Argos defensive lineman Ceresna is looking forward to facing the Edmonton Elks

TORONTO — Jake Ceresna returns from guard week refreshed and with a little extra incentive to keep the Toronto Argonauts undefeated at home.

Toronto (1-0) hosts the Edmonton Elks (0-2) on Saturday night. The contest will be Ceresna’s first against the franchise he spent part of five seasons with before being traded to the Argos in January in a move that saw Canadian wide receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. head to Alberta.

“I try to approach every game the same way, but obviously when you play your former team, there’s a little bit more on the line,” Ceresna said Friday after Toronto’s presentation. “Yes, there is a little extra juice in the game.

“There’s no bitterness at all. I just want to make sure that I’m playing well, that I’m going to show up and have a really good game.”

The 6-foot-5, 295-pound defensive lineman joined the Argos after back-to-back double-digit sack seasons with Edmonton (10 in 2022 and a career-best 12 in ’23). The Connecticut native had one of Toronto’s six sacks in the season opener, 35-27 at home against BC on June 9.

Ceresna gives Toronto flexibility as he can play both tackle and end. He will line up on the outside with Edmonton, with veteran Folarin Orimolade (10 team sacks last year) out with an ankle injury.

With Ceresna at defensive end, American rookie Ralph Holley will start at tackle.

“Jakes plays inside and outside, so we’re going to have him do a little bit of both,” Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said. “We’re still going to put Robbie (Canadian Robbie Smith) and Parrish (American Derek Parish) on the sidelines … That’s the great thing about Jake’s versatility, we can move him around.”

Gittens also established himself with Edmonton, having 16 catches (tied for the CFL lead) for 155 yards. The 5-foot-11, 191-pound Gittens had 81 catches for 1,102 yards and five TDs in 2022, helping Toronto win the Gray Cup.

Gittens won’t be the only former Argo returning. Others include starter McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Canadian defensive lineman Sam Acheampong, kicker Boris Bede and returner Javon Leake (the CFL’s best special teams player last year).

All five were on Toronto’s ’22 championship team. Acheampong was traded to Edmonton during the ’23 campaign, while Bede and Leakes joined the Elks this offseason as free agents.

“It’s exciting,” Dinwiddie said of facing so many former Argos. “I think it’s a story in the media, but for us we’re a new team and they’re a different team.

“They had good times here and we all share that.”

Bethel-Thompson spent five seasons with Toronto (2017-19, 21-22) and was part of two Gray Cup winners (2017, ’22). The 35-year-old led the CFL in passing in 2022 and is back north with Edmonton after spending 2023 with the USFL’s Boston Breakers.

The 6-foot-4, 236-pound Bethel-Thompson completed 61 of 84 passes (72.6 percent) for 636 yards in his first two starts with Edmonton. But he has more interceptions (three) than TDs (two).

Turnovers were a problem for Edmonton (tied for the CFL lead with six). Three came in the fourth quarter of a 29-21 season-opening loss to Saskatchewan, which outscored the Elks 21-3 in the fourth to earn the comeback win.

Bethel-Thompson will face a rested Toronto defense that also forced five turnovers against B.C.

“The first week we had some turnovers and last week (23-20 loss to Montreal) they definitely hurt us at the wrong time,” Elks head coach and general manager Chris Jones told reporters in Edmonton this week . “We have to not only have yardage and big plays, but we have to have the ability to not turn the football over.”

Cameron Dukes is making his second straight start for Toronto. The sophomore quarterback was solid against BC, completing 21 of 27 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns while running for another.

Veteran wide receiver DaVaris Daniels (groin) is out, but Damonte Coxie, who missed the opener with a hamstring strain, returns to the starting lineup.

“He’s definitely a better athlete than people probably think,” Jones said of Dukes. “He’s able to move, buy time if he gets pressure.

“I mean, look at his stat line and he didn’t turn the ball over. Ryan put him in some really good situations.”

Toronto has won its last three meetings with Edmonton and 10 straight at home dating back to last year. The Argos are also 5-0 after a bye week.

But Edmonton has won two of the last three meetings at BMO Field.

“It’s a great test, just like last week with Montreal,” Jones said. “(Argos) believe in who I am and what I am.

“Their players think they’re going to find a way to win football games and I certainly think Ryan is one of the best players in the league.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 21, 2023.

Dan Ralph, Canadian Press