The
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The E ...
season was the 51st season for the team in the
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
and their 60th overall. The Eskimos finished fourth in the West Division, but made the playoffs because of the "crossover" rule. Edmonton became the first West team to win the East Semi-Final. The Eskimos attempted to win their 14th
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup () is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested between the winners ...
championship, but they lost the East Final to the
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: ''Les Alouettes de Montréal'') are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has disbanded twice and been re-established thrice. The Alouettes compe ...
.
Offseason
CFL Draft
In the 2008 CFL Draft, 48 players were chosen from among 752 eligible players from Canadian universities across the country, as well as Canadian players playing in the NCAA. The first two rounds were broadcast on TSN.ca with host
Rod Black.
Transactions
*''*Later traded to the
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division (CFL), West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium a ...
''
*''**Later traded to the
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division (CFL), West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place.
The Lions playe ...
''
Preseason
Schedule
Regular season
Roster
Season standings
Season schedule
Total attendance: 336,449
Average attendance: 37,383 (62.8%)
Ron Lancaster
On Thursday, September 18, Ron Lancaster, 69, died from an apparent heart attack, less than two months after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
Despite working in television, Lancaster returned to football as the Eskimos' head coach in 1991.
During his seven-season tenure as Edmonton's head coach, the Eskimos won the 1993 Grey Cup.
Lancaster resigned as the Eskimos' head coach after the 1997 season to become the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' head coach and director of football operations.
Player stats
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Defence
Kickoffs
Kicking
Punting
Returning
Awards and records
*
Kamau Peterson (WR), Edmonton Eskimos –
CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award
The Most Outstanding Canadian Award is annually awarded to the best Canadian player in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Lew Hayman Trophy winner from the East Division, and the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy winne ...
*Ricky Ray, Led CFL, Passing Yards (5,861)
*Ricky Ray, Led West Division, Passing Attempts (605)
*Ricky Ray, Led West Division, Passing Completions (422)
*Ricky Ray, Led CFL, Passing Completion (69.8%)
All-Star selections
*
Patrick Kabongo, CFL Western All-Star, Offence
*
Kamau Peterson, CFL Western All-Star, Offence
*
Dario Romero, CFL Western All-Star, Defence
Milestones
Playoffs
The Eskimos advanced to the East Division playoffs as "crossover" being that they had a better record than Toronto. By defeating Winnipeg, Edmonton became the first crossover team from the West to win an Eastern semi-final.
East
East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact that ea ...
semi-final
Date and time: Saturday, November 8, 12:00 PM
Central Standard Time
The North American Central Time Zone (CT) is a time zone in parts of Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and a few Caribbean Islands, Caribbean islands.
In parts of that zone (20 states in the US, three provinces or territorie ...
Venue:
Canad Inns Stadium
Winnipeg Stadium (also known as Canad Inns Stadium) was a Multi-purpose stadium, multipurpose stadium in Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
The stadium was located at the corner of St. James Street (Winnipeg), St. James Street and Maroons Road ...
,
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
,
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
East final
Date and time: Saturday, November 15, 1:00 PM
Eastern Standard Time
The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, and the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico.
* Eastern Standard Time (EST) is five hours behind ...
Venue:
Olympic Stadium
''Olympic Stadium'' is the name usually given to the main stadium of an Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports ...
,
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
,
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:2008 Edmonton Eskimos Season
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The E ...
Edmonton Elks seasons
2008 in sports in Alberta