He wears other colors, but Demerio Houston continues to do his thing.
The Calgary Stampeders cornerback is tied for second in the CFL in interceptions with four, two behind Saskatchewan’s Rolan Milligan Jr. He and teammate Tre Roberson are also tied for third overall in defensive recoveries (four each).
Houston led the CFL in interceptions (seven) and defensive takeaways (10) last season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The 27-year-old Shelby, North Carolina, native signed a two-year contract with Calgary as a free agent.
But the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Houston also has 39 tackles in seven games this season. He’s on pace to surpass his career highs in interceptions (seven) and tackles (50) that he recorded last year when Houston was a CFL All-Star.
“I feel like I’m playing well, I’m playing physically, especially against the run,” Houston said. “I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better at tackling, I’ve gotten a lot better just working on my hands.”
In Calgary’s last game, a 31-29 home loss to the Ottawa Redblacks on Aug. 15, Houston had a team-high seven tackles. However, he’s more concerned about the plays that got away.
“I feel like I’m definitely making plays,” Houston said. “But I felt like I left a lot on the table that I should have had (against Ottawa), especially toward the end of the game.
“I always put the game on my shoulders and try to make sure that if my team needs a play, they always put it on me.”
Calgary (4-6) is on its bye week but remains atop the West Division. The Stampeders enter this week’s action tied with Winnipeg (4-6) for third place, but fifth-place Edmonton (3-7) is close behind and riding a three-game winning streak.
Calgary resumes its schedule on Sept. 2 and will host Edmonton to open the annual Labour Day home-and-away series between the provincial rivals. The teams will meet again on Sept. 7 at Commonwealth Stadium.
And that series will open an important final stretch for Calgary, which has reached the CFL playoffs for 18 consecutive seasons.
“When Labor Day comes around, it’s a new season,” Houston said. “That’s not to say the first 10 games didn’t matter, but down the stretch, these last eight games are definitely important for us.”
“There are things we can analyze and understand that we must continue doing, but there are also things we must correct.”
Houston knows what it takes to excel in the West Division. It helped Winnipeg to its fourth consecutive Grey Cup appearance last year, although the Bombers lost 28-24 to the Montreal Alouettes in Hamilton.
Houston first signed with Winnipeg in 2020, but the CFL did not play that year due to the global pandemic. He began 2021 on the practice roster before joining the Bombers’ active roster later in the year.
He was with Winnipeg in its last three championship appearances, including a 33-25 overtime win over Hamilton at Tim Hortons Area in 2021. The following year, the Bombers dropped a heartbreaking 24-23 decision to Toronto in Regina.
Calgary has won eight Grey Cups, most recently in 2018.
“Demerio is a humble, soft-spoken person,” said Kenny Kim of Summit Athletes, Houston’s Florida-based agent. “I refer to him as the silent killer.
“Demerio is a consummate professional and one of the best defensive players in the league. He is a ball-hunter and a true holding nook.”
Houston is a player who inherited his ability to catch balls. He played on offense as a kid, and played running back, receiver and quarterback, as well as returning punts and kickoffs.
“The only positions I didn’t play were linebacker or linebacker because I was smaller,” Houston said. “The ball hawk in me comes from the offensive side where I used to play.
“Just having that mindset that whenever the ball is in the air, I’m going to win.”
But physical ability is only one piece of the puzzle. During the season, Houston spends a lot of time watching opponents’ films, trying to analyze and dissect their tendencies on the field.
The lines of communication with midfielder Kobie Williams must also always be kept open so that both are always on the same page on the field.
“It’s preparation for the game, but it’s also love for the game,” Houston said. “Without love, you won’t have the drive.”
“So I do everything I have to do to make sure I’m in the best position to be successful and help my team.”
