Hufnagel wants more points
Warns Alouettes will come out fighting
John Hufnagel claims to have zero in the way of supernatural powers, yet he is more than willing to make a prediction for today’s clash with the Montreal Alouettes.
Call it experience. Call it intuition. Call it a hunch. Call it whatever you want. “We need to score more points,” the Calgary Stampeders head coach/ general manager said Friday morning. “Because Montreal will score more points tomorrow night than they did last week.”
With an offence sputtering under a new system, Anthony Calvillo put up a grand total of seven points on the board last week in a 22-14 loss to the Calgary Stampeders at Molson Stadium. (The second Montreal touchdown came on a perfectly executed punt block and return to the end zone by Ed Gainey.)
On the opening drive, Calvillo marched the Als 86 yards to the end zone. After that? Meh.
And now, minus the services of starting guards Scott Flory (torn bicep) and Andrew Woodruff (concussion), life promises to become even more precarious for 40-year-old Anthony Calvillo in the pocket.
But Hufnagel, for one, isn’t buying any of the “demise-of-the Alouettes” theories floating around the Internet.
“You know they have great offensive personnel,” Hufnagel said. “They’re in a slump. I’ve been associated with teams in a slump. But when it explodes ... it will, one day.
“I’m just hoping it’s not (today) at 5 o’clock.”
Clearly under the gun in Montreal, rookie head coach Dan Hawkins let out a guffaw when told of Friday Hufnagel’s premonition.
“Is that because he’s a swami?” Hawkins asked. “A crystal ball?” And then ... “I appreciate his vote of confidence.”
Go ahead and throw a procedure flag on anyone calling general manager Jim Popp for a vote of confidence on his new coaching staff. After all, we’re hardly a month into the season.
But questions abound in Montreal over just how an offence with so many big names on the marquee — Calvillo, Jamel Richardson and Brandon Whitaker just to name a few — could turn so dry so fast.
The personnel are there. But can the scheme implemented by offensive co-ordinator Mike Miller (no previous CFL experience) and Hawkins (no previous CFL experience) lead the Als to the promised land? Stay tuned ... “They have the ability to go out there and put together a great game,” said Stampeder slotback Nik Lewis. “They have the pieces. I mean, Arland Bruce is still doing it. He can go out and make plays. So can Jamel, S.J., Brandon Whitaker ...”
As for the man throwing the ball, Lewis has no doubt Calvillo will eventually look the Calvillo of old.
Like Hufnagel, Lewis just hopes Calvillo stalls for another week.
“He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t care if you sit around and talk about him,” Lewis said. “He knows if they go out and put up the numbers they need to put up, everybody will shut up and on they go with the rest of the season. No one will remember the first three games of the season.”
As Hawkins dutifully points out, the Als are actually riding high on defence and special teams. But the putrid offensive numbers continue to dominated the headlines — and with good reason.
Montreal is ranked dead last in the league through three games in: first downs (43), net offence (683 yards), average yards offence per game (227), net rushing yards (183), average rushing yards per game (61.0) and average gain per pass (six yards.)
“They have too many veterans over there to let that bother them,” Lewis said with a dismissive wave of a hand. “That’s what veteran clubs do. They focus in. They don’t want to be 1-3. That doesn’t mean it will end their season, but they don’t want to be 1-3.”
“We know that, so we have to go out there and execute and bring more energy than they do.”
In terms of energy, Hawkins is happy with the vibe sensed in practice this week — especially on the third and final day of fullspeed preparation for the rematch with Calgary.
“I’m really big on your Day 3 performance,” Hawkins said. “We had the best Day 3 that we’ve had this year.
“I’m not like Huff. I don’t have the crystal ball, but I kind of look at the facts and figures and science of football, and usually if you’re Day 3 is pretty good, you’re probably going to play pretty good.
“If it’s not, you’re probably going to struggle.”