DAVID ALTER
Argonauts.ca Columnist
David Alter is a reporter and sportscaster for Toronto’s Sports Radio THE FAN 590. David covers the Argos and has covered football at every level dating back to 2003.
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When Chad Owens arrived in Toronto in late June via trade with Montreal, too late to even be included in the club’s media guide, only the coaching staff knew what they had. Fans had seen the highlight reels on YouTube and watched him in action in the final game of the 2009 season at Rogers Centre – serendipitous that his first-ever CFL game was in Toronto. He was an unknown commodity in the big city but by season’s end, when the team moved practices to a nearby high school in Oakville, it was Owens that the students poured out of class to watch.
His journey to Edmonton, Alberta for Thursday night’s CFL Outstanding Player Awards show was long, and at times painful, but it brings him back to the province where his CFL fortunes first began to change. After all, it was in Calgary, Alberta where Argos fans began to understand what the coaching staff already knew.
Owens started the year with an incredible 90-yard punt return in the season opener in Calgary where he made an immediate impression on new head coach Jim Barker.
“That touchdown run by Chad Owens was one of the best I had ever seen in the league,” said Barker. “That was just heart.”
One week later, Owens was instrumental in helping the Argos grab their first win when he took an Alexis Serna missed 45-yard field goal back all the way to the house. The effort earned Owens is very first CFL Special Teams Player of the Week honour.
The following week Owens was a runner-up for the same award when he helped the Argos extend their lead to a crucial field goal margin, after getting the reception on a two-point conversion.
Taking on his former team, Owens won his very first Offensive Player of the Week honour after making 6 catches for an unbelievable 163 yards as well as two touchdown receptions. Owens showed at what he was capable of as an all-purpose football player.
Week 12 against Winnipeg, Owens got his third return for a touchdown in helping the Argos grab another win. He was awarded with another CFL Special Teams Player of the Week award.
Owens went on to win the award three more times for a total of five, all three of those he was voted as the unanimous winner. The honours would also help Owens grab CFL Special Teams Player of the Month for September and October.
With the Argos season coming to a grinding halt at the hands of the Alouettes in the CFL Eastern Final, it will be Chad Owens going to Edmonton without his teammates where it’s almost expected he will grab CFL Most Outstanding Special Teams Player honours.
After the 18th week of the season, Owens had amassed over 1,000 punt return and 1,000 kickoff return yards, becoming just the fifth player in CFL history to do so in one season.
The consummate professional, it pains Owens that he won’t be in Edmonton with a Grey Cup on the line. “I was hoping to be able to go there (Edmonton) with my teammates. It’s hard,” said Owens. “You wanna be there so bad playing in that game, and you had every chance to be there and we fell short. It’s hard but hopefully Montreal and Saskatchewan provide an entertaining game like they did last year.”
Owens heads into his option year and insists he wants to stay in Toronto to build on what they’ve accomplished together with a new group of players. Owens could become the second player in three years to win Most Outstanding Special Teams player after Dominique Dorsey won the award in Toronto back in 2008. In 2009, Dorsey elected to go down south using his option to sign with the Washington Redskins, but he was subsequently released and returned to the Argos.
The path Owens takes could be an interesting one. He’s almost sure to get a call down south but it will be up to him to decide if he wants to accept it. We know what Dorsey did and he managed to find his way back. 2009 CFL M.O.S.T. Larry Taylor came back to Montreal after being released by the New York Jets. Taylor was then released by the Als just days before the CFL Eastern Final and rookie Tim Maypray torched the Argos with a punt return touchdown.
What separates Owens from the ones before him is his offensive prowess; he finished third on the team in receiving with 576 yards on 46 catches. Owens is all class, an all-round athlete and highly deserving for what was an incredible breakout season for the Flyin’ Hawaiian.