TORONTO — Ralph Holley has been a very pleasant find for the Toronto Argonauts.
The first-year defensive tackle began the season on Toronto's practice roster before injuries landed him on the active roster and then the starting lineup. And Holley has responded, finishing the regular season tied for the league lead in sacks.
"You have to stay ready so you don't have to get ready," Holley said Thursday. "Maxie (defensive-line coach Demetrious Maxie) prides himself on preparing every player, whether you're on the practice roster or active roster, to be ready anytime.
"I took advantage of the opportunity and excelled at what I'm good at. That is getting off the ball, ripping and running and getting vertical, which is what our defence is based on."
Toronto’s defence excelled at getting to the quarterback this season, leading the CFL with 48 sacks. Holley and teammate Jake Ceresna posted eight sacks apiece, tying them with Edmonton's Elliott Brown and Ottawa's Lorenzo Mauldin IV and Michael Wakefield for the league lead.
Argos players Folarin Orimolade, Derek Parish, and Canadian Robbie Smith added six sacks each, creating a balanced attack that prevents opposing offensive lines from focusing on just one player up front.
"That's the thing," said Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie. "(Opponents) could always slide three to a side and try to take out one of our tackles but then the other is going to be on a one-on-one matchup.
"That's one thing we don't see a lot of so it gives Jake an opportunity to rush the passer one-on-one and same thing with Ralph."
Toronto's defence finished the regular season second against the run (85.1 yards per game), fourth in net offensive yards (361.9 yards) and fifth in offensive points allowed (24.5). But it was also eighth in passing yards (296.8 per game) and last in completions of 30-or-more yards (36).
Toronto dispatched Ottawa 58-38 in the East Division semifinal Saturday at BMO Field. Redblacks starter Dru Brown was 46-of-61 passing for 487 yards with three TDs but the Argos returned both his interceptions for touchdowns.
Toronto visits Montreal in the East Division final Saturday. Last year, the Alouettes forced nine turnovers and had two pick-sixes in upsetting the Argos 38-17 before downing Winnipeg in the Grey Cup.
Montreal had a CFL-high 36 completions of 30-or-more yards but also surrendered 40 sacks, three behind league-leading B.C. Alouettes starter Cody Fajardo was sacked 34 times, tying him with Winnipeg's Zach Collaros for the most in the league.
"We do the best of pressuring the quarterback with our aggressiveness and violence off the ball," Holley said. "That's the initial thing, having aggressiveness and violence off the ball just to make (the quarterback) uncomfortable back there regardless of if he's getting rid of the ball quick or it's a deep drop."
The six-foot-one, 285-pound Holley signed with Toronto in October 2023 after spending time with USFL's Philadelphia Stars but didn't see any action last year with the CFL team. Holley, 25, attended the Argos' training camp in May and made the cut.
"When Pinball (Argos GM Mike Clemons) told me I'd made the team and was on the practice roster, I was like, 'Great, I'm going to be great at that,' " Holley said. "Then when we had those unfortunate injuries and Maxie told me I was up I said, 'Great, I'm going to be as great as I can.'
"Each level I'm at I just want to be as excellent as I can be regardless of where I am."
But Holley credits his fellow defensive linemen with helping accelerate his development.
"I'm the youngest on that starting D-line and I'm just soaking up everything I can," he said. "They've taught me a lot about my game ... and I've just been watching them slowly in practice, watching film on them and critiquing my game to balance off everybody."
However, the transition to Canadian football wasn't seamless for the former Western Michigan University star.
"The toughest adjustments were probably that yard off the ball and the length and width of the field," he said. "But I adjusted to them and got my wind under me."
While Montreal's offence will present different challenges than Ottawa's, Holley said he doesn't expect Toronto's defensive game plan to change much.
"We're keeping the same thing and what's been working for us the whole year," he said. "Mostly, we just want to keep (Fajardo) in the pocket and do what we can do.
"But nothing has really changed from what we've been doing on the year because we've been successful with it."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
