There’s no place like (almost) home

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/02/2016 (3522 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Keith Shologan isn’t about to complicate things. That’s always how this Alberta product — a guy who grew up on a bull farm and loves God, family and football — has rolled.

And so when he officially became a Canadian Football League free agent last week the 30-year-old defensive tackle and new Winnipeg Blue Bomber knew just one thing: his two years as a member of the Ottawa Redblacks was fun and all, but he absolutely positively had to get back closer to home.

“I’m from Alberta and wanted to come back out west,” said Shologan who, just to hammer this theme home, was doing an interview while en route to help his brother at a cattle auction. “I’ve spent most of my football career in the Western Division and so my thought pattern was all about how much we enjoyed living closer to home.

“Western football is the prime of the CFL since I’ve been in the league. It’s the way to go. I know the Blue Bombers are really starting to build something and they’ve brought in a lot of good Canadian players. That’s how you win in this league, with a good Canadian core and adding those star Americans.”

The Bombers came courting looking to shore up the middle of their front seven, adding Toronto Argonauts defensive tackle Euclid Cummings, and Shologan’s Canadian passport and his CFL resumé made him an attractive fit. (Those two signings do make Bryant Turner Jr. and Zach Anderson vulnerable as salary-cap casualties).

Shologan has been in four Grey Cups — three with Saskatchewan and last year with Ottawa — and has a connection with the former Riders coaches and players on staff and in the Bomber dressing room.

“I spent four seasons with Richie Hall as my D co-ordinator and I’ve worked with the D-line coach (Todd Howard)… I know a lot of the coaching staff with the Bombers and so when we started to look around as to what was the best fit football-wise, they really stood out,” said Shologan.

“Knowing the scheme, knowing so many of the players and the coaching staff it looked like it would be a good place for me to play.

“Besides,” added Sholgoan, “the more I talked to Coach O’Shea, the D co-ordinator and the other coaches the more it really felt like they were trying to build something and they cared about having me there. When you get that feeling that you are a priority it felt natural.”

Now, while Shologan isn’t a sack machine from his defensive tackle position, he did have a career high seven QB kills last year, he is a consistent, durable and reliable cog. He has started 114 of the 122 games he’s dressed for and missed only six others because of injury.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

“Those games I’ve missed… I banged up my AC joint and I’m pretty sure if Ivan (Riders trainer Gutfriend) would have let me play I wouldn’t have missed any,” said Shologan with a laugh. “I’ve had some bumps and bruises, but I’ve been blessed with not having many injuries.”

The Bombers have also made a concerted effort in their recent signings to add more ‘pros’ — veteran players who understand what it takes to win on a daily basis, not just when they pull on the helmet and shoulder pads on game day. Shologan fits that bill, although he is admittedly not a yeller and screamer type.

“It’s not one of those things you’ve got to ask a guy to do… guys will do what they do to be ready,” said Shologan. “I’m not a rah-rah guy that likes to yell and scream. But I am a guy that goes to work every day. Everybody is different, but I’m a lead-by-example kind of guy and when things need to get said, you do say something, too.

“It seems like they are bringing in guys who have had some success. Look at Weston Dressler… there’s guys like that who are coming in with the mentality of working hard and then a faith and mentality you can always get the job done.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPEdTait