Bye-week has arrived at the right time. Throughout the last 15 weeks of the long, exhilarating season, bumps and bruises that never heal will use this week to catch up to speed.
Changes on the depth chart occur every week, emerging players like Tyler Packer and Kory Woodruff’s role is to be ready to go if a starter sustains an injury.
Packer, the third-year offensive lineman out of Calgary played in 12 games this season at centre and left guard. He told bclions.com in 2022, that he had hoped to become the sixth and seventh man on the offensive line depth chart. And his words came into fruition and had to exceed expectation.
“It feels good to know that the work I put in is finally paying off. I was a bit shocked when I was brought into that starting role so early. I expected to sit and learn from Mike [Couture]. With the things that worked out, I was grateful that I got the opportunity and made the most out of it,” Packer on being a starter in 2024.
Photo by Kevin Light
Packer started at centre for six games, once Michael Couture came back to the active roster, Packer moved to left guard until he suffered a concussion during the Week 13 game in Victoria.
His first career start was in front of 50,000 people. He knew many players on the Calgary Stampedes squad as he usually spent his offseason in his hometown. Packer sensed he was the fresh meat for Calgary’s defence.
“Chris Schleuger and I were the changes on the O-Line for Week 2. I just expected them to blitz the shit out of me. I expected them to bring pressure to the left side and that’s what they did,” Packer recalled.
“I was aware at the beginning of the week that I was going to start at centre. I had to get the snaps down. Day one, I couldn’t even put one in VA’s hand. Then we got better throughout the week. We get to game time; I’m worried about the snaps and everything I’ve seen on film.”
Packer recalled that Calgary was going to bring plenty of seven-man pressure. Two teams traded three-and-outs, but the Lions were able to pull through with a 26-17 victory.
Being one of the younger players on the offensive line, there’s always an inevitable learning curve that Packer had to endure. Although he and Sukh Chungh went to the same school at the University of Calgary, their personalities are quite different.
“I was a little egotistic rookie. He hated my guts when I first got here. Sukh is straight to the point and keeps you locked in. But at the same time, he’s one of the funniest people I know. We can hold a conversation now,” Packer chuckled.
To be at his best on the field, Packer looks to the veterans for advice. They want to be able to elevate their game in this last stretch of the regular season. Packer hopes to be back practising next week from concussion. He expressed that he wants the best for the team, the same mentality he has carried since he first got here.
In the meantime, first-year player, Kory Woodruff will help push for the pylon.
The 24-year-old from Sioux City, Iowa tasted his first CFL experience in Montreal, filling in for Packer. Woodruff held his own weight, tweaked his left ankle during Week 14, and played through the whole game. The Lions beat the top-ranked Montreal Alouettes 37-23.
“I played in very good atmospheres before, but that’s the first time it felt like I couldn’t hear anything. The first drive was very loud. I was nervous because that was my first snap in the CFL. I didn’t know what to expect. But after a couple of series, I got dialled in,” Woodruff recalled his first CFL game against Montreal.
The menu was in French. That was the culture shock.
“On the day of the game, going out to get food, I couldn’t read the menu and other things. But the city was great, a great environment. But the main thing was about the game, none of that extracurricular stuff exists,” Woodruff added.
After a couple of drives with the offence, Woodruff said he felt like he was back at Pittsburgh State and Sioux City West High School all over again.
After high school, Woodruff enrolled at Briar Cliff University from 2018-2020. He played 23 games and was named a two-time all-American and, two-time all-conference athlete.
“After two seasons, it was time to move on to better things. That was going to Pittsburgh State and be a Gorilla. That was a turning point in my life. It’s probably the biggest blessing I’ve had to this point,” Woodruff said.
At Pittsburgh State, Woodruff played 24 games for the Gorillas, he was named the team captain in the 2022 season.
To be a standout for every team he has been a part of, and not playing in the first 13 weeks in the CFL was extremely challenging.
“I was so joyful when I made the team. I prayed to God. Not going to lie, sitting out for the 12 or 13 weeks of the season was tough. I had to lean on a guy like Jarell [Broxton], who shares the same faith as me. I learned that he also didn’t start in his first two seasons. I leaned on my family and my faith. Finally playing in Montreal was a full circle moment,” he added.
Woodruff played his second CFL game last Friday against the Toronto Argonauts. He re-tweaked his left ankle but stayed for the remainder of the game. Although he is unsatisfied with the result, he will use this week to charge up for the last four regular season games.
“I’ll be alright,” he added.
