Argonauts.ca staff
TORONTO – After focusing on the unheralded front-line players yesterday, today we move to the playmakers.
The Argos saw a significant departure in the offseason, as Steve Slaton, the team’s second leading rusher in 2014, officially announced his retirement from pro football. Luckily for Toronto, their mix of returning veterans and fresh faces at running back will make for some intense competition for the few roster spots at the position.
Returning to the Argonauts for the third season is international Curtis Steele, who paced all Argos’ rushers with 850 yards from scrimmage and five total touchdowns in 2014. The “Man of Steele” is the longest-tenured Argos running back and will be expected to lead by example in 2015, while acting as a mentor for his younger teammates.
Joining Steele is sophomore national Anthony Coombs, the Argonauts first-round pick in the 2014 CFL Draft after an outstanding career at the University of Manitoba. Coombs had a strong start to his rookie campaign last season and was among the favourites for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie award, but a shoulder injury caused him to miss the majority of the season. With the departure of fellow national RB Anthony Woodson to the Tiger-Cats in the offseason, Coombs could be in line for a big role in 2015.
In addition to these veterans, the Argos have brought in several highly regarded international free agents and another CFL draft pick to compete for a role in the offence this year.
With their fifth-round pick in the 2015 draft, the Argos selected Wilfrid Laurier stud Dillon Campbell, fresh off a simply dominating senior season. Campbell racked up nearly 1,500 yards on the ground and an additional 200 yards through the air as a senior, scoring 13 touchdowns en route to being named the OUA’s MVP, a First-Team OUA All-Star and First-Team All-Canadian. His rushing total and touchdown mark both led the OUA, as did his 7.88 yards per carry. Between Coombs and Campbell, the Argos should have a youthful pair of national running backs.
Missouri alumnus Henry Josey was considered one of the best in the NCAA before suffering a serious knee injury in 2011 which forced him to miss his entire junior season. Prior to the injury, Josey rushed for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns, and was still named the team MVP and First-Team All-Big 12 despite only playing in ten games. Shaking off any notion that the injury would derail his career, Josey amassed over 1,200 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns as a senior. He was most recently a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Akeem Daniels played 50 games at Northern Illinois, compiling nearly 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 24 touchdowns in his five-year career. Lyle McCombs spent three years at Connecticut before transferring to Rhode Island for his senior season. As a redshirt freshman, McCombs led UConn with over 1,150 yards, and in his lone season at Rhode Island he compiled nearly 1,000 total yards and five touchdowns despite only appearing in five games.
In addition to these traditional running backs, the Argos roster boasts tremendous national depth at fullback.
Fifth-year Argo Zander Robinson converted to fullback in 2013 after spending most of his first two years on special teams and as a back-up defensive lineman, and has since recorded nearly 200 receiving yards and three touchdowns while continuing to play specials. Brendan Gillanders was a standout for the Ottawa Gee-Gees, leading all CIS running backs in 2011 with 1,031 all-purpose yards. Gillanders was drafted in 2013 and made his Argos debut last season, playing exclusively on special teams. Finally, Alexandre Dupuis was drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 CFL Draft by the Argonauts, and recorded six catches in his rookie season after a four-year career playing on both sides of the ball at Montreal.
The CFL may be a passing league, but depth at the running back position is vital for success. Luckily for the Argonauts, that’s something they appear to have.