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Training camp continued on Wednesday with a pair of practices.
Camp will run daily until the pre-season opener at McMahon on Saturday, June 11 against the Edmonton Eskimos.
Smitty returns
Wednesday marked the return of veteran defensive back Brandon Smith, who had been given permission to report late.
“I’m glad to be back,” said Smith, who is attending his ninth camp with the Stamps. “I’m glad to show up, I’m glad to be able to show up. There are never any guarantees that you’ll get another training camp.”
Now that he’s here, the Oakland native, who for years has been a steady presence at halfback in the Stamps’ secondary, is looking to make up for lost time.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” he said. “I hate that I had to miss a couple of days. I wish I could have shown up when everybody else showed up and gotten started when everybody got started. I still have to knock some of the rust off and get back into playing shape like everybody else.”
Smith was granted permission to join camp in progress because of a family wedding whose date had been set before the Stamps’ camp schedule was finalized. The wedding was the last of a series of such events for Smith and, no offence to his family and friends, he’s glad to ditch the dress shoes and put on the cleats again.
“I had quite a few wedding to go to this off-season,” he said. “I’m burned out on weddings. It’s good to be doing some football now.”
Quotable
Head coach Dave Dickenson: “We have to make sure (to find out) who is coachable; who’s doing their job in the system and in the scheme. For me, you can make mistakes, but when you keep making the same ones, that jumps out. I thought the defence has been sharp. Offensively, I’d like us to be better. We’re playing fast and both sides are making plays, so that’s a good thing.”
More coverage
Alex Singleton – Northern Trajectory
Stamps TV: Dickenson post-practice comments
Stamps TV: McMaster boys reunited