The Saskatchewan Roughriders' Brent Hawkins grabs a hold of B.C. Lions quarterback Casey Printers during first half CFL play in Vancouver, B.C., on July 10, 2010.
Photograph by: Andy Clark, Reuters files
REGINA — Brent Hawkins made significant strides between his first regular-season start in the CFL and his second.
As far as Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Ken Miller is concerned, Hawkins still hasn't reached top speed.
In the wake of the defensive end's breakout showing in Saturday's 37-18 victory over the host B.C. Lions, Miller was asked if he thought the light bulb had gone on for a former NFLer trying to adjust to life in the CFL.
"I'm not so sure about that, and I'm not so sure that the transition is over for him," replied Miller, whose squad plays host to the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday. "I still think there's a lot more there than even what we saw (in Vancouver)."
Such as ...?
Such as ...?
"More plays," Miller continued. "Bigger plays more often. I think he has that kind of potential."
Hawkins, 26, has been touted since his signing in April as a possible replacement for NFL signees Stevie Baggs and John Chick on the Roughriders' defensive line.
After registering five tackles against the Montreal Alouettes in his regular-season debut July 1,
Hawkins, 26, has been touted since his signing in April as a possible replacement for NFL signees Stevie Baggs and John Chick on the Roughriders' defensive line.
After registering five tackles against the Montreal Alouettes in his regular-season debut July 1,
Hawkins was all over the field in Vancouver.
He had two tackles and two sacks, and forced a fumble that he recovered and returned 40 yards for a touchdown. He continually harried Lions quarterbacks Casey Printers (who left the game with a pulled left quadriceps muscle suffered when he tried to elude Hawkins' first sack) and Travis Lulay while drawing rave reviews from the TSN telecast crew.
"I appreciate that," Hawkins said of the on-air praise from Chris Cuthbert and Glen Suitor. "What means so much to me is that the community has accepted me so well. They gave me the hype when I first got here, but I wasn't really paying attention to it. I love it. I just hope they keep backing this team and we'll evolve and keep moving forward."
That's his own personal goal as well.
That's his own personal goal as well.
Hawkins, a fifth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2006 NFL draft, played 20 games with the Jags over the '06 and '07 seasons. Now he's trying to resurrect his football career in a league to which he's still adjusting.
Things such as starting a yard off the line of scrimmage took some getting used to, but he's catching on. That said, he knows there's more work to be done.
"Yeah, there is — but you don't worry about that," Hawkins said. "You take care of that in practice and when the game comes, you just do what you were taught the week before. There's a little adjusting, but I'm emptying my bucket every day as (defensive line coach Mike Scheper) says."
The Roughriders' defensive coaches suggested after the Montreal game that they needed to see more out of Hawkins and fellow defensive end Luc Mullinder. Hawkins said he wasn't hurt by those comments — but he certainly seemed inspired by them on Saturday.
That was just one explanation for his play in Vancouver.
"(I'm) buying more into the scheme the coach is throwing at us," said Hawkins who, with his linemates, took advantage of an inexperienced Lions offensive line. "(I'm) more comfortable on the field.
"As you go on and you learn the plays, you don't have to think as much, which means you can play faster. That's what I did. I just played faster. I was more comfortable out there."
That's allowing him to continue his education in the CFL game.
That's allowing him to continue his education in the CFL game.
"I think I'm taking on everything pretty well," Hawkins said. "Each week, even (today), I'll be doing different things. (Scheper) is going to coach me up and tell me, 'Hey, this is wrong. We need to fix this next week. Let's get it.' And when we do, we're going to be great."
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