Speed is Veltung’s ticket

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This article was published 08/08/2015 (3955 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been one test after another for Justin Veltung in his first CFL season.

When kick returner Troy Stoudermire went down with a broken finger during training camp, it was he who was asked to step in for the first three games of the regular season. Passing with flying colours, Veltung averaged more than 28 yards per return, a number that’s still tops in the league through six weeks.

And when receiver Nick Moore suffered a lower-body injury during a 32-3 loss to Edmonton in Week 5, once again he was asked to step up. The result: a team-leading five catches for 58 yards and a touchdown en route to a 23-13 win over the B.C. Lions last week.

So it comes as no surprise when Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea was asked what he expected to see from Veltung, who will make his second career start against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Sunday as Moore takes another game to heal, the expectations only get steeper.

“An even better performance,” said O’Shea following the team’s final full practice Friday at Investors Group Field. “He’s got another game under his belt to feel more comfortable, another extended week of preparation to get all his questions answered, to get all his corrections made, (run) extra reps. It should pay off for him.”

Whether that payoff will come in the form of a regular spot in the lineup or just another pat of approval on the back, it’s not a time for worry for Veltung. It’s the present challenge he looks forward to, not the future reward of playing in a league he just started to learn a few months ago, and continues to learn with each passing day.

“I’m in there to do a job and do my job well,” said Veltung, 24, noting it’s the small details of the CFL game — the different motions and alignments — that are most challenging to grasp. “I felt like I did well last week and I got to go out there and do the same thing again, maintain my position.”

Patience is now the newest test for Veltung as he waits to find out exactly where he fits on the Blue and Gold depth chart. The waiting game is something he’s become familiar with over his career. Veltung went undrafted out of college, a place where he was the top potato, setting school records in kick off returns (78) and return yardage (1,743) during his four years at the University of Idaho. He had to be patient while waiting for his agent to deliver his next shot after stints with Seattle and then St. Louis of the NFL ran dry. Once Winnipeg called, he saw it as not only his next chapter, but also a sign.

“I just know that I’m here for a reason,” he said, adding, “I’ve made it this far, I should be playing here. I should be playing football and whatever happens, God’s got a plan for me.”

And though Veltung knew little about Winnipeg or the CFL before signing with the Bombers, his decision to take his talents north has been a positive one. He feels right at home in his new city and league, both with his role on the team and his relationship with his teammates.

“He’s come in and just accepted his role, done a good job of just taking what we’ve instilled in our core and just rolled with it,” said veteran receiver Clarence Denmark. “He’s just a plug and play guy, a guy that gets in there and does whatever we ask him to do. He’s a good player, he’s got speed and has great hands and he’s going to make plays.”

The Bombers know the kind of dual threat they have in Veltung, even if it hasn’t translated to a regular spot in the starting lineup.

“As a returner he seemed fearless,” said O’Shea. “What comes to mind is him staying in bounds on a couple of those sideline returns so he’s quite comfortable in traffic.”

That may be the biggest upside to Veltung; his ability to make plays both in the air and on the ground. It was on full display last week when, in motion, he took a sweep pass from eight yards out and beat two Lions defenders to the end zone for his first CFL score. And as confirmed by his coach, he’s shown flashes of brilliance in his return game this year too, a part of his game he admits he gets most excited about.

It’s also what he’s proven to be good at.

In just three games as a returner, Veltung sits atop the CFL leaderboard, averaging 28.7 yards on seven kickoff returns — almost five yards better per return than Stoudermire. He also leads the Bombers in punt returns, averaging 8.1 yards per attempt.

“I’m a rookie coming in here,” he said. “I know I went out there and did my thing. We’re both fast, and we’re both able to make that big play. From my standpoint, we’re both great players and he’s just earned his time here.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca twitter: @jeffkhamlton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.

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