Changing Of The Guard

Many will talk about what they witnessed live or on TV this past Sunday afternoon at Mosaic Stadium. The Riders-Lions game was an instant classic. There were so many twists, so many turns, so many plot-lines. The one plot-line that has been thrown on the backburner is the fact we are starting to see a youth movement at the quarterback position.

Travis Lulay showed everyone Sunday he is ready to ascend up the charts in just his 2nd year and those of us in Saskatchewan know Darian Durant is already considered as one of the premier passers in the league. Look around the league and you will see the old guard is starting to dwindle.

Anthony Calvillo can still get the job done in Montreal and will likely be named the M-O-P for the 3rd straight year during Grey Cup week. He isn’t getting any younger though and the Alouettes are starting to give some reps to Adrian McPherson. He will get the keys to this offence sooner than later and one has to wonder if that will be after this year should the Alouettes win it all. What more does Calvillo have to accomplish?

Kevin Glenn has Quinton Porter waiting in the wings in Hamilton, Dalton Bell is still a part of the Argonauts plan in Toronto and Joey Elliott will give Steven Jyles and Buck Pierce a run for their money in training camp next year. Elliott comes from Purdue and we have seen NFL quarterbacks Drew Brees and Jim Everett come from that program and have great professional careers.

In the West, the Stampeders know Henry Burris is in the twilight of his career and have made sure Drew Tate isn’t getting away by signing him to a contract extension. Jared Zabransky may have made Ricky Ray expendable in Edmonton and then there is Lulay and Durant.

Like all areas of sports, an injection of youth is needed from time to time. If done right, it makes the overall product a better one. CFL fans can look forward to guys like Durant, Lulay, Tate and McPherson leading their teams into the future and if the present is any indication, it means nothing but good times for CFL fans as there is a lot of talent ready to show off what can they do.