Als betting Durant can help change club’s fortunes
As Canadian Football League teams prepare for the start of training camp this weekend, every player is optimistic this is the season he’ll drink from the chalice of Earl Grey, who donated the trophy in 1909, when he was Canada’s governor general.
That would include Alouettes players, who haven’t reached the Canadian Football League’s championship game, or won it, since 2010. Montreal hasn’t reached the post-season since 2014, which is quite an accomplishment considering six of nine teams qualify.
This season will be all about change for the Als, who have a new president (Patrick Boivin) and general manager (Kavis Reed). Head coach Jacques Chapdelaine returns after assuming that position with six games remaining last year. Darian Durant becomes the next quarterback hopeful of making us all forget about Anthony Calvillo. And how odd will it be not seeing Jim Popp when the players hit the field for the first time Sunday afternoon at Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke?
These are not your old Alouettes. But owners Robert and Andrew Wetenhall undoubtedly hope they will return to the Als of old, when they were the CFL’s dominant franchise. Here are some random thoughts as we prepare for our 21st season covering the team:
We don’t dispute the Als had to do something at quarterback. We just wonder whether Durant’s much of an upgrade over Kevin Glenn? Durant hasn’t played a full season since 2010 and is 34. He suffered a torn tendon in his right elbow in 2014 and missed most of the following season with a ruptured left Achilles tendon. These aren’t minor injuries. There’s a reason why Chris Jones called Saskatchewan “moderately successful” under Durant and was unwilling to extend his contract before becoming a free agent. And now, the fates of Jones and Reed are inexorably linked to Durant’s play.
The Als allowed a league-high 64 sacks last season, making change a necessity. The team will use two import offensive tackles Jovan Olafioye and Brian Simmons. No matter how good the parts, it’ll take a while for the unit to coalesce. Every missed assignment and mistake thrusts Durant into the crosshairs.
The Als have been putrid on offence the last two seasons, at least. One of the few teams that was worse last season was Durant’s Roughriders. When a team struggles to get into the end zone, it better have a competent kicker. Boris Bede made 11 of 21 field goals (52.4 per cent) and eventually was benched. Two seasons ago, Bede seemed destined for the NFL, but he might be fighting for his career should he start poorly.
Chapdelaine went 4-2 last season, but only one of the victories came against a team with a winning record. We’re about to discover whether he can coach or if his record was an aberration. He’ll also call the offensive plays, which is his prerogative. Jason Maas struggled with it in Edmonton and relinquished the responsibility. Kent Austin does it in Hamilton, but had less than ideal results last season. Game management and video-review decisions suffer. Clock management and timeouts can also be affected. It’s a lot on a head coach’s plate.
The Als haven’t done much lately, but anything they’ve accomplished on the field generally has been the result of their defence. And we’re about to find out how truly gifted is coordinator Noel Thorpe. Those two imports on the offensive line mean Thorpe must play more Canadians on defence where there traditionally has been one starter safety, Marc Olivier Brouillette, who moved on to Saskatchewan. Linebacker Winston Venable and defensivetackle Alan-Michael Cash are in Toronto, and key pieces are missing. Kyries Hebert (36), John Bowman (34) and Chip Cox (33) all are a year older and the team could miss the veteran presence of Billy Parker in the secondary. He became the defensive-backs coach.
Reed’s promotion to the front office led the Als to hire specialteams co-ordinator Bruce Read, who has no CFL experience although he has an extensive special-teams resumé. He arrives from the University of Nebraska. Special teams, coaches like to say, are one-third of the game. But Parker, defensive assistant Jason Hogan, receivers coach Justin Chapdelaine and Calvillo remain relatively inexperienced. There just doesn’t seem to be much meat on the bone.
The Als have only three weeks to determine who will back up Durant. They won some late-season games with Vernon Adams, but his wagon was hitched to Popp, who traded a first-round draft choice to British Columbia for his rights. Jacory Harris, Reed’s guy, arrives from Hamilton. Don’t be surprised if he has the inside track.
Guys we can’t wait to see: Receiver Ernest Jackson, signed as a free agent from Ottawa, and Olafioye. Among the rookies, receiver T.J. Graham and linebacker Anthony Sarao.
And finally, the forecast for Sherbrooke calls for rain most of next week, which might affect preparations for the Als’ first exhibition game on June 8. Coaches hate practising indoors because it virtually eliminates the kicking game.