All-time fave Argo rookie seasons

Time to re-visit some all-time Argos in this Covid drag off-season.:(



Some fave all-time Argos who had huge rookie seasons ... going back in time to begin:


71 - Leon McQuay - 977 rushing yards (7.1 yds/carry average !!!) & 429 receiving yards (played only 12 games in the 14 game sched. ?) - help lead the Argos to the 71 GC game ... oops, damn the Vancouver rain & soggy field; one of the most explosive RBs in CFL history IMO

74 - Sam Cvijanovich - MLB (pretty sure he lined-up there?) - 7 INTs & 2 FR for 9 take-aways; before the CFL recorded tackle, sack or forced fumble #s - love to know what the Samsters #s were there - CFL rookie of the year as a force on D!; wish he had stayed a long-time Argo, but flamed-out of CFL in short order ? Might vote for him as my all-time fave Argo rookie

77 - Paul Bennett - rookie DB out of Canadian college ball not only starts in the D-backfield (D-half i think?) and makes CFL all-star DB with 4 INTs (again no tackle stats then), but to top it off, is the main Argo punt & KO returner and amasses 1340 combined return yards ! Why could he not have played his entire fine CFL career as an Argo? - pi$$ me off ;o) All-time best Canadian Argo rookie season ?

80 - Bruce Clark - DT - back in the day when the CFL could still steal/sign some top US college ball players - Clark was a 1st round / 4th overall NFL draft pick, and did not disappoint in the CFL - 4 FR & 1 INT (and again wish the CFL would have kept tackle & sack #s then); CFL all-star as a rookie; too bad he only stayed with the Argos / CFL for just 2 seasons before he headed to the NFL (to become an all-star there with the Saints); one of the most talented DT to ever play in the CFL perhaps ? - maybe up there with the likes of John Helton or Dave Fennell who had long CFL careers

82 - Bob Bronk - FB - back in the day when fullbacks were still a force in CFL offences - Bronk out of Queens had 150 rushing yards & 452 receiving yards with 6 TDs, and i recall him as a tough as a moose blocker too to help protect Condredge in that big run & shoot pass attack - impact rookie on an Argo team that took 1st in the East and went to the GC

87 - Gill Fenerty - the Thrill had 879 rushing yds. & 456 receiving yds. with 15 TDs as an Argo rookie and helped lead the Argos to the 87 GC (scored a TD on a beauty pass reception in that game); an all-time great Argo RB, IMO, who went on to play with home State Saints in the NFL



Love to see another Argo great rookie season up-coming, but rookies making that kind of HUGE impact in the CFL nowdays are just not as common ?

1986 Willie Pless (LB): I remember him coming in after a great college career (Kansas), certainly wasn’t the biggest player but boy you could tell he was a special player from the get go and immediately became my favourite Argo defender and eventually a CFL Hall of Fame inductee.

Notre Dame grad Raghib "Rocket" Ismail (WR) in 1991... 271 yards rushing, 1,300 yards receiving, 602 yards on punt returns, 786 yards on kick-off returns and 90 yards on missed field goal returns.

In 1993 NCAA all time receiver Manny Hazard led the Argos with 61 catches for 1,033 yards and 8 TD’s. Unfortunately that was by far his best season. To me a huge mystery as to where his productivity disappeared to.

87 Gil “The Thrill” Fenerty was one of my fave rookie seasons. I was at the park in ‘88 when he went off for 215 against Calgary. He was special.

Michael Jenkins rushed for 1,050 yards in his rookie 2000 season with the Argos before gaining 1,484 yards in his second year. He headed to the NFL in 2002 season. However, he failed to regain his old form when he returned to the Argos in 2003 and was released early in 2004, unfortunately not the first or last player to follow such a career path.

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Originally Posted by gilthethrill

In 1993 NCAA all time receiver Manny Hazard led the Argos with 61 catches for 1,033 yards and 8 TD’s. Unfortunately that was by far his best season. To me a huge mystery as to where his productivity disappeared to.

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2004 - Robert Baker with 1086 receiving yds. as an Argo rookie


72 - way before Pinball, there was the Flea - Eric Allen - 1067 rec. yds.+ 220 rushing yds. + 405 KO return yards as an Argo rookie




So - the Rocket, the Flea + Hazzard & Baker = all rookie Argo receiving corps ?



A couple of more D guys: 71 - DT Jim Stillwagon - like Bruce Clark a decade later, a star US college ball DT who the Argos snagged, and made CFL all-star as a rookie

87 - Reggie Pleasant - DB - 9 INTs & 2 FR (for 11 take-aways) as a rookie - fine start to an excellent Argo career !


O-line might be the hardest position group to judge here, without stats that reveal play-making at other positions ? Any Argo rookie O-linemen who made East or CFL all-star ?

*** edit * - 77 - Mike Wilson - NFLdraft pick who played one Argo season and was named CFL all-star, before moving on to a long NFL career (joining Forrest Gregg with the Bengals who had drafted him)

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Originally Posted by Argo57

1986 Willie Pless (LB): I remember him coming in after a great college career (Kansas), certainly wasn’t the biggest player but boy you could tell he was a special player from the get go and immediately became my favourite Argo defender and eventually a CFL Hall of Fame inductee.

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For sure - you could tell Pless was a special D talent right away !


Another LB - in 99 - Martavious Houston - 90 tackles & 2 sacks; really liked that guy's D game in his 3 seasons with the Argos

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Originally Posted by OV Argo

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Love to see another Argo great rookie season up-coming, but rookies making that kind of HUGE impact in the CFL nowdays are just not as common ?

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In more recent memory:

Cory Boyd: 1359 yards rushing, 363 yards receiving. CFL's toughest player, the Argonauts' most outstanding player and CFL East All-Star.
Pat Watkins: 67 tackles (third on the team), 5 interceptions (tied for first in the CFL), 2 fumble recoveries and CFL All-Star
Armond Armstead: 43 defensive tackles, 2 special teams tackles, and 6 quarterback sacks. CFL All-Star.

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Originally Posted by ArgoGabe22

In more recent memory:

Cory Boyd: 1359 yards rushing, 363 yards receiving. CFL's toughest player, the Argonauts' most outstanding player and CFL East All-Star.
Pat Watkins: 67 tackles (third on the team), 5 interceptions (tied for first in the CFL), 2 fumble recoveries and CFL All-Star
Armond Armstead: 43 defensive tackles, 2 special teams tackles, and 6 quarterback sacks. CFL All-Star.

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2017 - Victor Butler - 10 sacks & 4 forced fumbles = impact DE on a team that won the GC

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Originally Posted by OV Argo

2017 - Victor Butler - 10 sacks & 4 forced fumbles = impact DE on a team that won the GC

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He was awesome, but to me a guy that had played in the NFL should not be considered a rookie.

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Originally Posted by AngeloV

He was awesome, but to me a guy that had played in the NFL should not be considered a rookie.

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Wouldn't be by CFL rules; but, by my rules here ;o) - any 1st Argo/CFL season counts; loved Terry Metcalf (on a weak Argo team)

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Originally Posted by AngeloV

He was awesome, but to me a guy that had played in the NFL should not be considered a rookie.

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I totally agree. Same applies to Patrick Watkins.