LeFors returns to face Esks
Last Updated: Thursday, July 2, 2009 | 12:54 PM ET
The Canadian Press
Quarterback Stefan LeFors makes his debut with the Winnipge Blue Bombers Thursday night. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)The Edmonton Eskimos plan a hot reception for an old friend Thursday when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visit Commonwealth Stadium.
Stefan LeFors, the southpaw backup to Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray the last two seasons, will make his debut at the helm of the Bombers in the CFL season opener for both teams (TSN, 9 p.m. ET)
"He's got a good arm, so if you give him plenty of time he can stretch the field and he's pretty accurate," said Eskimos defensive end Kai Ellis, who played for the Bombers last year before being traded in the off-season for linebacker Siddeeq Shabazz.
"We've got to keep on hitting him and staying in his face."
LeFors, 28, got into just one game last season with Edmonton, but had five starts in 2007 after Ray separated his shoulder. He was winless in all five.
Nevertheless Mike Kelly, the Eskimos receivers coach last season, liked what he saw and traded for the former University of Louisville star shortly after being named the new head coach of the Bombers. Veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn was released and there was no turning back.
Roster reconstructed
It was a roll of the dice for a team that finished 8-10 last year, lost to Edmonton in the East Division semifinal, then blew up the roster —particularly the offensive line and secondary.
Ray said he got to know LeFors's style in Edmonton, and said the Green and Gold defence must be ready to stop a quarterback who can turn a broken play into big yardage.
"He's got a good arm and good vision, but what you've really got to be careful with is his ability to use his legs," said Ray.
"When you're covering well downfield, he has the ability to take off and pick up some first downs."
Eskimos head coach Richie Hall agreed: "What we want to try to do is make them one-dimensional — take away the run, force him to make a lot of plays.
"(We have to) frustrate him, hit him. If we can get to him early, hopefully we can rattle him and take him out of a comfort zone."
Both teams were taken out of their comfort zones following 2008.
Hall hired away
After finishing 10-8 and losing to Montreal in the East Division Final, Eskimos head coach Danny Maciocia kicked himself upstairs to focus full-time on general manager duties.
Hall was then hired away from Saskatchewan, and with him came the core of the Roughriders defence: middle linebacker Maurice Lloyd, safety Scott Gordon and rush end Kitwana Jones.
The Eskimos turned over half their roster on defence and on offence brought in Jesse Lumsden from Hamilton to revive their running game.
From Winnipeg came Ellis, defensive back Jason Nugent, defensive back Kelly Malveaux and offensive lineman Kyle Koch. Heading to the Bombers from Edmonton were defensive end Fred Perry, receiver Brock Ralph, Shabazz and LeFors.
On the sidelines, former Eskimos defensive co-ordinator Rick Campbell has joined Kelly's staff as coach of the defensive backs.
Ray said he'll be keeping an eye out for the marauding Perry and Shabazz.
"Fred Perry, hopefully I don't run into him too many times throughout the course of the game because that means they're getting a good pass rush up front," he said.
"Those are two guys who are good players. Hopefully we can contain them."
Hall said he's not sure what to expect from Kelly, given that teams don't tend to tip their hands in pre-season — but he said he's not worried.
"It really doesn't matter what they do, whether it's a one-back offence, a run-and-shoot type thing, a long-ball type thing. If you're sound, you have the ability to defend whatever it is they put out there."
Notes: Lumsden is back practising following a bout of food poisoning over the weekend. He's expected to play Thursday ... Hall said his regular season head coaching debut will be memorable, as 15 friends and family, some from as far away as Maryland, are flying in.
