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Maybe that’s just a way to motivate himself, but with the games likely to become increasingly less meaningful in the standings over the coming six weeks for the first-place Stampeders, finding ways to keep focused isn’t a bad thing.

The team also rejects the notion that the coming stretch is unimportant, and will likely continue to do so. Yes, they’re sitting comfortably atop the West Division, but there’s still a whole lot of work to do — the way their last two seasons ended are proof.

“I just feel like this last stretch is very important to my team,” Dennis said. “If I can pick up my level of play just a little bit more, it will help us get to our goals.”

As much as Dennis is motivated by a genuine desire to do whatever he can to make the Stamps better, he’s definitely got something to prove on a personal level.

After getting recognized as the CFL’s best offensive lineman in 2016, Dennis saw his stock fall last year after signing with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in free-agency.

He just wasn’t as effective in the Riders system — plain and simple — and by the end of the season there were few experts speaking about him as one of the best at his position in the country.

Dennis isn’t walking around begging for recognition this year, but if his coach is saying he’s back to his 2016-level, of course that’s nice to hear.

“Personally, yes, of course I would love to always have my name in the conversation, but I’m not trying to focus on it too much,” Dennis said. “I’m just trying to do my job and, in a sense, yeah, get back to where I was two years ago and gain that respect back.

“I feel like last season, I lost a lot of respect from my peers and the overall view of my as a player (decreased), so I’m just trying to make sure I get that respect back.”

daustin@postmedia.com

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