Newf
11-29-2009, 03:30 PM
THE CANADIAN PRESS
CALGARY -- Jason Armstead resurrected his CFL career and the Saskatchewan Roughriders' return game at the same time.
Saskatchewan was last in the league in punt returns when they signed Armstead on Aug. 31.
The 30-year-old Ole Miss product was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in March. He says he was trying out for the United Football League's Orlando Tuskers when Saskatchewan general manager Eric Tillman summoned him to Regina.
"Still working at it, still prayed up and still having faith that someone will call and it happened just as I knew it would," Armstead said Friday as snow fell on him at McMahon Stadium.
Armstead was a known quantity to Tillman because he'd had previous stints with the 'Riders in 2007 and 2006.
In fact, he is the last Roughrider to return a punt for a touchdown. He ran the ball back 90 yards on July 20, 2007, against the Edmonton Eskimos at Commonwealth Stadium.
"I remember it, sort of like yesterday," Armstead said.
Saskatchewan has gone even longer without scoring a touchdown on a kick off return. That was Corey Holmes versus the Winnipeg Blue Bombers back in 2005.
Armstead, from Moss Point, Miss., feels Saskatchewan's return team is due for a big play like that. Sunday's Grey Cup championship game against the Montreal Alouettes (TSN, 6:30 ET) would be the perfect time to do it.
"Every game you want to take one back," he said. "What better stage to do that on (than) in a Grey Cup situation?
"We're having trouble in that area, getting across the tape ... it's one of those situations where you never know."
Saskatchewan's punt return stats crept up to sixth in the league after Armstead's return. In 10 regular-season games, the five-foot-10, 175-pounder finished sixth in punt returns (387 yards) and 11th in kick returns (806) in the league.
A dynamic runner with a flair for big plays, Armstead instilled his teammates with confidence in their return game that had been lacking.
"I really believe that a lot of improvement came about the time Jason Armstead came and then we also got some other people healthy," head coach Ken Miller said. "We went through a time when we were struggling with our returning game and we had a slew of linebackers who were hurt and they're the people who make up our coverage teams.
"We got Jason Armstead and we started to get healthy in our linebacking corps and that really helped us become better."
In a 27-17 West Division final win over Calgary on Sunday, Armstead set the stage for Saskatchewan's second touchdown of the game with a 75-yard kickoff return.
Special teams coach Kavis Reed teased him that he could have taken it all the way and thus ended the 'Riders drought in return TDs.
"Jason has made a difference in our season," Reed said. "Because of his returns we've had good field position. There's only one game since he's arrived that we've lost a field position battle and his field position has always translated into points.
"He's been a huge reason why we're here today."
Armstead is well-travelled in the CFL having played for five different teams in his six years in the league: Ottawa, Hamilton, Saskatchewan, Montreal and Winnipeg.
He broke in with the now-defunct Ottawa Renegades in 2004. He was the East Division's nominee for special teams player-of-the-year as a rookie with 700 kickoff return yards and 821 punt return yards.
But he's had a knack for parting ways with teams that went onto either win or play in the Grey Cup. Saskatchewan traded him to Hamilton during their run to a CFL championship in 2007.
Armstead started the 2008 season with Montreal, but was released and headed to Winnipeg. The Alouettes made it to the Grey Cup, but lost to Calgary.
"My mom and I can laugh about it because when my career started, I was playing for Pittsburgh, got released and they won the Super Bowl that year," he said. "That's just a part of life. Those stumbling blocks are placed in front of you not to tear you down, but make you a better man."
Armstead has the word "speed" tattooed on one calf and "kills" on the other.
"I'm getting of age right now," he said. "I think I'm going to cover that up in a couple of years."
CALGARY -- Jason Armstead resurrected his CFL career and the Saskatchewan Roughriders' return game at the same time.
Saskatchewan was last in the league in punt returns when they signed Armstead on Aug. 31.
The 30-year-old Ole Miss product was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in March. He says he was trying out for the United Football League's Orlando Tuskers when Saskatchewan general manager Eric Tillman summoned him to Regina.
"Still working at it, still prayed up and still having faith that someone will call and it happened just as I knew it would," Armstead said Friday as snow fell on him at McMahon Stadium.
Armstead was a known quantity to Tillman because he'd had previous stints with the 'Riders in 2007 and 2006.
In fact, he is the last Roughrider to return a punt for a touchdown. He ran the ball back 90 yards on July 20, 2007, against the Edmonton Eskimos at Commonwealth Stadium.
"I remember it, sort of like yesterday," Armstead said.
Saskatchewan has gone even longer without scoring a touchdown on a kick off return. That was Corey Holmes versus the Winnipeg Blue Bombers back in 2005.
Armstead, from Moss Point, Miss., feels Saskatchewan's return team is due for a big play like that. Sunday's Grey Cup championship game against the Montreal Alouettes (TSN, 6:30 ET) would be the perfect time to do it.
"Every game you want to take one back," he said. "What better stage to do that on (than) in a Grey Cup situation?
"We're having trouble in that area, getting across the tape ... it's one of those situations where you never know."
Saskatchewan's punt return stats crept up to sixth in the league after Armstead's return. In 10 regular-season games, the five-foot-10, 175-pounder finished sixth in punt returns (387 yards) and 11th in kick returns (806) in the league.
A dynamic runner with a flair for big plays, Armstead instilled his teammates with confidence in their return game that had been lacking.
"I really believe that a lot of improvement came about the time Jason Armstead came and then we also got some other people healthy," head coach Ken Miller said. "We went through a time when we were struggling with our returning game and we had a slew of linebackers who were hurt and they're the people who make up our coverage teams.
"We got Jason Armstead and we started to get healthy in our linebacking corps and that really helped us become better."
In a 27-17 West Division final win over Calgary on Sunday, Armstead set the stage for Saskatchewan's second touchdown of the game with a 75-yard kickoff return.
Special teams coach Kavis Reed teased him that he could have taken it all the way and thus ended the 'Riders drought in return TDs.
"Jason has made a difference in our season," Reed said. "Because of his returns we've had good field position. There's only one game since he's arrived that we've lost a field position battle and his field position has always translated into points.
"He's been a huge reason why we're here today."
Armstead is well-travelled in the CFL having played for five different teams in his six years in the league: Ottawa, Hamilton, Saskatchewan, Montreal and Winnipeg.
He broke in with the now-defunct Ottawa Renegades in 2004. He was the East Division's nominee for special teams player-of-the-year as a rookie with 700 kickoff return yards and 821 punt return yards.
But he's had a knack for parting ways with teams that went onto either win or play in the Grey Cup. Saskatchewan traded him to Hamilton during their run to a CFL championship in 2007.
Armstead started the 2008 season with Montreal, but was released and headed to Winnipeg. The Alouettes made it to the Grey Cup, but lost to Calgary.
"My mom and I can laugh about it because when my career started, I was playing for Pittsburgh, got released and they won the Super Bowl that year," he said. "That's just a part of life. Those stumbling blocks are placed in front of you not to tear you down, but make you a better man."
Armstead has the word "speed" tattooed on one calf and "kills" on the other.
"I'm getting of age right now," he said. "I think I'm going to cover that up in a couple of years."