Stampeders have confidence at running back heading into key game against Argonauts

The Calgary Stampeders can clinch a playoff spot with one more victory, and they would love to do it Saturday versus the Toronto Argonauts.

Meanwhile, now that the weather is getting colder, the running game will be even more of a factor.

Dedrick Mills had some big goals coming into this season, and they weren’t all about football—Mills wanted to make changes in his life and become a better person.

“I feel great, and I feel good with who I am and the person I am,” he said.

“V.A. (Vernon Adams Jr.) was right. We did have a talk in the off-season about the leadership and the problems that we’ve had here before and stuff like that. I just told him I wasn’t going to be part of that problem anymore.

“I wanted to be part of the solution, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do this whole season.”

The changes Mills made helped make him a better football player.

For the first time in his career, Mills cracked the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a season.

With just a couple of games left in the regular season, he leads the league in rushing with 1,225 yards on 219 carries.

Mills says he’d love to win the rushing title, but he couldn’t do it by himself.

“I thank my offensive line for giving me the holes, the coaches and quarterbacks for calling the plays for me to get down the field and making plays happen for me to get these yards that I have this year,” he said.

Head coach Dave Dickenson has noticed a big difference in his running back this season.

“He’s got a good thing going in his private life and his personal life, but also, he takes that energy and you can see the guys have gravitated toward him,” he said.

“He’s been setting a high standard, and our running back room has been excellent across the board.

“Happy with what he’s doing and proud of him, but there’s a lot more to do.”

Mills isn’t the only weapon the Stamps have at running back.

Ludovick Choquette took a huge step last game and scored his first touchdown in the CFL against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“It feels great,” he said.

“It’s always a dream when you grow up. You aim at having a touchdown and helping a team win at the professional level, and now at this point, it’s not for me to get used to it but just to keep working and helping my team any way I can.”

Mills also got engaged about a month ago, and he says that has also helped keep him grounded.

Kickoff time for the Stamps and the Argos is a little after 5 p.m. Saturday at McMahon Stadium.