ELKS NOTES: A wholesome rookie Makonzo entering swing at linebacker
‘I am beginning to name him the Mongoose, the best way he roams across the box the best way he does. He is doing a just right task’
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The Edmonton Elks linebacking corps has after all begun to seem like the only head trainer and normal supervisor Chris Jones envisioned entering the season.
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Accidents that started in coaching camp and feature hit the unit as laborious as another this 12 months, are after all getting beneath keep watch over and the unit has after all been in a position to box starters Adam Konar at will, Nyles Morgan within the heart and best draft rookie Enock Makonzo at sam for the previous two video games.
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“I assumed that Makonzo can be extra of the boundary-type part, a second-down boundary will (linebacker) rotate with Konar,” Jones mentioned. “However he’s labored himself into an each and every down participant, which is much more than what I expected.”
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However the one that performs closest to Makonzo by no means had a doubt the place he belonged within the lineup.
“I assumed so, I seemed to start with and figured he was once unquestionably a canopy linebacker needless to say,” mentioned Morgan. “Having a look at his construct, what he brings to the desk, gazing a few of his Coastal Carolina movie and such things as that, I knew what we have been getting.
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“I’m beginning to name him the Mongoose, the best way he roams across the box the best way he does. He’s doing a just right task. I informed him, you need to be the entirety, particularly as a linebacker taking part in on the sam place. You’re going to be requested to be in protection, you’re going to be requested to not unencumber, you’re going to be requested to tackle blocks and he’s finished a super task of adapting and making performs.”
It wasn’t goodbye in the past Morgan was once a recent face at the Elks defence, incomes the nod because the group nominee for many remarkable rookie only a season in the past.
“That position of management isn’t truly new to me, I’ve finished it relatively a couple of occasions in my profession,” he mentioned. “And I in finding it to be more straightforward now simply to more or less assist guys transition alongside to be the easier participant. Carry up numerous the newbies and stay the fellows inspired.”
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The item is, Morgan by no means truly had a lot of a guiding determine to convey him alongside when he arrived at the CFL scene remaining 12 months.
“I more or less figured it out, truthfully,” he mentioned. “Ultimate 12 months, I believe like we had a number of newbies on defence, numerous new our bodies and new issues. Even then, they requested me to have that more or less management mentality and position fashion set for myself.
“So, I needed to determine it out, stay it on a roll and simply took all of the training I may from remaining 12 months and now use it on this 12 months, as smartly.”
Taking Makonzo beneath his wing was once a herbal are compatible for Morgan. And the tutelage doesn’t finish after they depart Commonwealth Stadium, both.
“He’s in fact my roommate, so we’re like this,” Morgan mentioned, crossing his arms. “It’s simply nice having him subsequent to me. We’re at all times gazing movie in combination on the space, it’s in order that ironic the way it’s all truly correlating since we’re now taking part in subsequent to each other.”
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“Enock has truly finished a super task, he’s truly coming alongside and is truly soaking up the entirety that we’re giving to him as vets now. I’m excited for his long term.”
It’s begun to make for a little bit of an inner pageant within the linebacking unit to look who can get a hold of extra tackles, with Makonzo falling one at the back of Morgan’s team-leading 8 in remaining week’s win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“I do know, proper?” Morgan mentioned. “As a result of I’m taking at the blocks and he’s coming in loose. I’m like, ‘The place did he come from?’
“It’s nice, although. I like the contest. I do know for a truth if I don’t get him, he’ll get him or any individual else will and that’s a super feeling to have that camaraderie.”
In spite of most effective taking part in 4 video games because of harm this season, Morgan sits fourth at the group with 28 defensive tackles, simply 3 shy of team-leading defensive halfback Ed Gainey, who has performed all 10 video games. Makonzo has 21 tackles in 8 video games performed, and the pair has temporarily been hiking the chart.
“Enock’s a truly just right tackler and he’s higher across the field than what I expected, as a result of he’s now not the most important man on this planet,” Jones mentioned. “However he’s very comfy round the ones giant guys and he makes use of super leverage.
“As soon as he diagnoses the place the soccer is, he’s a gorgeous just right tackler in house.”
Out and in: Re-signed again to the squad this week after you have launched following the season opener, WR Jalin Marshall didn’t follow Thursday and has been dominated out of this week’s sport with a knee harm.
Electronic mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge
