By IAN HAMILTON, Leader-Post June 10, 2010
REGINA — Wes Cates displayed a quick burst Thursday at Mosaic Stadium.
Asked in a post-practice interview to pick a word to describe his 2009 CFL season, Cates didn't waste any time.
Asked in a post-practice interview to pick a word to describe his 2009 CFL season, Cates didn't waste any time.
"Humbling," the Saskatchewan Roughriders' running back said. "I'm a rookie (with the Calgary Stampeders) in 2006 not even knowing if I'm going to stick in this league. Then in 2007 I win a Grey Cup (with Saskatchewan). In 2008, I'm an all-star, feeling like I'm on top of the world, top of the league sort of thing. And then I kind of got knocked down off the pedestal a little bit (in '09).
"We still had success as a team, so I had that to hang my hat on. But at the end of the day, people judge you off of your personal performances from time to time and I think I've got to bounce back and definitely perform better than last season."
In his third season with the Roughriders, Cates rushed for 932 yards on 195 carries (a career-low average of 4.8 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. He was the only starting tailback in the CFL to fall short of the 1,000-yard mark.
Granted, the 6-foot-0, 215-pound product of Columbus, Ohio, missed the first two regular-season games while recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. But in 2008, when he missed three games, Cates managed to gain 1,229 yards on 216 carries with 12 rushing touchdowns.
"Humbling is a good thing," Cates said. "You fall down, you get back up. It's one of those things where I might never have gotten to be the player that I'm going to be this season if I hadn't had that little setback. That motivates me and drives me to be better."
"Humbling is a good thing," Cates said. "You fall down, you get back up. It's one of those things where I might never have gotten to be the player that I'm going to be this season if I hadn't had that little setback. That motivates me and drives me to be better."
In fact, Cates has promised the Roughriders he'll be better. He had an off-season conversation with offensive co-ordinator Doug Berry in which Cates laid out his plans for the 2010 campaign.
"I just told him that I was feeling good, I was ready to roll and that I wanted to get back to the Wes Cates of 2008 and I felt like I was definitely capable of those numbers if not better," Cates said of that chat.
"I just told him that I was feeling good, I was ready to roll and that I wanted to get back to the Wes Cates of 2008 and I felt like I was definitely capable of those numbers if not better," Cates said of that chat.
To attain that goal, Cates trained differently over the off-season, working on his flexibility and his joints instead of bulking up. He estimated he lost five pounds, which has been evident on the field during training camp.
"From what people have been telling me, I've got a little pep in my step," Cates said. "If you've got people coming up to you telling you that, it must be true. I'm not just imagining it."
Then there's his mental approach. Head coach Ken Miller said he has seen "a tighter focus" out of Cates thus far and suggested that was something the veteran running back "came to the realization that he needed to do."
Cates noted he's being more "cerebral" by trying to understand the whole offence. As well, he has tried to put his role in the team's offence in 2009 into perspective.
"You go from being one of the few options (in '08 due to injuries on offence) to not getting the ball as much (in '09), so it took a little adjusting," he said. "Now I'm kind of back on the ball and I've got my feet back under me and I'm running, ready to go for 2010."
To many, Cates hit his stride at the right time last season. He was a force in the Grey Cup loss to the Montreal Alouettes, rushing 13 times for 91 yards, catching two passes for 34 yards and — as he had throughout the season — providing good pass protection for quarterback Darian Durant.
"We all know what Wes can do," fullback Chris Szarka said Thursday. "We saw what he did in the Grey Cup; he came out and lit it up. We know that's in him and I'm sure that's what we're all expecting of him."
Cates certainly is. He's also expecting to earn a measure of redemption.
"Injuries hampered me a little bit and some people thought my career was looking like it was over," he said. "I definitely have to prove to those naysayers that that's not the case and prove to myself that I've still got fuel in the tank and I'm ready to go for a few more years."
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