The Edmonton Elks’ first road game of the season will take them to Toronto for a matchup with the 1-0 Argonauts on Saturday night at BMO Field.
The Elks are 0-2 to start the season for a third straight season and will look to avoid a 0-3 start for a third straight season. Saturday’s game is a homecoming for several former members of the Argos, many of whom won a Grey Cup with the team back in 2022.
Quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson leads the contingent of former Argos, which includes last season’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player Javon Leake, receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and kicker Boris Bede.
For Bethel-Thompson, who will make his 50th CFL start on Saturday, he said he has plenty of good memories of playing in Toronto, but he’s looking to secure win number one for the Elks.
“I think you have to, coming off of two losses where we thought we should have won,” Bethel-Thompson said.
“You (have) to get that boulder rolling, (gain) some momentum and feel like your hard work is paying off, so you will invest more work into it.
“I feel we are right on the cusp, we’re playing our butts off and it’s just about getting over the hump.”
Elks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson says he’s more focused on securing the first win of the season in his first game back in Toronto
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The Elks have made four changes ahead of Saturday’s game.
Defensive end Romeo McKnight has been placed on the one-game injured list with an ankle injury. Antonio Alfano will start in McKnight’s place and defensive lineman Eric Black has been added to the roster.
Defensive back Devodric Bynum returns to the starting lineup as Kordell Jackson comes off. The Elks will see a swap at receiver as Arkell Smith makes his first CFL start as Malik Jackson comes off the roster.
Receiver Tevin Jones will make his Elks debut on special teams as fellow receiver Jerminic Smith will come out of the lineup.
Elks head coach Chris Jones on his veterans taking charge of the locker room as they look for win number one on the season in Toronto against the Argos
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The following are the projected offensive and defensive starters for the Elks:
Offence
Quarterback: McLeod Bethel-Thompson
Running back: Kevin Brown Fulback: Tanner Green
Offensive line: Martez Ivey, David Foucault, Mark Korte, Tomas Jack-Kurdyla, Hunter Steward
Receivers: Eugene Lewis, Kurleigh Gittens Jr., Arkell Smith, Hergy Mayala, Dillon Mitchell,
Defence
Defensive line: Antonio Alfano, Robert Nkemdichie, Noah Curtis, Elliott Brown
Linebackers: Nick Anderson, Nyles Morgan, Leon O’Neal Jr.
Defensive backs: Kai Gray, Darrius Bratton, Loucheiz Purifoy, Devodric Bynum, Marcus Lewis
You can hear Saturday’s game between the Elks and the Argos on 630 CHED, starting with Countdown to Kick-off with Courtney Theriault at 3:30 p.m. (MT)
The opening kick-off from BMO Field in Toronto will be at 5 p.m. (MT), with Morley Scott and Dave Campbell calling all of the live action. Hear analysis from former Edmonton Football Team offensive lineman and two-time Grey Cup champion Blake Dermott.
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