Lawler looking like a leader

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This article was published 13/07/2021 (1518 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With the Winnipeg Blue Bombers easing their way back into things in the early days of training camp, it’s too early to praise anyone’s performance.

But if wide receiver Kenny Lawler ends up being one of the names that stand out in the coming weeks, he’ll need to give some credit to his dad — Kenneth Lawler.

“My dad was a football player and he’s a football coach right now down at San Bernadino Valley College (a community college 100 kilometres east of Los Angeles). They didn’t have a season either, but before they found out they weren’t gonna have a season, I was actually on the coaching staff, coaching the wide receivers,” said Lawler on Monday after Day 3 of Bombers training camp.

“It was something that kept us both around the game and kept that passion for the game going so when we found out, it was hard. It was hard to stay motivated, it was hard to stay working. Some people had to find work that kept them away from their workouts. But, with me, I was blessed and I was able to continue to work out come back, watch my son, be with my girl and the next day be back out there working. We were going to the track, we were going to the weight room, going to the hills. Whatever’s on my plate, I’m gonna eat it up. It was nothing but grind mode.”

A seventh round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2016 NFL draft out of the University of California, Lawler made a name for himself in the CFL in 2019 as he led the Bombers with 637 receiving yards on 41 receptions for four scores and was named the team’s Most Outstanding Rookie. With the 2020 CFL season getting axed, Lawler got released from his contract in hopes of securing an NFL opportunity, but nothing came to fruition. While he’s disappointed he didn’t get a shot down south, he’s happy to be back and the 27-year-old is eager to lead.

“Right now what I’m trying to accomplish is just making the team. After that I have my personal goals that stay within me, you know, I don’t want to seem selfish. I believe I can contribute big for this team, a bigger role than what I had last year. Last year I was just embracing that rookie role. Now it’s more ‘It’s time to step up, it’s time to be that leader, it’s time to take the younger guys with us’ and that’s what I really want to accomplish,” Lawler said.

“I want to be a better team leader, I want to be more vocal, cause I know everything I know, the ins and outs of the offence, I’m cool with the guys. Now it’s more about bringing the younger guys with us and that’s really one of my main goals this season.”

JEFFERSON AND JEFFCOAT

Although the CFL’s been out of action for over a year, defensive ends Willie Jefferson and Jackson Jeffcoat have continued to build chemistry. The pair of 30-year-old Texans were trained in the off-season together by former NFL defensive lineman and University of Texas product Tim Crowder.

Jefferson was asked on Monday how he and Jeffcoat stack up against the other D-line duos around the league. The 2019 CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player wasn’t shy with his answer.

“Top two, and we not number 2. Yeah, that way,” said Jefferson with a smile.

“Number 1, coming off of 2019 and the film that we put out in the Grey Cup and having the off-season that we had working with our guy Tim Crowder in Texas, I don’t know if there’s another defensive end tandem like me and Jackson that was working as hard as we did and working together.”

Jefferson was also asked to compare the current version of himself to the 2019 version, where he was arguably the most dominant player in the league.

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“2021 Willie Jefferson compared to the 2019 Willie Jefferson, I don’t want to say a lot faster, but I feel like I’ve gotten better at my get off. Hand work has improved, footwork has improved, maintenance is above average. I’m feeling good,” Jefferson said.

“I’m just ready to add to what we did in 2019. That year is over. We don’t really talk about that in this building anymore. So, 2019 is over, 2021 is in front of us. All we try to do is make plays and be a dynamic defence like we were in 2019, but a couple of steps faster.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.