Big CFL debut for DaVon Fowlkes

[Mr. C]

DaVon Fowlkes made a big splash in just his second CFL game tonight, returning a punt 86 yards for a touchdown on his first play of the night. Sounds like the 2004 I-AA.org offensive player of the year we loved watching. Too bad the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were not on CFL TV in the U.S. tonight. The Ticats broke their five-game losing streak to improve to a league-worst 3-11. Here is the write-up from Canada:

Fowlkes, a CFL rookie playing in just his second CFL game after moving up from the practice roster, catapulted the Ticats out of their touchdown drought midway through the first quarter with an 86-yard punt return. The 24-year-old from Appalachian State nabbed the towering 53-yard punt from Sean Fleming and spurted up the middle before cutting down the left sideline, urged on by an exultant, long-suffering hometown crowd.

[Mr. C]

Fowlkes returned four kickoffs for 84 yards, with a long of 33 yards and a 21.0 average. He returned two other punts for no yards (no fair catches in the CFL). Fowlkes had one kick return for 27 yards and two punt returns for 25 yards in his first game, an 11-9 loss to the Toronto Argonauts last week.

[ASU Kep]

Fowlkes returned four kickoffs for 84 yards, with a long of 33 yards and a 21.0 average. He returned two other punts for no yards (no fair catches in the CFL). Fowlkes had one kick return for 27 yards and two punt returns for 25 yards in his first game, an 11-9 loss to the Toronto Argonauts last week.

Wow, that must lead to some nasty hits.

Great to see DaVon is doing good. I'm just amazed he's only now getting some PT. That man is the MAN. :D

...11-9? :confused: :eyebrow:

[goasu984Life]

Great game for DaVon. Good to see that he is doing well North of the border.

[Mr. C]

Wow, that must lead to some nasty hits.

Great to see DaVon is doing good. I'm just amazed he's only now getting some PT. That man is the MAN. :D

...11-9? :confused: :eyebrow:
Here is the story: The GM at Hamilton is a big-time DaVon fan and has been ever since he signed him. The coach at the beginning of the season wanted to go with the old guard and the GM kept DaVon on the practice or reserve squad. After the Ticats' poor start, the coach was fired. As the season deteriorated, the GM finally managed to get some other players into the lineup.

On CFL scoring, if you do not return a kickoff out of the 20-yard end zone, you give up a single point, called a rouge. Hamilton scored three field gaols for nine points and their opponents had a rouge and a touchdown with the PAT for 11.

[ASU Kep]

Gotcha on the scoring. I was reading the thread about Canadian schools entering the NCAA last night and read about "rogues." I almost like the idea, personally.

Fair catches are definitely a good thing, though. I wouldn't want one of my best (usually one the fastest, anyway) player on my team returning punts if there was no such thing as a fair catch. Kick-offs, maybe, but I'm amazed they can do that for punts and not have a boatload of injuries. I mean, if the punter kicks a high floater, the return man will get hit by a guy going 100 mph while he's standing still. OUCH!!! And how would you hang onto the ball? It's bad enough to catch a ball in the middle of the field sometimes (I know), that is just nasty. Bet it makes for some highlight hits, though.