GODSPEED, KEVIN GLENN
Als hope QB can save season
There will be those, undoubtedly, who suggest the move was made out of desperation — one last attempt to bail out a ship that has quickly been taking on water. But Wednesday’s acquisition of veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn also demonstrates Jim Popp’s serious in his attempt to salvage the season. We can state this much with some certainty: Glenn’s price was cheap; the Alouettes relinquishing a fifth-round draft choice next season to Saskatchewan, the only Canadian Football League team already eliminated from the playoffs. At age 36, Glenn no longer was part of the Roughriders’ plans moving ahead.
And from watching the Als’ recent free-fall, it became clear the team wasn’t going to win with Rakeem Cato, Anthony Boone or Tanner Marsh. One day? Perhaps. Not this season. Montreal, on a three-game losing streak, has dropped to 5-9, last in the East Division. Its only hope for post-season play is to qualify as the league’s sixth playoff team, a crossover, which would require the team to win more games than British Columbia or Winnipeg and would mean it would have to get to the Grey Cup with two road victories against Calgary and Edmonton.
“We’re just looking at the best avenue and way we can do that right now. We feel that’s to get a veteran quarterback,” general manager and head coach Popp told a hastily-called media briefing at Olympic Stadium. “At least (the players) know this is probably their best chance at the quarterback position to lead us in the next four weeks.”
It has been a surreal season for the Als, between the signing of Michael Sam and the firings of head coach Tom Higgins and offensive coordinator Turk Schonert. Glenn, now in his 15th CFL season, gives the team its first veteran presence at quarterback since Anthony Calvillo was concussed in Regina in August 2013, which forced him to retire.
Glenn, 5-foot-10 and 205 pounds, also becomes the seventh quarterback to play for Montreal this season. That alone is almost incomprehensible. He follows — in order — Jonathan Crompton, Dan LeFevour, Brandon Bridge, Cato, Marsh and Boone. Glenn, in all likelihood, will start against Hamilton this Sunday afternoon at Molson Stadium on only two days’ practice, so don’t expect miracles.
Indeed, it doesn’t matter who’s behind centre — the Als’ playbook under coordinators Calvillo and Ryan Dinwiddie won’t drastically change before next season.
The offence struggled before Glenn. It probably will struggle with him. He might be better served drawing up some new plays in the huddle.
Glenn, himself, was offering no promises on Wednesday, admitting himself how difficult it is to be traded in the middle of a season. The Riders lost at Hamilton last Friday, Glenn driving home to Detroit following the game to “enjoy” Saskatchewan’s bye week in the schedule when the trade was completed.
He signed with the Riders as a free agent last winter for one season, and had a verbal agreement with Saskatchewan for 2016 the Als will now honour.
“I don’t believe one person ever makes the difference. It’s the team that makes the difference,” said Glenn, who now has been associated with every CFL team except Edmonton. “I’m just an added piece that I believe can help — not just on the field.”
He has been labelled as the ultimate insurance policy over his career, yet always has seemed to play with some regularity due to injuries. In 248 career games, Glenn has passed for 45,510 yards, seventh overall in CFL history. Again this season he was expected to back up Darian Durant. But Durant suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles in the first game. Glenn, too, had his own injury problems, but in nine games completed 171 of 257 attempts for 2,174 yards and nine touchdowns.
As sorry as is the Als’ plight, Glenn actually has improved his stock with the trade, moving on from a team that had won only two games. Predictably, he said he’s excited for this late-season playoff run.
Like Popp, he believes the Als have underachieved, looking at their roster. It remains to be determined whether Glenn will have a favourite receiver, but he and Nik Lewis played together at Calgary.
“Watching from afar, I believe Montreal has a great team — not just on one side of the ball,” Glenn said. “The receivers are awesome and great. I believe S.J. Green probably is the top receiver in the league. The biggest thing is getting the ball to them, putting them in a position to be successful.”
While the Als acquired Glenn to get them to the playoffs, and beyond, he denied any added pressure has been placed on him. Late last month, when the two teams met at Mosaic Stadium, Glenn completed only 14 of 31 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown in the Riders’ 33-21 win. He also was intercepted once.
He denied his age will be any burden. “I think I have a lot left, not just for this year and next year, probably (for) years to come. I don’t think this (trade) would have happened if I didn’t,” he said. “As a player, you know when you’ve slowed down.”
Wednesday signified trade deadline day in the CFL. Later, Montreal shipped defensive back Mike Edem, a former thirdoverall draft pick (2013) to the Tiger-Cats for a sixth-round draft choice in 2016 and a conditional seventh-round pick in 2017. He was a division all-star as a rookie.