It would appear that Derek Dennis is eager to be the Bane of the Ottawa Redblacks’ existence.
On Tuesday, Dennis tweeted a GIF of Bane — the villain in the Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises — under the numerals “11/12/17.” That’s Sunday’s date, the day when Dennis’ Saskatchewan Roughriders are to meet the host Redblacks in the CFL’s East Division semifinal.
That tweet was preceded on Sunday by one showing a man rubbing his hands together in anticipation and the words “I love how fast I was turned into a disappointment and after thought…….”
On Wednesday, Dennis explained his recent posts.
“I know a lot of people feel like this year was a disappointment for me, so it was just one of those things where I was kind of acknowledging what people are saying about me,” the Roughriders’ offensive lineman said following practice at the Credit Union EventPlex.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m just focusing on Ottawa right now. That whole Bane tweet was just me getting mentally ready to play in a playoff game.”
Dennis may get an opportunity to play Sunday in place of left guard Brendon LaBatte, who was carted to the Roughriders’ locker room with a left leg injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s 28-13 home loss to the Edmonton Eskimos.
LaBatte wasn’t on the field Wednesday and Saskatchewan head coach-GM Chris Jones couldn’t provide an update on LaBatte’s injury. But Jones did say: “We’ll see more about him (during Thursday’s closed practice).”
Dennis began the 2017 season at left tackle and played six games there, but he moved to left guard while LaBatte filled in at centre for the injured Dan Clark.
But when Clark returned to the lineup nine games later, LaBatte moved back to guard and Bruce Campbell stayed at left tackle. Dennis didn’t play the final three regular-season games, in part because of a wonky back.
“My back has been bothering me throughout the year … and it kind of came to a head,” Dennis said. “I’ve been dealing with a lot of spasms and it just really hurt.
“Coach decided to give me some time off to get it ready — and he gave me a chance to go spend time with my newborn son (one-month-old Kayson), which I didn’t really get a chance to do (after the boy’s birth).
“(The break) was a good thing. It gave me a chance to sit back, re-evaluate my situation, re-evaluate my play and get a second wind going into the playoffs.”
As one of the prized free agents when the market opened in February, the Roughriders targeted Dennis — the winner of the award as the CFL’s most outstanding lineman in 2016 — to be their left tackle.
But over the final three weeks of the regular season, Dennis was on the sidelines while Campbell manned the left tackle position.
“I could say (sitting out) was a humbling experience just because you get used to sometimes everyone patting you on the back when you’re quote-unquote the best lineman in the league,” said Dennis, who won the award as a member of the Calgary Stampeders. “I’ll take it as a humbling experience.”
And how might that manifest itself Sunday in Ottawa?
“I haven’t played a game since I’ve sat down, so I won’t really know how to answer that one until after Sunday,” Dennis replied. “But I’m a football player, I know how to play football and if I get an opportunity to play football, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
That’s certainly what Stephen Sorrells is hoping for.
“Because he hasn’t played in a little bit, he wants to get out there and be a part of it,” the Roughriders’ offensive line coach said. “He’s a guy who played in the Grey Cup last year and was on the losing end of it, so I think he has motivation to get back, make a run at it and not let that happen again.”
If LaBatte isn’t ready to go, the Roughriders could go in either of two different directions against Ottawa.
They could use Dennis, who was one of their two scratches in each of the past two games, at left guard. Or they could move Peter Dyakowski from right guard to left guard, start rookie Dariusz Bladek at right guard and activate a sixth offensive lineman.
The fact that Dennis played 15 games in the regular season, along with the fact that he is a veteran with a stellar resumé, would seem to suggest he’ll be on the roster in some capacity Sunday.
The pressure of replacing LaBatte isn’t a concern for him.
“Blue’s a great player,” Dennis said. “He’s going to be the best lineman in this league this year for a reason. He had a phenomenal year, he proved that he was healthy and he came back with a vengeance from his (neck) injury last year.
“I don’t look at it as me going to fill in for somebody or me trying to make up for any presence. I’m just going to go in there and bring what I bring as a football player and help this team win.”
Categorizing his 2017 season as “OK,” Dennis admitted he wasn’t the lineman he had been with the Stampeders in 2016. But he took some comfort from the fact that he had done what was asked of him by the coaches, including playing out of position.
He may have his detractors, but Dennis isn’t focusing on them.
“I don’t have anything to prove,” he said. “I’m still the same player I was since I’ve been in this league. I’m just here to play football. That’s it.”
