Few players on a football field get less recognition than those who play guard. Offensive linemen get little love to begin with, and when they do it’s usually the tackles that receive the most accolades.
Diehard fans will know that, when healthy, Gregor Mackellar is the Toronto Argonauts right guard. Even some of the team’s most ardent fans wouldn’t know that rookie Anthony Vandal will start again against Saskatchewan on Thursday with Mackellar on the mend, it’s the low-profile nature of the position.
Before the season began, Peter Nicastro was penned in as the starter on that side before centre Darius Ciraco was injured, moving Nicastro to the middle.
While the right side has been in flux, the left side has been admirably manned by Ryan Hunter.
The North Bay native joined the team in September 2022, and it’s likely not a coincidence that it was then that the Argos running game became more of a weapon, culminating in a Grey Cup victory over Winnipeg.
It’s been more of the same this season, with the Argos leading the CFL by rushing for 123.9 yards per game.
“I think it’s just been that we’ve been consistent,” Hunter told Argonauts.ca. “If you have 115 one game and the other game you have 50, it’s hard as an offence to keep going and try to keep drives alive. I think the fact that we’ve been at or above 100 yards every game has been huge to take some of the weight off the shoulders of the receivers, the quarterbacks, tight ends, fullbacks, running backs.”
Voted a CFL All-Star last season, Hunter and his fellow linemen take a great deal of pride in their performance.
“We feel like, up front on both sides of the ball, that we’re the core parts of this team and as we go the team goes. We put a lot on our shoulders to say if we can get this ball going it will open up everything else.”
Hunter wearing an Argo uniform is the result of a gamble the team took in 2018. Fresh off a Grey Cup win, the Boatmen held the ninth-overall pick in the CFL Draft. Six offensive linemen were selected in the first eight picks, so the Argos rolled the dice and selected Hunter.
There was zero doubt the Bowling Green product could play in the CFL, the question was would he play in the CFL? He had the talent to play in the NFL, which he would do for four seasons, first with the Chiefs, where he won a Super Bowl, and later with the Chargers.
The wait was worth it.
Someone thrilled that he eventually headed north is offensive line coach Kris Sweet. It’s not just the talent level that impresses the long-time positional coach.
“First and foremost, he can play all five positions, which is a rarity,” Sweet told Argonauts.ca. “He can line up as our tight end, there’s just so much flexibility, he’s just so athletic and his football IQ is pretty high.”
If you turned the clock back a couple of years and entered the Argonaut locker room you would have seen one, maybe two motorized scooters parked in the middle of the room. Now it’s a virtual parking lot as a dozen scooters have found a home there as more players are using them as their preferred method of transportation.
Hunter uses one to lug his 6’3, 315-pound body around town, and not just to give his legs a little more rest during the grind of the regular season. He recently purchased a new scooter and is pretty happy with his shiny new toy.
“I had to upgrade the old one, this one goes a little bit faster,” he said. “Once you see the convenience of them with the Toronto traffic – in the summer months around BMO Field there’s a lot of festivals, a lot of concerts which makes parking and traffic difficult. I’m just trying to make my life as easy as possible to get to work. I’m still pretty lazy and that’s why I got the scooter because I don’t want to walk (laughs).”
He didn’t need the two-wheeler to get him to the CNE’s food building, located a few steps from the locker room doors. After the team’s Wednesday walkthrough in advance of Thursday’s game, Hunter – who has earned a reputation as a great cook – and a handful of his fellow offensive linemen were seen headed toward the Food Building in search of tasty, or simply unique food.
“There are a couple spots I went to last year for some dumplings and Korean corndogs that I really, really liked. It’s always fun to see the vendors’ different takes on food and flavours and how they pair. It’s interesting to see what works and what doesn’t work.”
Fans will have the opportunity to watch Hunter and his teammates play on Thursday and get the chance to check out the food building all for the same price. Buying a ticket to the game gets you free admission to the CNE.
Just look out for the 315-pound man on his new, faster scooter.