COLTS SOPHOMORE SPEEDSTER LIEU

One word keeps coming up to describe Cuong Thai Lieu.

“Speed,” says Calgary Colts head coach Keith Kendal. “He ran a 4.37 (in the 40-yard dash) at our spring camp in May. “

“Speed,” adds Colts running backs coach Lorne Hass. “Absolutely a speed guy. He’s got the ability to stop on a dime and change direction. And I’d say his speed has even improved over last year.”

After red-shirting for the University of Calgary Dinos for two seasons, Lieu (2[SUP]nd[/SUP] year, Nanaimo, B.C., John Barsby High School) moved over to the Colts in 2009 and took the Prairie Football Conference by storm last fall.

Stepping into the breach during week No. 3 against the Edmonton Huskies, after Alan Lichwa (3[SUP]rd[/SUP] year, Calgary, Bishop O’Byrne HS) was felled with a knee injury, Lieu galloped for 202 yards and two touchdowns in a 36-21 victory. The five-foot-nine, 165-pound back was the face of the club’s running game from that point on, finishing second in the PFC with 652 yards on the ground and averaging 5.0 yards a carry.

The Colts begin their 2010 pre-season training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at Optimist Athletic Park, and Lieu can’t wait to get up to speed.

“I got an opportunity, and made the best of it. I’m pretty sure I surprised a lot of people last year . . . even myself,” says Lieu, 20, a U of C finance student. “I like to go coast-to-coast with my speed. I don’t have a problem going around the corners, but you’ve got to hit the holes when the opportunity arises, you know?
“A few years back, I wasn’t really running that fast. It takes a lot of work and commitment in the gym,” adds Lieu. “It’s mostly fundamentals, doing skill work, and I am trying to put on some more muscle mass nowadays. I don’t want to lose my speed, but I still need to get bigger.”

The Colts’ coaching staff wasn’t merely impressed with Lieu’s numbers last season. Says Kendal: “The biggest thing we saw was his willingness to work hard. He never misses a practice, and he goes hard every rep. He’s not a big guy, but pound for pound, he’s dynamite.”

Lieu will have some top-notch competition in the Colts’ backfield once training camp gets underway. Ryan Neilson (3[SUP]rd[/SUP] year, High River, Alta., Highwood HS) will get some touches in 2010, after spending much of his first two years in junior as a special-teams virtuoso. Cam Fox (1[SUP]st[/SUP] year, Calgary, Bishop McNally HS), a six-foot-one, 200-pounder, will earn a serious look. Jake Harty (2[SUP]nd[/SUP] year, Calgary, Henry Wise Wood HS) has the potential to be the club’s “key offensive weapon,” according to offensive coordinator Rob McNab, lining up as either a running back or receiver.

And this may also be the season for Chucks Okafor (2[SUP]nd[/SUP] year, Calgary, Crescent Heights HS) to take the ball and run with it. Okafor has returned to the Colts after attending the DInos’ spring camp at the beginning of May. “Chucks played on our scout team last season,” says Hass, “and one of our defensive coaches said he was the best running back our defence faced all year.”

Adds Kendal: “He’s twice the player he was last year. Chucks will certainly see the field this year, for sure.”

Lichwa isn’t expected to answer the bell in the early stages of this season, at least, after reinjuring his knee, but even without him, the Colts’ backfield has potential to be deep and powerful. “We’ve actually got quite a crew back there,” observes Kendal.

Todd Kimberley – Media Consultant – Jase Communications – 7/28/2010

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