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News October 9, 2024

48-Hour Primer | Week 19

Jake Kelly at practice this week -- photos by Cameron Bartlett

@EdTaitWFC

It’s a common thought from outsiders whenever Jake Kelly takes his helmet and shoulder pads off and is in the Winnipeg Blue Bombers locker room or any setting away from the football work place where the team has gathered.

‘Who brought their son? Is today ‘Take your kid to work day’?

Kelly, you should know, is officially 25 years old but could pass for 15.

And so, the number of times he’s fielded questions about his youthful look or heard the term ‘baby face’?

“Would you be surprised if I said I get them very often?” he said with a grin after Wednesday’s closed-to-the-media practice. “I’ve definitely been stopped and had to confirm I’m a player.

“I do get the baby-face comment quite often.”

Blue Bombers faithful will know of Kelly as the club’s second-round pick, 15th overall, in the 2023 CFL Draft and a guy with 18 career games to his name. His reps on defence have increased sharply over the last few weeks and he came off the bench in last week’s win over Hamilton to play safety after the injury to Brandon Alexander.

With Alexander’s status uncertain for Friday’s home date against the Toronto Argonauts, Kelly could see his workload boosted even further.

“It was definitely exciting,” said Kelly of stepping in last week. “I enjoyed playing and being out there. It was an opportunity I hadn’t gotten since I’ve been here — a little bit here and there. It was definitely a change of pace for my game going from playing special teams to defence, but I enjoyed myself.

“My growth has come a long way, whether it’s from learning from the coaches to my peers such at B.A. or Redha (Kramdi) or (Deatrick Nichols) — a lot of it has come from there in growing as a player, learning this defence and getting the opportunity to play different positions at practice. Using that to learn more of the defence as a whole has definitely helped a lot.”

Named the top defensive player at Bishop’s University in 2022, Kelly popped out to the Blue Bombers for his athleticism and his penchant for delivering big hits during his days with the Gaiters. And his growth since his arrival last year — and interrupted by a broken arm earlier this season — has been steady.

“I didn’t really know what to expect when I first walked in so I was quiet and was to myself while trying to learn from the experiences of others and what they were providing, what they had and what they had to offer to me,” Kelly explained. “Now I’m familiar with everyone and the defence is much more familiar than when I first got here… my head was kind of spinning when I first got here last summer.

“It’s definitely a lot smoother now.”

It’s not lost on the head knock, with Mike O’Shea speaking Wednesday of Kelly’s willingness to learn and to listen to defensive coordinator Jordan Younger and to the vets on defence.

“He’s always been a terrific athlete,” added O’Shea. “We always thought he was a bright kid and he’s just getting more time now.”

And now to the serious, inquiring minds want to know stuff…

We asked Kelly after practice Wednesday to confirm or deny the rumours he doesn’t shave yet…

“I do shave,” he said with a chuckle. “I would say it’s not often. I would definitely confirm that. My beard is growing, it’s just it’s taking its time, I would say.

“(His playoff beard) is a work in progress. I don’t know how good it’s going to get but we’re going to try and find out. Last year I had about eight chin hairs and about 12 moustache hairs.

“We’ll see how it goes this year.”

Added O’Shea on Kelly’s playoff beard challenge:

“I’ve encouraged him to think about it before he goes to bed at night, to will it… I don’t know if he can push hair out of his pores, but I’m sure if he thinks more about it, it will grow at some point.”

NOW HEAR THIS: The Blue Bombers can clinch first place in the West Division with a win on Friday, but are already guaranteed to host a playoff game — either the Western Semifinal on November 2nd, or the Western Final on November 9th.

OUCH UPDATE: Wednesday’s practice was closed to the media. Here is the last injury report before the depth chart for the game against the Argos is released Thursday morning:

CONGRATS AGAIN: To the 2024 inductees to the Winnipeg Football Club’s Hall of Fame in builder Bill Watchorn and the 1984 Grey Cup championship squad. Both were formally inducted at Tuesday’s Gala Dinner in support of amateur football at the RBC Convention Centre.

Several members of the ’84 team were in attendance and O’Shea spoke of having the opportunity to speak with them periodically throughout the night.

“I had some nice chats with some guys,” he said, “All sorts of different comments came out and I appreciate the conversations. And I appreciate what they did. Seeing the clips from the (1984 Grey Cup), it’s just really cool. Seeing them hoist the trophy, you realize you’re fighting for the same thing. It’s the same comment I would have made years and years ago: you see those guys drink out of that thing and you’re battling for the same stuff for the same reasons, for the same guys in the locker room.

“The names are different, but it’s the same feeling you’re trying to achieve.”