Grant eager to give everything he’s got

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This article was published 06/06/2023 (1080 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Janarion Grant wasn’t all that interested in chatting about what has kept him out of training camp the last few weeks. Now that the regular season is just days away, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers dynamic returner is ready to make up for lost time.

“It’s always on your mind when you’re missing out on something like that,” Grant said following Tuesday’s practice when asked about being sidelined. “It just hungers you and makes you ready to give everything you have in Week 1.”

The Bombers welcome the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to town on Friday night and while Grant has spent the last few weeks on the suspended list as he dealt with an undisclosed injury, the expectation for him and the team is he’ll be ready to take the field. Grant has grown to be a significant piece of the Bombers’ winning puzzle in recent years, regarded as one of the CFL’s most talented returners.

Last season, Grant led the CFL with an average of 13 yards per punt return. He was second when it came to returning kickoffs, averaging 25.2 yards — just .06 yards fewer than Saskatchewan’s Mario Alford.

Grant was the only player in the league last year to return two punts for touchdowns, while adding another score off a kickoff. Not done there, the Florida native scored twice more in the playoffs, adding a punt-return TD in the West final and Grey Cup.

Needless to say, Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea isn’t all that concerned about Grant missing time.

“He’s ready to go,” O’Shea said. “He’s smart. He knows his stuff, so very confident in his ability.”

Grant said he needed the time off to heal his body, which he added was at 100 per cent. His absence also provided an opportunity for Matt Cole, who handled a majority of the returning duties while Grant was out and did an admirable job in relief.

The CFL is still working out kinks with their game stats software, so Cole’s full numbers aren’t readily available. But he busted a 60-yard punt return that was negated owing to a holding penalty and almost ran a missed field goal back for a touchdown, only to be downed by a shoestring tackle at midfield.

“He did a great job out there,” Grant said. “Everybody out here is just trying to be great and it’s everyone’s job to make each other better.”

This week is a chance for Desmond Lawrence to show the Tiger-Cats they made a mistake.

The 28-year-old defensive back out of the University of North Carolina started his CFL career with the Ticats in 2021 and was named the club’s most outstanding rookie. What started out as a promising career took a turn last season when Hamilton released the Charlotte, N.C., native on Oct. 1.

Four days later, Lawrence was scooped up by the Bombers and signed to the practice roster. He went on to play one regular season game before starting both the West Division final and the Grey Cup.

“It was a blessing,” Lawrence said. “I didn’t feel like that when I was released, but once I got the call from Winnipeg I was all aboard and ready to be here and contribute any way I could.”

With the Bombers opening the regular season on Friday against the Ticats, it’s Lawrence’s time for redemption.

“You always want to prove people that didn’t always believe in you that you still got it,” said Lawrence.

Lawrence’s first training camp in Winnipeg got off to a less than ideal start as an early injury kept him out of both preseason contests. The cornerback has only been a full participant since Monday, but the Bombers can’t afford to be patient with him as injuries have sidelined defensive backs Winston Rose and Jamal Parker.

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Despite the setback, Lawrence feels ready. Defensive co-ordinator Richie Hall has no qualms about his secondary heading into Week 1.

The starting group will likely feature all returnees from last season, including Lawrence and Demerio Houston on the corners, Evan Holm and Deatrick Nichols at halfback, Alden Darby Jr., at dimeback, and Brandon Alexander holding down the fort at safety.

“Even though (Lawrence) wasn’t with us the whole year, he’s been in there. He’s been under the gun and been able to play with the guys that we had and established some type of continuity there,” said Hall. “He did a really good job (last year) and we are real happy with our secondary coming back because we had a lot of depth and guys that have played really well for us.”

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Taylor.Allen@freepress.mb.ca

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

After a slew of injuries playing hockey that included breaks to the wrist, arm, and collar bone; a tear of the medial collateral ligament in both knees; as well as a collapsed lung, Jeff figured it was a good idea to take his interest in sports off the ice and in to the classroom.

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Taylor Allen
Reporter

Eighteen years old and still in high school, Taylor got his start with the Free Press on June 1, 2011. Well, sort of...

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