopefully get past guys and take it to
the house," he continued.
Speaking of houses, the one Holmes calls home will
be host to the 2003 Grey Cup and all season long the
Riders have been considered a threat to make a return
to the National final for the first time since 1997.
Corey Holmes, and the rest of the 'Riders are aware
of that fact. "We are focusing on one game at a
time, but we all know where the Grey Cup is this year
and it's exciting going out on the turf and seeing the
stands being built", he added. "We want to
do everything we can to get to the championship, but
we can't get ahead of ourselves."
So what about the pressure Corey? It was just last
year that Edmonton became the first team since the B.C.
Lions in 1994 to host and play in the big game. "Of
course there's lots of talk about it, but we don't think
about it. We know it's here and we see the stands as
I said, but it's something we have in the back of our
minds. We want to go there, but we have to take steps
each week to achieve our goal."
And what a goal that would be if the Riders could reward
their legion of fans known only as Rider Pride. Renowned
throughout the country as some of the most dedicated
CFL fans, followers of the Green would have plenty to
cheer about should the Riders go all the way. And Corey
Holmes for one understands the importance of the 13th
man. "Without a doubt, our fans are the craziest
in the League. It doesn't matter where we play; there
are Roughrider fans in the stands. It's very cool to
see all of them and when we play at home in front of
a sold-out loud crowd, it gets us excited too and we
want to play well for them."
Who knows - maybe Corey Holmes and the Riders will
get that chance on November 16.
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