Potter gets starting shot on O-line
- September 27, 2012
Jeff MacKinnon Media coordinator
Grant Potter is a gamer. Suffering from the flu, he excused himself mid-interview and headed to the bathroom. Sounds of a stomach being violently emptied could be heard in the background.
But he came back and finished.
“Sorry about that,” he said politely. “It just came out of nowhere.”
The same can’t be said for Potter.
Joining the Calgary Colts this season after two years with the Calgary Dinos, it was well known by the Prairie Football Conference team’s coaching staff that they had added another valuable big man to their team.
“He’s a really nice kid. He’s a hard worker and all those good things,” Colts head coach John Stevens said.
“Plus, he’s 6-foot-5, 310 pounds.”
Potter (pictured left) began the season on the defensive line before injuries in Week 3 sent him over to the offence. When Gregg Hannah went down, Potter took over as the starting guard.
“Moving over to the offence has gone really well. Everyone has been very helpful getting me up to speed,” said Potter, a graduate of Lord Beaverbrook high school.
Stevens has benefitted more than once from having incredible depth. One of his other injury replacements, rookie Spencer Cole, got his first start at linebacker two weeks ago and turned the chance into a PFC defensive player of the week performance in a win over the Edmonton Wildcats.
“Spencer was the third linebacker at that position. Matt Pender got hurt. Keven Blencoe got hurt and Spencer steps in and was player of the week in his first game,” said Stevens.
Hannah’s injury has also opened up a spot at practice with the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders. The Medicine Hat product had been working double duty this year, spending his mornings gaining experience with the Stampeders, then joining the Colts at Hellard Field in the evening.
Potter was asked to take Hannah’s spot with the Stampeders too.
“Practicing with the Stamps has been the most fun I’ve had in football,” Potter said. “I’ve learned so much. Those guys are so fast. And they’ve been really good about helping me out.”
The Stamps offensive line features Colts’ alumni, Spencer Wilson, who became a starter this season after — what else — injuries to teammates opened up a spot.
The Colts take their final road trip of the 2012 regular season this weekend when they head to Edmonton Saturday night for their only game under the lights, against the winless Huskies at Clarke Park at 7 p.m.
The Colts continue to hold down top spot in the Canadian Junior Football League rankings at 6-0.
A win over the Huskies would set up a crucial showdown with the 5-1 Saskatoon Hilltops at McMahon Stadium on Oct. 1. The Colts surprised the Hilltops on a late field goal in the season opener on Aug. 12 at the Gordie Howe Bowl.
“Ever since we beat the Hilltops we knew that if we faltered the win over the Hilltops would go for not,” Stevens said.
“At this point in the season we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our goal from the outset is to get ourselves the opportunity for two home playoff games and we’re closing in on that goal.”