With the CFL season just around the corner, the Calgary Herald has a story about what the Stampeders did to improve their defensive line play, and the centerpiece of the story is former Dartmouth standout Flo Orimolade ‘17, the Ivy League’s defensive player of the year as a senior. From the story (LINK):
"Big game-wrecker — that's how I see myself," declared Orimolade, who returns to the Stampeders for his second Canadian Football League tour of duty after an off-season blockbuster trade brought him west from the Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts."I know I want to wreck the game," continued the edge star known as 'Flo. "I see myself as one of the best players in the league. I want to be player of the year."
Also from the story . . .
(E)ven bigger news was the bringing back of Orimolade, a top-shelf defensive end acquired in a surprise trade sending all-star linebacker Cam Judge to the Argonauts.“I forget how good Flo is,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “I guess when you don’t see him on a daily basis, you forget that.“He works extremely hard,” continued the head coach. “Just watching him in person … how he handles himself, honestly, it’s just one of those things when you lose a guy and then he comes back to your team, it’s like, ‘Man, he is good.’
And more from the story. . .
The Dartmouth Big Green product played 31 NCAA regular-season games over three seasons with the Red and White before signing with the Argos as a free agent in 2023. Orimolade was a member of the Stampeders’ Grey Cup-winning team in 2018 and contributed two special-teams tackles and a fumble recovery in the championship game.Orimolade then added a second Grey Cup ring as a member of the Argos in 2024.In 63 career regular-season games with the two CFL teams, Orimolade has registered 105 defensive tackles, including seven tackles for loss, 26 sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 11 special-teams tackles, one knockdown and two interceptions, including a pick-six.
#
And on the subject of former Dartmouth defensive linemen in the CFL, wouldn’t you like to see "School Rice" replaced by “School Dartmouth" when Charlie Looes ‘24 bio on the Edmonton Elks’ roster page is completed? After all, he did play four years at Dartmouth and just one at Rice, right?
#
EXTRA POINT
I did my daily hike to the top of the mountain on Tuesday starting at 6:15 in the morning. After finishing mowing yesterday, I did my daily hike to the top of the mountain starting at 6:15 at night. A few months ago, both hikes would have required a headlamp. Not this week. As Gord Bamford sings, Ain’t It Grand?