Eskimos won’t give up the ground game despite recent running struggles

By Dave Campbell 630CHED

Posted July 11, 2018 7:03 pm

2 min read

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Edmonton Eskimos running back C.J. Gable (2) slides into the Toronto Argonauts end zone during second quarter CFL action in Toronto on Saturday, July 7, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

The Edmonton Eskimos are looking for a little more success on the ground when it comes to their offence.

So far this season, the Eskimos rank seventh as a team in average rushing yards per game with 97.

Running back C.J. Gable is fourth in the CFL in rushing yards with 280 yards, with 165 of those coming in one game against the B.C. Lions two weeks ago. Gable has averaged just 38 yards rushing in three of the four games this season, including 39 yards in a 20-17 loss to the Toronto Argonauts.

Offensive lineman Justin Sorensen says the opposition have done a good job against the run but it’s up to his team to find a way to produce.

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“We have to execute better, I know there’s been some mistakes on the offensive line’s part that we need to correct,” Sorensen said. “A lot of games too, it’s just how they play you. Some people are playing you to stop the run and then then the pass is wide open. They shut down our run (56 yards) but they gave up 370 yards in the pass game. Sometimes it’s all about what the defence gives you, a lot of parts too is us executing. We didn’t execute well enough last game so our goal is to improve that this week.”

While the Eskimos are struggling to produce in the run game, it’s not for a lack of trying. The Eskimos rank third in the CFL in rush attempts with 88. Head coach Jason Maas is also the team’s offensive co-ordinator and says he believes in a balanced attack.

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“That’s the goal every year is to be that way,” he said. “You can’t throw it away just because it’s not working.

“You still have to give your guys up front opportunities… it’s still up to us to correct this and if we can’t correct it, it might change but as of right now, I’m still looking at it as wanting to be as balanced as we can be.”

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Listen Below: Eskimos head coach Jason Maas speaks about Friday being a live mic game; why the run game is struggling, and the determination of Mark Mackie

The Eskimos will host the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night on The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. 630 CHED will have live coverage starting with Countdown to Kickoff at 5:30 p.m.

Watch below: Some videos from Global News’ coverage of the Edmonton Eskimos this season.