Edmonton Eskimos' Calvin McCarty (31) celebrates a touchdown against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during first half CFL action in Edmonton, Alta., on Saturday September 30, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson.
How did an Okie from Muskogee end up in Edmonton as a Canadian? “I grew up in Canada,” Eskimo fullback Calvin McCarty proclaimed proudly. “I was born in Muskogee. My dad was in the army. He met my stepmom from Vancouver when he was shipped up close to Seattle at Fort Lewis. When he got out of the army, he moved to Vancouver. I was 10 and moved with him. I played high school football at St. Thomas Moore with Jon Cornish.”
He also played baseball. “In the 2001 Little League World Series we lost 2-1 to Venezuela in the semi-final. It was great representing Canada. You’ve got good baseball in Medicine Hat. I played for Langley in a championship Medicine Hat hosted.”
After graduating from Western Washington, Calvin McCarty was drafted by Edmonton in 2007. Between 2008 and 2011, he rushed for 1,344 yards and caught 166 passes for 1,235 yards. He tallied 12 touchdowns. Since then his role has been primarily that of a blocker. Over the years when the team was looking for a running back, many would say, “Give Calvin a chance. He can do the job.”
Although he may own a dog, McCarty is quarterback Mike Reilly’s best friend. He described his assignment on a typical play, noting, “Protecting the quarterback comes first, obviously, with a passing team in a passing league. If somebody misses their assignment up front, you have to pick up those assignments which you can because you are playing from depth. If you’re going to run a route, you first secure your blocks and then check to see if the defence is in zone or man. Sometimes I’m a decoy. Plays change and can always break down, so you’ve got to be on your toes. The offence has 35 to 40 plays for a game and you want to be able to execute all of them to the best of your ability. My first year I thought there were so many things to do before the snap. Over the years, the game slows down a bit.”
Communication with the quarterback is vital. “Sometimes my communication with Mike is verbal, sometimes non-verbal. Sometimes I’ll give him a heads-up and he’ll give me a reminder. At the same time, you’ve got to be careful you’re not giving away any signals to the defence. But I’ll say to Mike, ‘I’ve got this guy or I’ll take that guy’.
“When you work with someone so long, you see what they’re seeing. (This is McCarty’s sixth season protecting Reilly). We’ve got a pretty close-knit group that’s been working together for a few year now and compared to previous years, our communication is a whole lot better.”
Were the 2008-11 seasons his most productive? “Stats-wise, probably. But a lot of things aren’t seen. The last few years have been more so blocking. Once you know the game, you understand everything is important out there. You might not be running or throwing for an 80-yard touchdown but picking up a blitz or making a block that buys the quarterback a little more time is just as big. It might not be seen (by the fans) but when the coaches break the film down everybody who knows how it’s supposed to work, the guys in the locker room know how important everybody is.”
A key role is that of safety valve, taking a short pass in the flat when the quarterback is about to be sacked. How tough can that be considering the two are only a few yards apart?
“Some of those flat passes look easy but they’re not because the throwing angle is a small window for a quarterback. Sometimes you’re running blind and there can be somebody sitting on the other side waiting for you. You’ve just got to trust your quarterback not to put you in a bad position. Those passes require skill and trust.”
The 5-foot-10, 215 lb. fullback will turn 34 Nov. 2. His career is winding down. It has been a wonderful journey. “I love the game,” he enthused. “I love the camaraderie. I love my team and the city I play for. The opportunity to hoist the Grey Cup here is awesome. I wouldn’t trade my career for anything.”
Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 46 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.
