Derek Wiggan is entering his third season with the Red and White, but he could soon become a mainstay in the starting lineup for the first time.

The interior defensive lineman may finally get his chance to shine due to his strong grasp of the playbook in addition to the status changes of two fellow Canadians on Calgary’s roster. Quinn Smith has officially made the full-time change to the offensive line while Junior Turner isn’t expected back until the mid-way point of the schedule as he recovers from off-season knee surgery.

And although nothing is guaranteed, Wiggan realizes the potential opportunity for an increased role and is more than ready to be dealt more reps on game days this season.

“Whatever they need me to do,” said No. 97 after Saturday’s morning practice at Stampeders training camp. “If I need to be in for 100 or I need to be in for five, my mentality doesn’t change. I bring my lunch pail to work and just work hard.”

At 24 years old, Wiggan is still growing his game and working towards his full potential. With the help of defensive line coach Corey Mace, the fourth-round selection from the 2014 CFL Draft is hungry for continuous improvement in order to handle any increased workload that may soon come his way.

“You always want something to work on,” the Toronto native and Queen’s alumnus remarked. “I can always work on my pad level and technique, but systems-wise, I’m pretty comfortable. It’s just making sure that once I’m tired, I don’t allow the fatigue to let me make mistakes. I know what I’m doing, so now it’s just making sure the final details are ironed out.”

Wiggan has undoubtedly been a valuable piece for the Stamps to date, totaling 24 tackles and five quarterback takedowns plus a forced fumble during his first two years. Those stats came in 29 regular-season games – which included three starts – and the 6-foot-1, 272-lb. defender has also suited up for two playoff battles as well as the 2016 Grey Cup.

“My personal expectations (for this season) are to be productive and I always want to get double-digit sacks,” rattled off Wiggan. “I don’t want any missed assignments and I want A+ games.”

Just three days remain until Calgary’s first pre-season tilt in 2017. The BC Lions come to town on Tuesday evening in what will be Wiggan’s initial opportunity to prove he’s got what it takes to be consistently counted on during live action.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” he insisted. “I take care of myself pretty well, so it’s just getting eight hours of sleep and trying to relax and have fun with it which helps me get through it. Everyone is gelling pretty quickly and we’ve got a lot of guys back. So we’ll be ready to roll.”