Eleven touches.
Ninety-six yards.
And a plethora of them came either after the catch, after first contact, or both, in some cases.
That was the stats line next to newcomer Kevin Brown, after the Edmonton Elks running back made his pro debut in his first Canadian Football League game. And on the biggest regular-season stage, no less, having arrived in time for just three practices before heading into the Labour Day Classic.
And while the Elks ended up losing 26-18, they also found a rejuvenated ground game thanks in large part to the 25-year-old rookie fresh out of Incarnate Word.
“I think Kevin’s definitely a dynamic kid, a guy that came in ready to learn, eager to play right away,” said Elks running backs coach Jordan Linnen. “Obviously, what he was able to do in the first game, showed flashes of some real talent. As dynamic as he was in the game, I think there’s a lot more for him to tap into.
“He was only here for a week. We’ve been trying to get him up to speed as fast as we could. He’s done a great job of trying to learn the system, learn the protections. He’s definitely wanting to be here.”
And help the Elks get closer to where they would like to be, even if playoffs seem all but out of reach, sitting six points back of even a crossover chance with a 3-9 record right now.
But if Brown’s debut against a stingy Stampeders defence is any indication, the future may be going from bleak to bright.
“Listen, what he did in that game is incredible because I think, for him, he understood there was a low expectation placed on him. It was just kind of, ‘Hey, we’ll get you in when we can, get you some touches and a feel for the game,'” Linnen said. “But he stepped in right away and was dynamic throughout.”
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Averaging nine yards per carry in the game, Brown’s small but impressive sample size outpaces any Elks running back this season by more than double.
“I think what showed up on film is he has the ability to break tackles, he’s been the guy that got hit in multiple situations and was able to stay on his feet and make extra plays and yards after the catch,” Linnen said of Brown’s six catches for 51 yards — all but one of which came after the catch.
Speaking of catch, the Elks seem to have reeled in an impressive one, even if it’s not from the biggest school out there. And they did it at a point on the calendar when the proverbial garage sale has already been well picked over.
“That’s the biggest thing, for us, we were fortunate in the way we kind of stumbled upon him,” Linnen said. “At the same time, our personnel guys have done a great job of trying to find those types of diamonds in the rough.
“And I think Kevin is definitely a diamond in the rough. I think he’s a guy that’s going to help us in the long run and hopefully he can mimic or sustain the success he had in the first game.”
It’s not like Brown is an unknown commodity, either, having led the nation with 10.5 yards per carry in 2020.
“He had a really good, stellar career running the football down in Texas, at one of the smaller schools, at Incarnate Word,” said Elks head coach Chris Jones. “A buddy of mine told me about him, we started tracking him and then after his cup of coffee in the NFL, he came open. So, we were able to pull him up this way.
“He’s a good little player.”
But he plays larger than his five-foot-nine, 205-pound frame would suggest, on a team that started the year with a six-foot-three, 235-pound feature back in James Wilder Jr., whose season was cut short by a neck injury.
“I try to get my momentum going as fast as I can so I have great acceleration,” Brown said. “But I try to hone myself from not letting the first guy tackle me or bring me down. You have to have a dog pile to stop me.
“I just wanted to do my job and do as best as I can and remember the plays. I just try to improve one per cent every day.”
In and out: QB Tre Ford is back practising in a limited capacity while finishing out his final week on the six-game injured list. He will not be available in Saturday’s rematch against Calgary, where the Stampeders are favoured by 9.5 points, according to betonline.ag … DL Nick Coe is back from a hamstring injury along with fellow DL Keisean Lucier-South (ankle) … MLB Nyles Morgan saw limited action Thursday and has been ruled out of this week’s game … WR Chris Osei-Kusi (back) is a go for Saturday.
E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge
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