Hurricane plays CFL waiting game

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Marcus Dunphy at the Toronto Argonauts' four-day minicamp for veteran players in Toronto at the end of April.

Charlottetown, PE - After taking his best shot at earning a spot in a CFL training camp, former Hurricanes Football team captain and two-time defensive MVP Marcus Dunphy can now only wait for a call.

Two months ago, Ted Goveia, director of Canadian scouting for the Toronto Argonauts made a trip to PEI to assess Dunphy, then a complete unknown and at best a very long shot to make the jump from the Atlantic Football League to the CFL. The assessment went well enough that Dunphy was one of only a handful of free-agent rookies invited to an Argonauts' four-day minicamp for veteran players in Toronto at the end of April.

Spero Mantzavrakos of Next Level Training, who has been working with Dunphy, believes that his impressive combination of strength, agility, and speed was key to the invitation to the veterans' camp.

"I have trained hundreds of professional athletes, including more than 50 CFL and NFL football players, during my career. I would put Marcus right up there with those guys, definitely. I hope someone gives him the chance to show what he can do at fullback, because this guy can really deliver a hit!"

Thrown into the mix with such CFL stand-outs as Ricky Ray, Jarious Jackson, and Andre Durie, Dunphy was expected, like the veteran players, to learn and execute a whole new offense in a very short period of time. By all accounts, Dunphy performed admirably.

"Getting to go to the Argos camp was a real thrill. The level of play is extraordinary, and I was pleased that I was able to keep up," he said. "The Argos treated me very well. I'm grateful for the opportunity."

Dunphy was assigned jersey number 87, and played the slot receiver position for the duration of the camp. During his Hurricanes career, he played middle linebacker and special teams, and is looking to transition to fullback, a position he excelled at in high school, with a CFL team.

Two weeks after the look from the Argos, the Souris native had an additional opportunity to demonstrate his abilities, this time in front of representatives from all eight CFL teams at the CFL free agent combine in London, Ontario. Over 50 former university and professional players competed for the attention of CFL scouts. Dunphy, the first Hurricane ever to attend this event, showed well. In strength testing he finished first among all prospects, recording 33 repetitions at 225 lbs on the bench press. His other combine scores were impressive as well, including a 4.6 - 40 yard dash. His performance sparked interest from several CFL teams. With training camps scheduled to open later this week, Dunphy continues to hope that one of the teams that saw him will make the call, either now or in the near future when roster spots open up.

Hurricanes Football Club president Mike O'Grady said Dunphy is an exceptional athlete with the right combination of ability and character to succeed in whatever professional path he chooses.

"Marcus performed exceptionally well on the field and showed himself to be a true, natural-born leader," he said. "He's a very talented young man, he's earned our full support and respect, and we hope for the best for him."

As he waits for the call that could change his career's direction, Dunphy reflects on the unexpected twists his life has taken since the beginning of the year.

"My eligibility in the AFL was over at the end of our championship season, so I figured I was finished with football. To have the opportunity to compete alongside CFL players and with other prospects was amazing. I learned a lot about myself from this experience, and that will always serve me well. This is something that I will remember for the rest of my life, regardless of the outcome."

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