CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders have stalled and coach John Hufnagel applied the jumper cables by publicly calling out his team and sitting a franchise player.
Calgary, 1-3 in its last four games, fell 55-36 to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Sunday’s Touchdown Atlantic in Moncton, N.B. Fifty-five points against is the second highest in team history.
The Stampeders (7-5) may be tied atop the West Division with Edmonton, but the surging B.C. Lions (6-6) are breathing down their necks. Calgary seems to be at a crossroads in its season heading into Saturday’s game at home versus the Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-8).
“We need to wake up as a team,” quarterback Henry Burris said. “I need to wake up. Everybody needs to wake up.”
Hufnagel questioned his own team’s mental toughness after the game in Moncton. He indicated Wednesday he’ll make running back Joffrey Reynolds, the franchise leader in rushing yards, a healthy scratch for a second straight game Saturday.
Non-import Jon Cornish had nine carries for 84 yards Sunday. Import LaMarcus Coker was activated from the practice roster to help out with the return game because Larry Taylor was sidelined with a rib injury.
Coker, 25, had one big carry for 75 yards as well as 123 return yards. Taylor is expected back in the lineup for the ’Rider game, but Coker took first-team reps while Reynolds wore a scout-team bib Wednesday.
“I have to make sure that Larry Taylor is fine, but I’ll probably stay status quo with the running backs,” Hufnagel said.
Reynolds, the CFL’s leading rusher in 2008 and 2009, is averaging a career-low 4.8 yards per carry this season. He also hasn’t had the ball as much, averaging just under nine carries per game compared to 12 last season. In his eight CFL seasons, all with Calgary, he’d only missed one game prior to Sunday.
The 31-year-old workhorse is a fan favourite at McMahon Stadium, which would make Hufnagel’s decision to sit him again seem cold to some.
Calgary’s head coach and GM wouldn’t say when Reynolds will play again, but it would probably take an injury for Reynolds to be inserted into the lineup Saturday.
“I’ll be taking scout-team reps until I’m further told otherwise,” Reynolds said. “I definitely don’t want to be a distraction for the guys or anything like that.
“I really haven’t had an explanation on when or if I’ll be playing again. I guess I have to stay tuned until further notice.”
Reynolds turns 32 in November. He rushed for over 1,000 yards the last six seasons and insists he hasn’t lost a gear.
“I’m definitely not questioning myself,” Reynolds said. “I definitely have full confidence that I’m still the player that I was. I feel like I’m in great condition. Opportunities to get the ball haven’t really been there.”
Hufnagel refutes the notion he’s not committed to the run game, pointing out his team ranks second in the CFL in rushing touchdowns (12) and average rushing yards per game (108.2). The Stampeders are tied for first in rushing first downs with Montreal (88). The stats hurting Calgary the most now is a takeaway-giveaway ratio of minus-9 and a league-leading 1,169 penalty yards.
Hufnagel said following Sunday’s game “I don’t think we’re tough enough mentally to overcome bad situations in a football game.” He admits it was a calculated attempt to challenge the egos on his team.
The coach is less forthcoming on in his decision to pull Reynolds from the lineup, but instilling fear for job security could be another motivating tactic.
“You saw a lot of guys wide-eyed when the decision was made,” Burris said. “You definitely don’t want to see that happen to a colleague I’ve been playing with now since 2005. He’s a cornerstone of the CFL as well as this Stampeder organization. I’m pretty sure (Hufnagel) has guys’ attentions now. If we don’t improve on our status from where we are, that’s going to happen to more people that just Joffrey. Guys need to take that into account. We need to get better right away or this locker room won’t look the same here in a few weeks.”