Mainor the main man at end

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This article was published 09/06/2013 (4497 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For all the talk of monumental positional battles and sweeping personnel changes, the first week of Winnipeg Blue Bombers training camp suggests the more things have changed, the more they will stay the same this CFL season.

Just one day after declaring that incumbent Mike Renaud has thus far owned the battle to be the club’s punter again in 2013, Bombers head coach Tim Burke declared Saturday that another familiar face, import defensive lineman Kenny Mainor, is leading the contest to take over the club’s vacant defensive end position.

“If we went to battle right now, he would be (the starter),” Burke said of Mainor.

“Right now, from what we’ve seen — again we haven’t played any pre-season games — but if we look at practice right now, I don’t see any of those young guys being able to beat him out at this point.”

Burke cautioned, however, that doesn’t mean the battle is over to see who will take over the job that was vacated when Jason Vega signed with the New England Patriots in the off-season.

“That doesn’t mean (Mainor’s challengers) can’t develop in training camp or farther along during the season and reach that plateau. I can’t wait to see them in a game — some guys get an extra gear when they’re in a game.”

Bombers GM Joe Mack brought in a lot of talent this spring to audition for Vega’s job. The Bombers list six players on their depth chart at defensive end in addition to Mainor and Alex Hall, the second-year veteran who has the other end position already locked down.

But during practice, it’s been Mainor getting most of the first-team reps at Vega’s old slot, telegraphing just what Burke said — the Bombers are hoping Mainor can be a full-time every-down starter for them this season.

Mainor has done a little of everything for Winnipeg during his first two seasons. Starting out as a practice roster player in 2011, he eventually got into 15 games and finished with eight sacks — second on the team — despite being platooned most of the year.

Mainor saw less playing time in 2012. In part, that was because he missed five games with an injury, but it was also because the Bombers coaching staff had grown frustrated with what they felt was his inconsistent play.

Still, by year’s end he had once again finished second on the team in sacks, with seven.

Burke says he’d like to see what Mainor can accomplish with an all-out effort, all season long. “He was just inconsistent,” said Burke. “He might have one game where he had three sacks. He might go three games in a row where he doesn’t have any sacks…

“He’s got the ability to be a consistent pass rusher. Actually, I think Kenny does a pretty good job against the run. He’s pretty solid there. But he needs to be more a consistent pass rusher if he really wants to be one of the top sack leaders in the league.”

Message received, says Mainor. “Like coach said, I need to be more consistent at everyday things. Getting off consistently, working my moves consistently, reading blocks consistently, all of it.”

Mainor (6-3, 248, Troy) said the fact the last man to hold the job he covets signed a deal with one of the NFL’s elite teams serves as an inspiration for the coming year.

“He’s still one of our guys and we want to see him do good. And it does motivate us. It lets us know we can do it also.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca