The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

KARL McCartney opened the Canadian Football League season where he left last year, as a special teams ace for the Calgary Stampeders.

McCartney finished with four special teams tackles in the Stampeders’ 44-32 win over the BC Lions in the 2013 season opener at McMahon Stadium in Calgary Friday night.

The Stampeders got out to a 16-0 lead after the opening quarter and never trailed in the two touchdown win.

The Stampeders are slated to take to the road next week when they face the Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 5.

McCartney, a four year veteran, returned to the Stampeders a year after his team fell short in the 100th Grey Cup with a 35-22 loss to the Toronoto Argonauts.

The Stampeders signed McCartney to a contract extension in the offseason. He finished the year with a career-high in special-teams tackles, good enough for third in the CFL, rebounding from an injury riddled 2011 season and also added six special-teams tackles in the playoffs.

McCartney was part of a coverage unit that allowed Calgary to lead the league in net punting and yielded a league low of two punt returns of 30 or more yards.

Speaking with The Tribune in the offseason, McCartney expressed optimism at the upcoming season.

“Things went very very well in my third year of playing. The first year I had a great breakout season where I led the team and special teams and played situational defense. In 2011, I was hampered by a hamstring injury and played seven of the 18 games, so last year I just wanted to go in and prove that I could do the things I did in my first year and I ended up doing that,” he said.

“I can’t lead on defensive tackles, so I have to try setting other goals somewhere else. Being the top leader of special teams again, and also third in the league that gave me a chance to come in on more defensive situations also.”

McCartney also saw action on defence as a backup linebacker and registered nine tackles and one sack. He played in all 18 regular-season games and three post-season contests.

While excelling on special teams, McCartney said his goal remains to become a greater part of the rotation at linebacker and have an opportunity to prove himself against some of the best football players in the world not in the NFL.

“Right now I have two ‘Pro Bowl’ type line backers in front of me. I think if I was on another team I would be a starter but I just have to wait my turn. If you’re not a starter on defense, your goal has to be to lead somewhere,” said McCartney.

After a Grey Cup loss last season, the veteran linebacker said the Stampeders have grown together as a team and look to finish the task in 2013.

“In the beginning of the year, we were rebuilding us, so I didn’t expect to go this far so we just had a lot of heart and character. For a team that close even though we don’t have the athletes, it makes a big difference. It’s not the best athletes that win games but it’s the best team that wins games. It was just a great experience, if we won it would have been even better,” he said, “We look to do that this year.”