Ricky Ray Excited About Esks Defence

04/06/2009 04:34

Addition of Lumsden should mean a running game and more explosive offence

He is the face of the franchise, although younger Edmonton Eskimos fans of the female persuasion will surely turn to newest pretty-boy recruit, Jesse Lumsden, for entirely different reasons.

Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

Hey, girls will be girls, but it's hard to argue that this isn't Ricky Ray's team -- and likely will continue to be -- until his current contract runs out in 2011.

So what are the 29-year-old Canadian Football League pivot's thoughts as quarterbacks and rookies report to training camp today, with the main camp beginning with medicals on Saturday? Ray admits to being both excited and anxious as the Green and Gold prepares for the 2009 season.

"It is a little bit of both," he said. "I'm obviously anxious to see just how Richie (new head coach Richie Hall) is going to run things, and how we all adjust to his program.

"Then you're excited about building off what we did at the end of last year." What the Eskimos accomplished was a good playoff run -- after a late regular-season lag -- in defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the East Division crossover semifinal after a 10-8 CFL campaign. The Esks were then ousted by the Montreal Alouettes in a game they actually led and could have easily won.

There have been plenty of changes since that 36-26 Eastern final loss on Nov. 15 at Olympic Stadium. A major move sees two thorns in Ray's side joining the Eskimos from Saskatchewan, following coach Hall out west.

It was linebacker Maurice Lloyd who put a hellacious hit on Ray just three minutes into a 55-9 pasting in Regina on Oct. 25. The hit forced a fumble, which Kitwana Jones quickly gobbled up and turned into an 54-yard touchdown.

"Yeah," chuckled Ray. "They're both on our side now, which makes me happy. Not having to go against Richie Hall's defence in Saskatchewan is another thing.

"What I'm most excited about, though, is seeing what our defence is going to do this year." The addition of Lloyd, Jones, former Riders safety Scott Gordon, as well as defensive end Kai Ellis and defensive backs Kelly Malveaux and Anthony Malbrough dramatically changes the look of the defence.

Heck, Lumsden himself said it a few weeks back on a CFL conference call: "Bringing in Mo Lloyd; you know I'm sick of playing against him. I feel like I'd rather have him on my team." The combination of the free-agency additions and trades was a big reason why Lumsden came over from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

More from the Edmonton Journal.

SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:

Never mind Ricky Ray and Jesse Lumsden - I’m excited about this Esks’ defence! And, so is SINC.