COACHING CARTER
Argos addition Duron Carter will sit at the feet of Marc Trestman and soak everything in, at least for a couple of weeks.
Toronto fans will have to wait for receiver Duron Carter to make his Argos debut. Head coach Marc Trestman stated emphatically Monday that the receiver, who signed Sunday, Carter won’t play in the Argos’ home-and-home Labour Day series with the archrival Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The Argos visit Tim Hortons Field on Monday before hosting Hamilton at BMO Field on Sept. 8. Trestman said there’s no timetable regarding when Carter will play and he’ll be given every opportunity to fit in with his new teammates and become comfortable with Toronto’s offence.
“I know his background, I know what he’s done and I’ve had a couple of conversations with him,” Trestman said. “It remains to be seen.
“Will he come in and work? Will he get acclimated in a way that our team is comfortable with? We’ve got high expectations. The thing we have in our locker room is a bunch of guys who get excited when new guys come in because they want to help them along.”
Trestman’s decision, though, is interesting given the importance of the two games versus the Ticats. Hamilton (4-5) holds second in the East over Toronto (3-6) with the crossover looming — Winnipeg (5-5) and Saskatchewan (5-4) are both tied for third in the West.
Carter, 27 and a two-time CFL all-star, said he’s willing to prove himself to his new coaches and teammates.
“It’s my job to come in here and earn my spot,” he said. “That’s what I’ve done every place I’ve ever been, come in and earn my spot as a receiver.”
He said he received multiple offers in free agency but settled upon Toronto partly because of his familiarity with Argos GM Jim Popp, receiver S.J. Green and linebacker Bear Woods, all formerly with the Alouettes. But Carter was also intrigued to play in Trestman’s structure.
“A lot of people get into my ‘antics’ but (Trestman is) really into football, he knows everything,” Carter said. “Just by being here one day listening to the meetings, he knows his football and that’s one thing I definitely appreciate a lot ... Just being able to pick his brain and know what he knows offensively, I think, would be a great thing. His goal isn’t to win Grey Cups, his goal is to make better men and that’s why I’m here.”
Trestman was Minnesota’s quarterback coach in 1990 when Duron’s father, Cris Carter, joined the Vikings after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles because of alcohol and drug abuse. The elder Carter was an eight-time Pro Bowler over his 12 seasons in Minnesota and was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
Green said his advice to Carter was very simple. “Just be a sponge, be a fly on the wall, be quiet and just take it all in. Don’t have much to say, just listen.”