It was a big question mark for the Stamps this week.
It will be the first game without standout off-season acquisition Demerio Houston who was added to the six-game injured list following an ankle issue he suffered on the last play of the game when he picked off Chris Streveler in overtime last week against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
All week the question has been how defensive coordinator Brent Monson and Co. will alter the secondary in Houston’s absence.
That question was answered Friday morning when the depth chart revealed that rookie defensive back Tyler Richardson will be slotting into the boundary corner spot.
The pressure isn’t getting to the 25-year-old out of Cincinnati, who’s been working towards making his regular-season debut since he signed as a free agent last September.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “I’ve just been preparing every week like it’s my week, so just being able to go out there and showcase my talent and my hard work and effort.
“It’ll be amazing, it’ll be fun.”
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Come for the interception, stay for the celly 🫶 pic.twitter.com/n6LWQt4B5f
— Calgary Stampeders (@calstampeders) June 1, 2024
Richardson played 37 games over four seasons (2019-2022) at Tiffin University. He earned all-Great Midwest Athletic Conference honours on three occasions. Over the course of this career with the Dragons, Richardson made 114 tackles and tallied three interceptions.
In May’s pre-season outing against the Blue and Gold, Richardson had an interception in the fourth quarter to help seal Calgary’s 31-10 win.
The young DB had no pre-conceived notions regarding the possibility of sliding into the lineup and treated the work week as he’s been doing all season.
“I try to take everything with a grain of salt,” he explained. “I try to keep myself prepared every week; you never know who may go down. If I’m maybe playing corner, maybe playing half, maybe playing anywhere in the backend so I try to prepare myself physically and mentally every week.”
And having defensive backs coach Dwayne Cameron, defensive coordinator Brent Monson, and head coach Dave Dickenson present him with this opportunity is a huge confidence boost for the Tiffin product.
“It’s definitely huge,” he said. “It shows me that they really do trust me, it shows they have the utmost confidence in me and I’m ready to show why I’m here.”
The Red & White defence will have its hands full tomorrow with the likes of Tyson Philpot, Kaion Julien-Grant, and Cole Spieker combining for 860 yards and six touchdowns through the first four games of the 2024 campaign – all of whom have played a pivotal role in the Als perfect 4-0 record.
For Richardson, he will let the play on the field speak for itself.
“I’m a pretty cool, calm, and collected guy,” he said. “I got a saying, I always like to say, ‘the cream always rises’, so I try to stay prayed up and let my work speak for itself.”