Corridor: Justin McInnis thrives in season of change
Earlier than the opening kickoff, earlier than each sport, Justin McInnis takes a knee and engages in a non-public dialog inside his head.
“I do all of it for her,” the BC Lions receiver says to himself. “I do all of it for her.”
By her, he means his daughter Aria. She’s 5. And whereas her dad navigates an enormous change of his personal as of late — catching passes from quarterback Nathan Rourke as an alternative of Vernon Adams Jr. — Aria is the one coping with a significant life shift.
“She simply began kindergarten,” McInnis says. “She’s all excited to go in day-after-day and meet new individuals and have time.”
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On this season of change, Aria and her dad are each thriving of their respective pursuits. McInnis, 28, roared into the 2024 season with the said objective of changing into the highest Nationwide receiver within the league. After 13 video games, the Pierrefonds, QC product leads all CFL gamers — no matter nationality — in receiving yards (1,074) and receiving touchdowns (seven).
“You simply put your head down, you’re employed actually exhausting and good issues occur,” says the towering six-foot-five, 210-pounder. “I even have a gaggle of fellows round me that consider in me, consider in my means.
“They’re simply giving me the chance to make performs after they come my manner.”
Not unhealthy for somebody initially signed by BC in 2023 as a utility man to plug holes and assist wherever wanted because the sixth receiver on his workforce.
Now he’s probably the most prolific cross catcher within the land.
“Only a nice pick-up for us,” says Jason Tucker, the Lions’ receiving coach. “I imply, he’s well-polished. An enormous goal. An enormous physique. In all probability a few of the strongest palms I’ve seen in a very long time.
“He’s a mannequin of consistency. And that’s what we preach on this sport. You’ve received to be constant, and that’s what he’s been ever since he received right here.”
A mannequin of consistency. That’s fairly the praise coming from the understated Tucker, the very definition of the time period all through his seven-year CFL taking part in profession in Edmonton.
McInnis has blossomed in his fifth CFL season, main the league in receiving going into Week 15 (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)
In 2023, Tucker says McInnis dutifully stuffed in for the injured starters, capitalizing on each alternative.
“We’re all on this enterprise to win,” Tucker says. “He was constantly making performs each time he stepped in for any individual that was harm. He labored his manner into it. Like we’ve received to discover a option to get this man on the sector.”
Off the sector, Tucker sees a person along with his priorities in the correct place.
“Nice man, nice dude,” Tucker says. “He’s a dad. His daughter Aria comes round right here, and he or she’s one of many little children everybody embraces.”
Again when he performed in Saskatchewan, McInnis cared for Aria full-time for six months whereas her mother completed nursing faculty.
“I don’t even know if I knew methods to put her hair in a bun or something,” says McInnis, who performed his school ball at Arkansas State. “I used to be making an attempt my greatest to determine it out.”
He figured it out.
“The early years have been tremendous exhausting as a result of she didn’t know what sleep was in any respect,” he says. “For like two, two-and-a-half years of her life, she simply wouldn’t sleep in any respect — like fast little two, three-hour naps within the evening. However now she’s nice. She’s superior. She’s stuffed with power on a regular basis. And, you understand, she retains me motivated. She retains a smile on my face. I like it. I really like being a dad.”
And Aria clearly adores watching her dad play soccer.
“She loves coming to the sport,” McInnis says. “She loves cheering. She asks me on a regular basis if she will be able to come to soccer observe with me.
“She tries to get everybody to play along with her. She is aware of if she wants some sweet, she simply runs as much as coach Tuck’s room and he’s going to spoil her.”
From back-up to star attraction — McInnis is prospering within the limelight. However he’s fast to credit score his adopted brothers within the BC receiving corps for his personal success.
If one man is double-teamed or having a tough sport, one other man steps up.
The offensive weapons at Nathan Rourke’s disposal embrace Alexander Hollins (56 catches for 881 yards), Ayden Eberhardt (28 catches for 490 yards), Jevon Cottoy (26 catches for 298 yards) and Keon Hatcher (18 catches for 269 yards).
“These guys are genuinely excited for one another to have success as a result of they comprehend it’s not only one individual,” Tucker says. “Anyone can have an enormous sport. And when that occurs, they’re all dancing with one another in the long run zone.”
The objective for the Lions, after all, is to bounce in the long run zone with the Gray Cup at BC Place on Nov. 17. However McInnis says he’s solely centered on Friday’s sport towards the Toronto Argonauts.
In spite of everything, he is aware of from expertise that arduous work day-after-day, even when it’s raining, even on the times the place it’s exhausting, is the one path to the highest.