Changes affecting local grad

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Geroy Simon, a Greater Johnstown graduate, was the Most Outstanding Player in the Canadian Football League last season. Kim Stallknecht

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September 2, 2007

By MIKE MASTOVICH The Tribune-Democrat Mon Sep 03, 2007, 12:00 AM EDT

Geroy Simon is having the kind of season that most receivers would savor.

The Greater Johnstown High School graduate ranks ninth in the Canadian Football League with 439 yards and a touchdown on 33 receptions for the defending Grey Cup champion British Columbia Lions.

Those numbers aren’t exactly what Simon, last season’s CFL Most Outstanding Player, is accustomed to producing. That doesn’t bother the ninth-year CFL veteran as long as the Lions are winning.

“I’m not having the monster year that I’ve had the past few years,” said Simon, who caught 105 passes for 1,856 yards and 15 touchdowns a year ago.

“They’re not using me as much as they did in the past,”he said. “We’re changing our philosophy a little bit. Teams are not playing us as much man-to-man coverage because we’ve been killing them the past few years. They’re playing zone. And wherever I go, I’m double teamed every game.”

The 6-2 Lions have relied on depth and a two-pronged attack to overcome a rash of injuries.

Running back Joe Smith leads the CFL with 817 rushing yards. Those are big numbers in the pass-heavy league North of the border.

Last season, the Lions receiving corps was hurting. This year, in addition to Simon, British Columbia’s Jason Clermont (sixth) and Paris Jackson (11th) are among the league leaders in receiving yards.

“I’m still getting open,” said Simon, who turns 32 on Sept. 11. “Our philosophy has changed. The reason why my numbers were so gaudy last year was three of our receivers were hurt early in the year and I was like a one-man show early in the season. This year we’ve got a lot of guys healthy and we’re running the ball a lot.

“We had about 300 yards rushing and 145 yards passing against Montreal (in Friday’s win). We’re more of a balanced team this year. We’ve got a big bruiser of a running back, and that’s not what you usually get in the CFL.

“Two of our receivers who were hurt last year are having big years. We’re spreading the ball out.”

Simon said the Lions’ status as defending champions means they will be challenged regardless of the opposition. British Columbia won its first five games, dropped a pair and came back with a win over Montreal.

“We do have the bullseye on our back going into each and every week,” Simon said. “Teams are going to give us their best shot. They could play terrible one week, but the next week if they’re playing us we’re going to get their best game. We’ve got to be prepared to go out and play our best football every week.”

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