Saskatchewan Roughriders wide receiver Cary Koch (#84) has a frosted up moustache during practice at Commonwealth Stadium for the 98th Grey Cup in Edmonton on November 24, 2010.
Photograph by: Don Healy, Leader-Post
EDMONTON — Maybe Cary Koch's play of late is the result of a sugar high.
In his rookie season with the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders, the 24-year-old wide receiver has discovered a sugary baked good which has become something of a lucky charm for him.
"I am the Butter Tart Kid," Koch admitted with a grin Wednesday after the Roughriders practised at Commonwealth Stadium — the site of Sunday's Grey Cup game between Saskatchewan and the Montreal Alouettes. "I'm butter tart-obsessed."
It all began for Koch earlier this season when he was on the Roughriders' practice roster. He attended a pre-game tailgate party on the Evraz Place grounds, where he was introduced to butter tarts baked by a Roughriders fan.
"I had never experienced them before in my life," Koch said. "I think they're a Canadian treat. I say that to people and they don't know. But I've only had them here and everyone seems to know what they are here."
Koch continued to visit the same tailgate party before Saskatchewan home games and kept having his share of butter tarts. When he had one before his first game as a starter — Sept. 17 against the Calgary Stampeders — and performed well, a habit was formed.
"Now it's a joke," Koch said. "Now they're actually shipping the tarts with people who are travelling to the games.
"It has kind of taken off on the Twitter world that I'm the Butter Tart Kid. Whatever it takes. If I need a butter tart to get me going, then that's what it takes.
"I have one the day of the game for sure. Whether or not I have 20 or 40 during the week before, that's my decision."
For Koch, the best decision he made this season was staying in Saskatchewan.
After spending the first 10 weeks of the regular season on the practice roster, Koch started the next two games. He was returned to the practice roster for three games, was scratched for another contest, and then started the Roughriders' final two regular-season games.
The 6-foot-0, 190-pound product of Baton Rouge, La., said his career up to this point has seemed to have an expiration date — "Time kind of runs out and I get put on the back shelf almost," is how he put it — but he stuck with it in Saskatchewan despite being inactive at various points of the season.
"It was kind of frustrating at times, but I think it was a real growing moment in my life," said Koch, whom the Roughriders signed as a free agent in April. "I learned a lot. I just had to sit, wait patiently and handle it just like any other business.
"You've got to go through the ranks, and do the rookie stuff first. Then, when you get your opportunity, you need to step up."
Koch finished the regular season with 21 catches for 299 yards and three touchdowns in just four games. He has added seven receptions for 66 yards and a TD in the Roughriders' two playoff outings.
He appears to have proved himself to the Roughriders, especially quarterback Darian Durant.
"I went up to Cary a couple of weeks ago and I said, 'All I ask is for you to promise me one thing: If I throw you the ball, you will be in between the ball and the DB,' " Durant said when asked about developing trust with a rookie receiver. "He promised me that. Ever since then, I'll give him chances."
"He kind of tested the waters in the beginning, maybe two or three balls a game to me in a few situations," Koch added. "But now he throws to me second-and-six near the goal line and he's throwing up a touchdown ball to me."
That was the six-yard major Koch scored late in the first half that gave Saskatchewan a 14-11 halftime lead over Calgary in Sunday's West Division final — and he scored it mere hours after having a butter tart.
And, yes, he's planning to have another before Sunday's Grey Cup.
"I don't have any of them here yet, but they're coming," Koch said. "I'm looking to get a package for sure at some point."
And, yes, he's planning to have another before Sunday's Grey Cup.
"I don't have any of them here yet, but they're coming," Koch said. "I'm looking to get a package for sure at some point."
ihamilton@leaderpost.com
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© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-PostRead more: http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Riders+receiver+Cary+Koch+tastes+sweet+success/3879968/story.html#ixzz16Gh6lIxQ
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