Slotback finally catches a break after injury-plagued start

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This article was published 31/07/2017 (2969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

T.J. Thorpe has endured more than his fair share of tough breaks.

In college, the highly touted wide receiver broke his left foot three times in four years while playing at the University of North Carolina, missing the entire 2012 season. When he transferred to Virginia for his senior year, he promptly broke his clavicle and missed another five weeks.

This spring in Winnipeg, a tryout with the CFL’s Blue Bombers had a rough start, too. Training camp was injury-filled nightmare and the 24-year-old was released briefly and spent time on the practice before a recent promotion to the active roster.

“I broke my foot three times, broke my collarbone and come here, a hamstring (injury), and partially torn MCL,” said Thorpe following practice at Investors Group Field Monday afternoon. “I look at injuries, personally, as annoying… I like to go out and make sure I’m mentally prepared. All the injuries have made me a really mentally tough person. That’s what I like to bring to the game, physicality and mental toughness.”

Once he got into his first CFL game, however, the earlier glowing reviews from head coach Mike O’Shea and offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice made perfect sense.

Replacing L’Damian Washington for Winnipeg’s July 21 game in Vancouver, a 45-42 loss to the B.C. Lions, Thorpe caught eight of the nine passes thrown his way for 65 yards and an 8.1-yard average. A week later against the Montreal Alouettes, a 41-40 win for Winnipeg, he was targeted eight times and caught seven for 64 yards and a 9.1-yard average.

In two games employed as a slotback, Thorpe has 129 yards including 70 yards after the catch, many of them hard-earned after collecting a short pass from quarterback Matt Nichols. And he’s loving every moment of his CFL breakout.

“There’s always more that you want to do,” said Thorpe. “But as far as going out there, being locked in to all my assignments and just being able to make a play here and there when my name is called you can’t really script it any better. Especially, when you’re coming back injury after injury. I just feel I enjoy my teammates and enjoy being here. Helping them win games is what it’s all about.”

Coming out of Jordan High School in Durham, N.C., in 2011, Thorpe was ranked the 15th-best receiving prospect in the U.S. and the No. 6 prospect in the state by the recruiting analysts at Rivals.com. His injury woes prevented him from ever living up to his early promise.

“I went from being ranked top 10 at my position and a possible three-and-out guy and playing in the NFL, to being derailed…,” said Thorpe, who was undrafted and had a brief but unsuccessful tryout with the Washington Redskins in 2016. “Everybody’s path is different and nothing’s going to be put on my plate that I can’t handle.”

Thorpe, listed as 5-11, 217 pounds, has drawn comparisons from LaPolice to former CFL standout Arland Bruce III. But his running style is perhaps more reminiscent of jumbo-sized Montreal slotback Nik Lewis, a 5-10, 240-pounder, who has broken the 1,000-yard barrier 10 times in 13 previous CFL campaigns.

Thorpe isn’t bothered by the comparison.

“I can’t be,” he said. “I mean, he’s got to be a Hall of Famer and (close to) leading the league in catches. I won’t complain. He’s jumping over people and making plays. I went to the game and thought there’s no way this big dude will do what he does. He’s a freak athlete to be able to do that.”

Used exclusively as a possession-type receiver by the Blue Bombers so far, Thorpe has no complaints about how he is being used. But he believes he’s only scratching the surface of his potential.

“This is my role,” he said. “I think the more that they can trust me to catch the ball and know what I’m doing, the more I think my role will expand and get a (few) more shots down the field maybe.”

Ryan Lankford, another newcomer to the Blue Bombers, is leading the CFL in kickoff return yardage (654), has the league’s lone return for a touchdown (105 yards) while also ranking eighth in punt return yardage (132).

But Lankford’s work in the slot in Week 6 against the Alouettes, filling in for an injured Weston Dressler, showed some diversity to his game.

He caught seven passes for 53 yards and a crucial fourth-quarter touchdown and now has nine receptions for 69 yards and a 7.7-yard average this season. He hadn’t worked out at slotback since training camp.

“It’s difficult,” said Lankford of the adjustment to an unfamiliar position. “The biggest thing is you’ve got win off the field. Because you only get so many reps at practice. You’ve gotta take mental reps, you’ve got watch film, you’ve gotta be on top of your game when the cleats aren’t on. That’s when you learn — even if you have to do a bit of a walk-through by yourself sometimes.”

O’Shea didn’t seem surprised by Lankford’s contributions.

“Anybody’s who’s in that locker room wants to have a prominent role so if you’re not in prominent role, you’re working hard to get in that role and while they’re doing that they’re being patient but they’re prepared to be that guy,” said O’Shea. “When T.J. Thorpe was out, he always had a script in his hands, he was always talking plays with guys in the back. Ryan Lankford is in early every morning very early. He’s the first receiver in, I’d say, with his script and going over his entire practice plan.”

Nichols wasn’t surprised; he’s seen the dedication exhibited by both Thorpe and Lankford.

“They’re there every single day in the locker room and the meeting room,” said Nichols. “We know what those guys can do and it speaks to their level of preparedness, where Lankford’s never even played that position I don’t think and stepped right into Dressler’s spot… running some routes that he hasn’t ever run yet this year… I see him every morning sitting in the players’ lounge, reading through his book, making sure he knows all of his stuff. Especially when he knows he’s going to be on the roster. He’s one injury away and he knew that and he went in and provided for us and that’s what you want out of your guys.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14