‘Triangle of Death’ concept vital to Stamps’ special teams success

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They call it the ‘Triangle of Death.’

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Inspired by 1980s action classic The Predator and the laser sight the titular antagonist of that film uses while hunting his victims, it’s at the core of how the Calgary Stampeders’ special teams unit tries to shut down opposing kick returners.

Yes, the ‘Triangle of Death’, a concept so important to the special teamers that a red triangle is even featured on many of the T-shirts the unit sports.

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“It’s just something we came up with a long time ago and it was really based off the Predator’s laser sight,” said Stampeders special teams coach Mark Kilam. “It really applies to leverage with a ball carrier and how you relate to your teammates at the point of attack.”

For those who are unfamiliar with The Predator, all you really need to know is that the human-hunting alien uses a triangular red laser to locate its victims before taking them out.

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The Stampeders’ version is a little more complicated. Obviously, they’re not hunting Arnold Schwarzenegger — or Gary Busey, Carl Weathers or Danny Glover, for that matter. They’re trying to get good field position for their team by limiting the damage done on opposing kick returns.

“It’s basically just getting the returner in a vice,” said Stamps special teams star Charlie Power. “You want to set the edges and you obviously don’t want to let the returner get outside and then you have your guys in the middle that are filling from the top.

“It’s making that returner feel the pressure and then once you get them locked in there, making sure you finish tackles.”

While the ’80s action inspiration is just a bit of fun, it’s worth noting that the ‘Triangle of Death’ concept has worked awfully well for the Stampeders over the years.

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Last season, they allowed only 5.1 yards on punt returns. No team in the CFL allowed fewer.

On kickoffs, the Stamps allowed their opponents the second-fewest return years (18.0), behind only the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The numbers aren’t quite as good, through, three games this season, but they’ve been improving week to week. Through three weeks, the Stampeders are allowing an average of 11.2 yards per punt return and 22.7 yards per kick returns.

In their last game, against the Edmonton Elks on June 25, the team saw improvements on both punts and kickoffs.

“A lot of times a little bit about just doing your job and not worrying about the next guy,” said Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson as the club gears up for a rematch with the Elks, this time in Edmonton, on Thursday (7 p.m., TSN/770 CHQR) . “But also just playing to make a play, meaning don’t worry about who is blocking you or someone else should be there, just go make a play within the structure.

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“Mark tries to teach a come in and basically he calls it the ‘Triangle of Death.’ Just get into him, get edges and then get guys on top and squeeze them down, and I thought we did a good job.”

A BIG PART OF IT 

The return of Power has been a big boost to the Stamps’ special teams unit.

After missing all of 2021 with an Achilles tendon injury, Power worked his way back into game shape in time for the start of this season and has been a vital piece in the unit’s success so far this campaign.

“He’s been one of our best special teamers for a lot of years,” Dickenson said. “We missed him when he was gone, I think he’s come in and is confident in his Achilles and the rest of his body and I thought he’s been a major factor and he’s getting better, which is good, early on when you have a major injury it early on can take a mental hurdle to get by and I think he’s past that now and is just playing football.”

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While Power was, by his own admission, a little off his usual pace in his first game, in Week 2 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, he gave the Stampeders everything they could have asked for against the Elks, coming up with three special teams tackles. The league leader, the Ticats’ Nick Cross, only has six.

“Charlie Power is a warhorse. He’s a proven warhorse who has done it over and over and over again,” Killam said. “He’s a guy you build your units around. His first game back, I remember telling him ‘Just enjoy yourself, you’ve worked so hard to get back’ and then the second week I said ‘Alright, now it’s time to play fast again.’

“He’s back, we’re glad he’s back and he makes us better.”

AWESOME TRADE 

Right before the start of the season, Stamps punter Cody Grace suffered a groin injury and the Stampeders made a trade.

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They sent a third-round pick in the global draft and a seventh-round pick in the main CFL Draft to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in exchange for Australian punter Jimmy Smith.

On Monday, the Stamps sent Smith back to the Riders in exchange for the very same third-round global pick they had sent Saskatchewan’s way a few weeks ago.

So basically, the Stamps sent the Riders a seventh-round draft pick in exchange for three weeks of Smith.

And more importantly, Grace can be expected to play on Thursday against the Elks.

“I think Cody should be playing this week,” Dickenson said. “He probably would have been able to kick even before the bye, he was close. We feel confident he’s ready to go.”

daustin@postmedia.com 

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