Hogan: Coxie Having Career Year

It was a moment that was so uncharacteristic it caught most people off guard.

Damonte Coxie attacks life with youthful exuberance. He’s one of those rare people that you assume has never had a bad day in his life because he’s always seeking out things that make him smile, while constantly having others benefit from his positive approach to life.

But two weeks ago in Edmonton, it looked like the native of Reserve, Louisiana was in a very bad place. He had lost a fumble, then couldn’t squeeze a pass that was intercepted by JJ Ross and returned for a touchdown. He sat on the bench with his head down as teammate Adarius Pickett leaned over him, appearing to console the receiver with some words of encouragement.

Sometimes things aren’t as they appear.

“I wasn’t hanging my head, I was talking to myself,” Coxie explained to Argonauts.ca. “Sometimes I might have my head down, but never down because of the situation. It’s more of a prayer going on, going back to what I know, and in tough times you call on God when you feel you can’t do it on your own strength. When my head is down it’s usually me giving up a prayer.”

Coxie hasn’t had many reasons to hang his head this year. With 797 receiving yards through ten games, the 29-year-old is just 63 yards shy of setting a career high, and is getting closer to the 1,000-mark, something he hasn’t reached since he did it in back-to-back seasons while playing for the University of Memphis Tigers.

He admits it’s a milestone that would mean something to him.

“It’s important,” he admitted. “What’s important is us winning. The thousand has not really been a real thing for me to get, I’m trying to win. The thousand yards is going to come if it comes. It’s definitely a goal I want to hit, I want to be the best in everything I do.”

He’s on pace for over 1,400 yards, a key component in an offence that, at times, moves the ball at will. As good as the group has been, second in the CFL in net offence with 414 yards per game, Coxie feels there’s still more that the offence can accomplish.

“We’ve got a lot more to go,” said the receiver. “If we get to playing complete games it’s going to be pretty scary. We’re putting a lot of the pieces together and I’m enjoying watching us bring it all together.”

The latest addition to the arsenal was the power running game the Argos unveiled against Hamilton. Isaiah Smith and Qualan Jones combined for 136 yards rushing, adding 28 more through the air.

That development has added a little more joy to the perpetually smiling Coxie.

“It helps a lot,” said Coxie of the duo’s performance in the rain against the Tiger-Cats. “Now you just can’t wait for the pass, you’ve got to respect the run and respect the pass. The run always helps the pass to open up.”

That’s a prospect that may give opposing defensive coordinators sleepless nights, but perhaps still not as many as Coxie. That’s all part of a relatively new development in his life, fatherhood.

Being dad to a couple of young boys has been an eye-opener for Coxie, as it is for any new parent.

“Fatherhood has changed my perception,” he said. “Giving grace if you’re asked for it. Taking for granted things like time. I don’t take time for granted at all, I take it very seriously. We can make money, we can lose money and get it back, but time is the only thing we can’t get back. That’s what I’ve take the most out of fatherhood, valuing time and being where your feet at.”

Spoken like a true Louisianan.

Coxie is hoping his feet find the end zone in Regina on Saturday. The Argos have won three of their last four games, and with a couple of would’ve, could’ve, should’ve games in Winnipeg and Hamilton, could be on a five-of-six streak.

With Coxie’s evaluation of the offence, the Argos appear to be hitting their stride just in time for the CFL stretch run.