Quarterback Travis Lulay was on the sidelines getting ready for the B.C. LionsB次元官网网址� next possession when a Hamilton Tiger-Cats rookie receiver grabbed everyoneB次元官网网址檚 attention.
Inserted into the starting lineup because of injury, Chris Williams collected a short pass and slipped through two would-be tacklers before getting spun around by another.
B次元官网网址淗e stayed on top of the defenderB次元官网网址檚 body,B次元官网网址� Lulay vividly recalled of the 2011 game. B次元官网网址淗e didnB次元官网网址檛 get ruled down, popped up and got shot out of a cannon for another 60 yards.
"I'll embrace the grind and go to battle with these guys." jacked to join new teammates 馃 馃張
B次元官网网址� BC Lions (@BCLions)
READ 馃憠馃徎
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e like, B次元官网网址榃ho is that guy? WeB次元官网网址檝e never seen this guy before.B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址�
Williams would go on to finish with eight catches for 189 yards and a touchdown in an emphatic first step to winning the CFLB次元官网网址檚 rookie of the year award.
B次元官网网址淗e caught a hook pattern and went (71 yards) because he out ran everybody,B次元官网网址� said B.C. head coach/GM Wally Buono, who was also at Empire Field that night. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard not to admire that kind of skill.B次元官网网址�
The Lions (4-2) will finally get a chance to see what the dynamic speedster can add to their lineup when he makes his debut Saturday against the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2-3) at B.C. Place Stadium.
Williams, 29, signed with B.C. through 2018 this off-season despite recovering from surgery after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his right knee late last season while playing for the Ottawa Redblacks.
After working out on his own for most of training camp and spending the first six weeks of the schedule on the injured list, Williams is eager to get back on the field.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 ready to go out there and just play,B次元官网网址� said the soft-spoken New Mexico State product. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a long time coming.B次元官网网址�
In his four CFL seasons split between Hamilton and Ottawa B次元官网网址� he spent 2013 and 2014 in the NFL B次元官网网址� five-foot-nine, 155-pound Williams has 318 catches for 4,822 yards and 32 touchdowns.
He registered more than 1,200 yards the last two seasons as part of an impressive RedblacksB次元官网网址� receiving corps, including a ridiculous 493 yards and six TDs over the first three games of 2016.
Williams, who nearly joined B.C. in 2015 before signing with Ottawa, had a combined 10 catches for 271 yards and a touchdown in last yearB次元官网网址檚 two meetings with the Lions.
B次元官网网址淚 just want to do my thing, keep doing what I do, what IB次元官网网址檝e been doing my career,B次元官网网址� said Williams. B次元官网网址淚 make plays.B次元官网网址�
Needless to say, his new teammates are happy to finally have Williams on their side.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been seeing Chris Williams do things against us for a long time,B次元官网网址� said Lulay, who will make his third straight start Saturday in place of the injured Jonathon Jennings. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 exciting to have him.B次元官网网址�
Williams joins a talented group of receivers that includes Emmanuel Arceneaux, Bryan Burnham and Nick Moore. HeB次元官网网址檒l also likely be called upon to return kicks alongside the electrifying Chris Rainey.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an awesome situation for our football team,B次元官网网址� said Lulay. B次元官网网址淚t only makes us better.B次元官网网址�
B.C. will be looking to be better in many areas following last FridayB次元官网网址檚 37-26 road loss to the Edmonton Eskimos 芒鈧珺次元官网网址� the LionsB次元官网网址� second defeat of the season to their West Division rivals.
The line of scrimmage was the most glaring area of concern after Lulay was sacked four times and under seemingly constant pressure. B.C.B次元官网网址檚 pass rush was unable to consistently get in the face of Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly.
B次元官网网址淲e werenB次元官网网址檛 as good as we wanted to be,B次元官网网址� said Buono. B次元官网网址淗ave we worked hard to be better this week? Yes. Are we going to be better this week? Yes.B次元官网网址�
Saskatchewan is coming off an encouraging 38-27 home win over the Toronto Argonauts where Duron Carter had nine receptions for 131 yards and two touchdowns, including a jaw-dropping one-handed TD grab.
B次元官网网址淗e should be confident,B次元官网网址� Lions cornerback Ronnie Yell said of Carter. B次元官网网址淲e know heB次元官网网址檚 going to be confident, but itB次元官网网址檚 my job to kill that confidence.B次元官网网址�
No setbacks and ready to return. eager to return to the in his new team colours.鉃�
B次元官网网址� CFL (@CFL)
Saskatchewan is aiming for its first road victory of the year, and first win away from home against a division opponent since Week 11 of the 2014 season.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e a very well-coached football team,B次元官网网址� Riders head coach/GM Chris Jones told reporters in Regina this week about the Lions. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e not invincible, but they play very good, tough, solid football.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got to match that physicality.B次元官网网址�
Notes: Saskatchewan QB Kevin Glenn is poised to leapfrog Ron Lancaster for sixth on the CFLB次元官网网址檚 all-time career passing yards list. Glenn sits just 108 yards behind Lancaster (50,535). B次元官网网址� Lions defensive back T.J. Lee is out with a dislocated elbow, meaning Steven Clarke will see his first action of the season. B次元官网网址� B.C. and Saskatchewan play the rematch Aug. 13 in Regina.
The Canadian Press
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