I managed to catch up with Sammy Okpro right after last week’s pre-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders to continue our conversation about how his training camp is going.
During the tilt, Okpro had some monster special teams plays, the finest of which was a huge tackle that caused a turnover for the Esks. It was one of those game-changing plays that turns a tight game into a route, and it was definitely nice to see Sammy get a little taste of that kind of performance.
How are you feeling now that the first pre-season game is in the books?
Sammy Okpro—“ I am feeling much better. It feels as if a big weight is off our shoulders. When you have virtually a new team and new coaching staff, there is always the question of how long it is going to take for the team to gel. Personally, I feel the same way after being on hiatus for a year. It felt great getting back into the mix of things. When you haven’t played a single down in a year, doubt creeps into your mind whether you can do it or not. I feel I’ve now silenced my own voices in my head.”
What were some of the highlights of the Esks’ performance for you?
SO—“I think the biggest highlight was our teams’ depth. It was a pretty close match leading into half time, but we were able to pull away in the third quarter. Our ability to run the ball and stop the run also stood out as we struggled in both those categories last season. A highlight for me, personally, was my forced fumble on kick-off in the second half.”
Was film review more fun after the big win?
SO—“Film review is always much better after a win. Even though there were plenty of mistakes to be corrected, they weren’t costly, and we were given more lenience with a big win. For me, I had two assignment errors on defence and none on special teams. So for myself, it was a pretty good day. Several vets made comments on how well I played on special teams and told me to keep building on it.”
You brought some serious pop on that special teams tackle that caused a turnover. Is high-octane special teams a major part of your focus this camp?
SO—“It was the most important focus for me. If I am unable to play in the defence, I have to earn my spot on the special teams. I have worked really hard to master the skills last year in order to be ready for this year. Coach Thorpe, if not the best special teams coach in the CFL, is close to the top. He was pretty hard on me last year cleaning up the little things, even though I was on scout team. I feel I am much more polished this year than opposed to last year.”
What are your goals heading into the second pre-season tilt?
SO—“To be better than I was in the first pre-season game, and take care of the detail. That has been our motto throughout camp and for the rest of the season. If every individual takes care of his job we will be okay. I would like to be 100% on my assignment.”
How’s your routine change going on the road with a short week of prep?
SO—“It hasn’t really changed all that much given that we are still in training camp. However, Coach Hall allowed us to take our pads off for a couple of practices to save our legs. We will be flying out the day of the game, so it will not affect us too much this week.”
Is the team still in evaluation mode, or will the vets see more action this week?
SO—“I believe the team is for the most part still under evaluation as our roster is still very deep. There is a lot of talent across the board. We should expect to see the vets play at least a half with the guys battling for spots coming in for the other half.“
Are your reps in camp giving you any indication of where you’re standing on the depth chart these days?
SO—“Yes, they are drastically different than last year, where at times I didn’t receive any reps during practice. This year, I had started off slated as #3 spot for safety but following the pre-seaon game, I have since moved up to #2. The coach has notified me that I will be receiving more reps this game than I did in the last pre-season game. So I will also have a fair shot at competing for the starting safety spot.”
How are the vets helping with the development of the defence?
SO—“They are helping a tremendous amount. Mo Lloyd and Kitwana Jones have been very vocal on pursuit, tackling, and communication. These three parts are vital for success on defence.”
Any pressure on you this week? Or will you just get your work in and have faith in the coaches’ roster decisions?
SO—“I feel the most pressure occurred during last weeks match. As it was our first game for our team in front of a home crowd. Also, it was my first shot to prove to my teammates that I belong on the field. After a good outing last week, I feel I have gained that respect from my peers and am looking forward to building on it. There still is a little pressure to perform well and play up to the expectations, but that just comes with the territory.”
Posted Jun 22 2009, 10:46 AM by Jack Bedell
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