Thorpe eager to fill void on special teams

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/05/2017 (3086 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

T.J. Thorpe is likely to take any role he can with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. But nothing would be greater than the chance to return footballs — a job he said he’s been doing ever since he laced up a pair of cleats for his first day of Pop Warner football.

“I really love it. I feel like it’s the one play, or one of the few plays you can change a game or just the momentum of the game with one play, just 10 seconds,” he said. “I watched guys from Dante Hall to Deion Sanders and I just really enjoyed it. It’s just something that has come second nature to me.”

Thorpe, 23, hasn’t had the chance to show off his speed in the return game thus far, but his film from the University of North Carolina suggests he’ll be one of a few bodies deserving of a look to fill the void left by Quincy McDuffie signing with the Dallas Cowboys. Despite battling injuries in all three years at North Carolina — he played his final year of eligibility at Virginia — Thorpe’s 960 return yards for the Tar Heels set a school record.

Needless to say, he’s eager to find his stride in the CFL, even if he’ll have to wait until main camp on Sunday.

“The job’s open and there are a lot of guys with a lot of experience; I’m definitely not the only one who’s returned kicks before,” said Thorpe, adding he’s gotten a few tips from Hamilton’s ace kick returner, Brandon Banks, who also grew up in North Carolina. “Just get out there and compete and whoever earns the spot will return kicks.”

Thorpe knows if he’s going to earn a spot on the roster he’ll have to impress in more than one area. Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea has often talked about the importance of versatility — the more jobs someone can do, the better odds they’ll get a chance to play.

“They’ve definitely spoken to me a lot about being (an) inside (receiver), in the slot and definitely contributing on special teams — everybody has got to do that,” Thorpe said. “They just want me to go out there and have fun, play with effort and intensity and with that we’ll make good plays.”

Thorpe is up to the challenge — “I’ve been known to bang some heads here and there,” he said — and said he takes as much pride in catching the ball as he does with his blocking assignments, something every coach likes to hear.

“The more touches you can get to change the game,” Thorpe said, “any playmaker would love that.”

No vacancy

With the Bombers coming off an 11-7 campaign in 2016 and only a handful of players gone from last year’s team, earning an opening-day roster spot will be tough for the newcomers attending this week’s rookie camp.

One of the slimmest opprtunities for employment is at quarterback, where Matt Nichols is the undisputed No. 1 and Dominique Davis, who has been in Winnipeg for two seasons, and Dan LeFevour, who signed as a free agent in the off-season and has the most CFL experience behind Nichols, are fighting for the No. 2 job.

So where does that leave the others, including Austin Apodaca, a big body with an impressive arm who just finished his college career at the University of New Mexico, when it comes to earning a spot?

“The biggest thing about being a pro is showing progression and showing I can grasp an offence at the pro level and getting better every day,” the 23-year-old Apodaca said following Day 2 of rookie camp at Investors Group Field. “I’m not worried about the outcome as much as the progress right now and the process.”

The Bombers will keep four quarterbacks, with one occupying a spot on the practice squad. Apodaca will likely be competing for that spot, along with Malcolm Bell, who has also impressed the Bombers brass with his work at North Carolina Central. Apodaca said he believes his time at New Mexico and before that, Washington State — and the types of offences the two schools ran — should help him make the adjustment to the CFL.

“At Washington State I was throwing the ball around a lot — air-raid style offence — and then at New Mexico it was triple-option, with someone to read, so this (offence) is a kind of a lot of that stuff put together and I feel it really helps me in coming into this offence. But I got a lot to get better on and a lot to work on and I’m excited about the future.”

Great handle

The best name of rookie camp belongs to defensive back/linebacker Roc Carmichael, who advertises himself as a big hitter.

“Oh, yeah, I love it,” said Carmichael. “Roc, that’s my name… My real name is Rashad but my mom never called me Rashad and my dad, he passed away in 2008 and he never called me Rashad. So, I’ve just been Roc, man. Since I’ve been a kid I used to write Roc on my papers. I really thought it was my name until ninth, eighth grade.”

Carmichael, who spent time in Philadelphia with the NFL’s Eagles, said playing for head coach Chip Kelly was a terrific experience. Even Kelly’s practices were conducted at a rapid-fire pace.

“Ooh, a lot of reps because I was out there with Chip Kelly when he was running that speed offence,” Carmichael said. “It helped us out a lot conditioning-wise for the game because you felt stronger through the end and through the fourth quarter. Mentally, I’m used to doing so many more plays.”

Advice from Danny Mac

What advice does Winnipeg assistant GM and U.S. scouting director Danny McManus have for new recruits?

“What I tell them is you’ve gotta be in the best shape possible to come up here,” said McManus. “If you get an opportunity, make sure you don’t let somebody outworking you be the deciding factor. And one thing I warn them on is don’t get hurt.”

The Blue Bombers wrap up rookie camp today with a final 10:15 a.m. workout at Investors Group Field. Its main training camp starts Sunday.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jeffkhamilton mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @sawa14