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The first full week of the Stampeders’ main training camp concluded on Saturday morning with a single practice.
Dress rehearsal
The Stamps will kick off their pre-season schedule next Saturday when the Edmonton Eskimos visit McMahon Stadium in a 7 p.m. start.
The players will get a small preview of what’s to come when the annual mock game is held at McMahon on Sunday afternoon.
The event features a series of game situations with a 20-second clock and CFL officials keeping an eye on proceedings.
It’s head coach Dave Dickenson’s first chance to see the Stamps rookies in something approaching real-game conditions.
“First, (you’re looking for them) to handle the procedure,” said Dickenson. “On and off the sideline, understand the situational football, special teams, back on to offence and defence. It seems to me it’s always a little bit easier when you’re in a practice mode and you know it’s coming. In a game, you don’t know what’s coming and you want to see who can handle that.
“Some players just respond differently when they’ve got a full uniform on. Those players are the playmakers who seem to step up. Those are the players you want to keep around.”
The McMahon gates open at 3:45 p.m. and play begins at 4:30 p.m. Admission is free and fans will have the opportunity to purchase a hot dog-chips-soft drink combo for $5.
Quotable
Dave Dickenson: “We’d rather get our kinks out and figure out what we can do better before we actually get to the pre-season. That’s the goal of the mock game.”
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