Taquan Mizzell wins B.C. Lions starting running-back spot


Taquan Mizzell was supposed to come to training camp last year with B.C. but needed an emergency appendectomy two days before proceedings began.

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There’s an argument Taquan Mizzell’s opportunity to be the B.C. Lions’ feature ball-carrier is coming a year late.

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The 29-year-old CFL rookie from Virginia Beach, Va., who has been pegged as B.C.’s starting running back for Thursday’s season-opener on the road against the Calgary Stampeders, originally signed with the Lions as a free agent ahead of last season.

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Two days before last year’s training camp, Mizzell underwent an emergency appendectomy. His passport lapsed while he was recovering and, with all the governmental rigmarole brought about by COVID-19, he didn’t get an updated passport until well into the CFL season.

He stayed home. He stayed hungry about the Lions by the sounds of it too.

“I sat on the couch, watching B.C. play on TV,” Mizzell said. “I learned a few moves, the differences in the game and the tempo it’s played at. Special teams is huge in the NFL, but it’s even bigger here. I paid attention to that.”

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The 5-foot-11, 185 pound Mizzell was a standout collegiately at the University of Virginia and then made several NFL stops from 2017 to 2021, including getting into nine regular-season games with the Chicago Bears in 2018. 

When he is right, he makes opponents miss. He’s fakes and feints, dekes and dodges. His high school coach dubbed him Smoke, explaining that trying to tackle Mizzell was like trying to grab smoke out of the air. The nickname has stuck through the years. 

B.C. went into camp this year looking for a replacement for James Butler, the 1,060-yard rusher from last year who jumped to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in free agency over the winter. Mizzell was joined in contesting for the post by 2023 free agent additions Buddy Howell, Vance McShane, Raymond Calais and Antonio Williams.

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Williams, 25, is the only other player from the group still standing with B.C., having signed on as a member of the practice roster Sunday. He’s a University of North Carolina product from New London, N.C., who was most recently was on the New York Giants’ practice squad.

“We like both of those guys,” Rick Campbell, who’s the Leos’ co-general manager and head coach, said of Mizzell and Williams. “The thing we really like about Mizzell is his home-run-hitter ability. He’s a quick, explosive guy. I think that’s always valuable in the CFL. You need a running back to make a big play every once and awhile.

“We’re still working with both of them. We like both of them. But he’s (Mizzell) the guy we want to give a shot to this week.”

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B.C. could utilize him in various ways. He’s adept enough catching the ball that the Bears lined him up at wide receiver. He’s adept enough catching the ball that while at Virginia from 2013 to 2016 he totalled 2,068 yards rushing and 1,560 receiving, becoming the first player to break the 1,500 mark in both categories in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) history.

He’s been a returner in the NFL too. He’s “still amazed at how big this field is here — it’s one of my favourite parts.” 

“Right now, each day is very important to me. Having not played in awhile, I’m going to continue to get better and better and better every time I step on the field ” Mizzell said. “Whatever they want me to do, I’m going to embrace it. Whatever they need me to do, I know I can get it done at a high level.”

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He maintains that getting back to the NFL isn’t something he’s focusing on. He’s got his eyes on the task immediately ahead of him.

“The goal right now is to be here in B.C. and be the best player I can be,” said Mizzell. “My grandma told me this quote: ‘If you want to make God laugh, you try to tell him what the future is going to be.’

“I want to enjoy this moment and enjoy this process. It always feels great to be wanted. I’m in a situation where I’m wanted and I want to be here.”

The Lions added to their backfield depth on Tuesday by signing Canadian running back Kienan LaFrance, 32. The Winnipeg native was released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday. He ran for 39 yards on nine carries in 11 games with Saskatchewan last season, his seventh year in the CFL.

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