[OzSome]

CFL Regular Season starts on Wednesday, July 1st with a doubleheader. On the second game, the defending Grey Cup Champion CALGARY STAMPEDERS will play against the Montreal Alouettes(last season's opponent in the Grey Cup Championship.

Calgary Stampeders made some changes mostly on defense. Here are the 2009 Calgary Stampeders.

QUARTERBACK:
Henry Burris - Grey Cup MVP recently a 4-year extension will be the starting QB again this season. Backing up will be slick running QB Barrick Nealy and Drew Tate will be the third stringer after beating out Matt D'Orazio. Gone from last season were: Dave Dickerson(retirement), Will Proctor(retirement) and Ben Sankey(released).

RUNNING BACK:
Joffrey Reynolds, CFL Rushing leader last season will be the starter again this season. Backing him up are: Demetrius Summers(injured but will play Wed), Rob Cote as FB, Jon Cornish(injured), Fernand Kashama if Teyo Johnson does not play. Johnson just returned from his mini-retirement. He is day-to-day and Coach Hufnagel will decide on game day if he is ready to play that day or not. Rookie Derek Watson might see action if Cornish can't play. Stamps did not lose any RB from last season.

RECEIVERS:
Starters are veterans SB Nik Lewis and Jermaine Copeland, WR Ken-Yon Rambo (CFL leading receiver last season), and Brett Ralph. Backing them up are: Ryan Thelwell, Jabari Arthur(injured), rookie Jermaine Jackson(injured) and rookie Titus Ryan. We will probably see Ryan mostly on special team as he was explosive on one pre-season game returning punt for a touchdown. No receivers departed from last season.

OFFENSIVE LINE:
starters: last season's rookie phenom Dmitri Tsoumpas and Jesse Newman(day-to-day),Rob Lazeo, Jeff Pilon(inj), Ben Archibald. Back-ups are: Goddfrey Ellis, Derek Armstrong(injured), Antonio Hall, Randy Chevrier(he might move back to DL), Tim O'Neill. Gone: Fabio Filice(retired).

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN:
This position is where we lost most of the players. We have new starters on mostly on all sides. Mike Labinjo is the only starter from last season. He will be joined by last season's back-up Juwan Simpson and Miguel Robede plus rookie Justin Brown. Backing them up are: rookie Odell Willis, rookie Malik Jackson, Tom Johnson(injured), Alain Kashama and Justin Phillips. Gone are Charleston Hughes left to sign in the NFL, non-starter Julian Jenkins were released this season, Pat McDonald (signed with NFL), Howard Hughes(released), Eddie Freeman were let go (free agency).

LINEBACKER:
This is the other position that got hit by changes. Starters are veteran Shannon James and Dwayne Carpenter. Rookie Tray Blackmon is the new MLB. Won the position by default due LeMarcus Rowell's injury. Backups are: Matt Grootegoed, Marc Calixte, Keon Raymond(switched from DB to LB), rookie Fernand Kashama(if Teyo Johnson plays),rookie Tristan Black, Gone are: Saleem Rasheed(released), Jojuan Armour(also released due to conduct) and Neil Ternovatsky.

DEFENSIVE BACK:
We have all our starters back from last season. Brandon Browner decided to stay with the Stamps rather than pursue the NFL dream. Dwight Anderson, Brandon Smith(injured), Milton Collins, JR Ruffin(injured) are supposed to be the starters. Back-ups are: Wes Lysack, rookie Ronnie Amadi, Marcus Howell, rookie Quinton Meaders and rookie Davanzo Tate. Gone from last season: Julian Battle, Calvin Bannister, Richard Karikari and Lenny Walls.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
Kicker Sandro DeAngelis and Punter Burke Dales are back. PR Marcus Howell and rookie Titus Ryan will be returning punts. Demetrius Summers, Joffrey Reynolds, Jermaine Jackson and Titus Ryan will return kickoffs.

I still like the Calgary Stampeders chances of repeating as a Grey Cup Champion at our own turf. The offense stayed the same but the defense made lot of changes. Defensive linemen are now build with more speed and so as the LB crew. We will definitely miss the energetic Charleston Hughes, by far one of my favorite player last season. We will also miss the strength of Eddie Freeman on the line. On LB position, the middle linebacking usually the leader and in charge of stopping the run might be a bit of a challenge with rookie Tray Blackmon in that position. He is not that big but he is fast and very strong. Stamps might miss the leadership of Armour but I am sure Shannon James will answer the bell when it comes to leadership. Our DBs pretty much stayed the same from last season. Starter Brandon Smith might not play on Wednesday but I think Milton Collins will take his spot and Wes Lysack going back as a starter in Safety position. I am very happy to hear SB/FB Teyo Johnson decided to end his retirement. He was one of the biggest reason for offense being creative last season.

Let the games begin. Bring it on CFL!!