May 23, 2018

Notebook: Sam Hurl wants more

SASKATOON — Sam Hurl is smack in the middle of things at the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ training camp.

The 28-year-old product of Calgary has been playing middle linebacker, a spot that came open when the CFL’s Roughriders released Henoc Muamba in the off-season.

Sam Eguavoen was expected to play in the middle, but Hurl has been getting a lot of work there in the early stages of training camp. While Eguavoen — or someone else — still could win the job, Hurl has been enjoying the battle.

“There’s a lot of good players out here and there’s tons of competition,” he said after a practice at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus. “I’m loving it, though. It’s good. That’s football, right? When you’re in a game, that’s what it’s all about is competition.

“They really hit you with that culture here. They let you know that whoever’s the best man out there is going to be the guy who’s up. It’s good. It’s good motivation and I’m excited for it.”

Head coach-GM Chris Jones noted Wednesday that Hurl will play only in the middle, even though the Roughriders plan to have a Canadian linebacker on the field at all times. That means another Canuck likely would play on the weak side if an American lines up in the middle.

The opportunity to play on defence — or even on special teams, where he also excels — prompted Hurl to sign with the Roughriders as a free agent in February.

“Also a big part of it was I like the team,” said Hurl, who spent the past three seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after playing his first three seasons in the league with Saskatchewan. “I liked the way it was headed.

“I think they made a lot of good off-season pickups and going into the end of the season, they really picked things up. I want to be on a winning team and I want to have an opportunity to play, so those were two big reasons why I decided to sign here.”

Hurl has played 90 career regular-season games in the CFL (including 42 with the Roughriders after they selected him in the second round of the 2012 draft) and was a member of Saskatchewan’s Grey Cup-winning team in 2013.

But by no means is he ready to be done.

“It has been great; I’ve got no regrets,” he said of his career. “Obviously I want to keep getting better, though. I’m not completely satisfied yet whatsoever.

“I was injured for the 2013 Grey Cup, so I’ve still got a lot of motivation in that sense. I want to get my name on the cup and I want to get on the field and play as much football as I can for as long as I can.”

•••

Kyran Moore is a pretty tiny guy — he’s listed at 5-foot-10 (he isn’t that tall) and 165 pounds (maybe) — but the wide receiver has been making big plays during camp.

A product of Austin Peay University, Moore has been noticeable every day. It’s pretty impressive when one considers that, at 21 years of age, Moore is the youngest professional player in camp.

“No matter the age difference, we’re all just here to compete,” said Moore, who’s older than just two other players (Saskatoon Hilltops defensive back Colton Holmes and University of Saskatchewan Huskies quarterback Mason Nyhus, both of whom are 20) at camp.

“I look at the older guys as help, but as far as going against them, I look at them as just another football player.”

Moore regularly has been getting behind defensive backs to catch passes or outrunning defenders to the sidelines after snaring throws. He’s still getting used to the CFL rules and the spacing on the field, but he feels good about his camp so far.

And as for the difference between his size and that of his teammates …

“I know what I can do, so whoever’s in front of me, I just give them all I have no matter the height or the weight,” Moore said. “I just take it all the same.”

•••

Jones confirmed Wednesday that slotback Jake Harty has suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Harty, whom the Roughriders signed as a free agent from the Ottawa Redblacks, hurt his right knee in the first workout of training camp on Sunday.

Subsequent examination has determined that Harty tore the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee and is done for the 2018 campaign.

Linebackers Brandyn Bartlett and Micah Teitz left Wednesday’s practice with undisclosed injuries, the extent of which weren’t known.

Defensive tackle Rakim Cox, who injured his back before camp began, was on the practice field Tuesday but was absent again Wednesday. Offensive lineman Josiah St. John has yet to practise due to a hamstring injury.

•••

There were slated to be two practices Wednesday, but Jones ended the day early after the first session.

“We have a certain total number of reps that we have in mind,” he explained. “We just cut the drill work down and (did) a little bit less individual time and still got the same number of reps.”

Jones liked the pace of the practice and suggested the decision to get the players off the field wasn’t a reflection of the fact that it was Day 4 of camp.

“We don’t need to prove anything to anybody,” he said. “We just need to go out and make sure we get the work done necessary to make sure we get our evaluations and get ready for this first pre-season game.”

Saskatchewan is to visit the Edmonton Eskimos on Sunday.