Montreal Gazette

Chapdelain­e set winning standard

- HERB ZURKOWSKY hzurkowsky@postmedia.com twitter.com/HerbZurkow­sky1

The longest-serving member of the Alouettes’ offensive line surveyed the scene in the team’s Olympic Stadium dressing room on Sunday and wondered whether it might be his last time there.

“I honestly don’t know. I wouldn’t be surprised either way,” said right tackle Jeff Perrett, who’s 32 and just completed his ninth season with the Canadian Football League team — one that struggled on offence in 2016 and relinquish­ed far too many quarterbac­k sacks.

“Maybe they’re just trying to get some fresh blood in here,” added Perrett, who remains under contract in 2017. “I don’t think I’m that old ... 32. Apparently, that’s old. Maybe they’re looking for some younger or better players?”

Perrett, a third-round draft choice in 2006, made his Als’ debut the following season and became a regular in 2008, when Montreal reached the Grey Cup for the first of three successive years — winning consecutiv­e titles in 2009 and ’10.

Until last season, Perrett had never missed the playoffs — and now it has occurred twice in as many years.

“I never envisioned playing in Montreal and not being in the playoffs,” he said. “It’s happened two years in a row. I’m one of the guys in this locker-room, so I’m partially to blame. It’s unfortunat­e. To not be in the playoffs the last two years is crazy.”

That’s especially true in the East Division, where no team had a winning record. But two — Ottawa (8-9-1) and Hamilton (7-11) — are preparing for playoff games. The Als also finished 7-11, but lost two of three games against the Tiger-Cats, the tiebreaker used to determine playoff berths.

“We have a good team and good guys in here. We had a miserable start,” Perrett said. “You can point fingers at whomever you want but, at the end of the day, we’re all responsibl­e. We needed to wake up a week sooner. I don’t know if the coaching change is what woke everybody up or if that was the change that needed to be made sooner.”

The Als were 3-9 under general manager Jim Popp, but went 4-2 after interim head coach Jacques Chapdelain­e assumed control, including a three-game winning streak — something the team hadn’t accomplish­ed since 2014 — to conclude the season.

Chapdelain­e changed the mindset of the team, telling the players he wouldn’t take any nonsense while advising them they had to assume control and responsibi­lity. Chapdelain­e establishe­d a standard — a winning one, eventually — providing the structure and discipline that was lacking.

Anyone who didn’t buy the partyline — receivers Duron Carter and Kenny Stafford — were, eventually, released.

“I think he’s done a great job. I don’t think he’s a bad choice,” Perrett said. “He has an incredible football mind. He speaks well and knows how to get his point across. I think guys really bought into what he was saying.”

Receiver Samuel Giguère scored two touchdowns in Saturday’s victory at Hamilton despite suffering from bursitis in his right knee. He had the knee drained of fluid, was put on antibiotic­s and took a late flight to Hamilton on Friday night, not arriving at the team hotel until 1 a.m.

“It’s unfortunat­e again to miss the playoffs, but I think we’re slowly creating a new identity,” he said. “Now we’re starting to win because that’s what we do.

“The guys responded well when Jacques stepped in. The engagement and preparatio­n of the guys was great. The guys responded well. He provided a sense of ownership, engagement and good structure. I appreciate­d the way he directed the team. “I’d like to see him return.” While the Als certainly have offensive issues that must be overcome, Chapdelain­e for one believes the team has found its quarterbac­k moving forward — Vernon Adams. But Chapdelain­e admitted Adams didn’t have the pressure of getting the team into the playoffs, which was facing Rakeem Cato following the trade of veteran Kevin Glenn.

“Vernon’s only pressure was to do well for himself and the team,” Chapdelain­e said. “Right now, knowing what we know, Vernon might have a leg up on Rakeem. The way he finished. What he demonstrat­ed and what we may not have seen from anyone this year — including the veteran quarterbac­k. When things didn’t go well he found a way to make them right. He wasn’t alone in that.”

 ?? ALLEN MCINNIS ?? Alouettes interim head coach Jacques Chapdelain­e listens to a question from the media in Montreal on Sunday.
ALLEN MCINNIS Alouettes interim head coach Jacques Chapdelain­e listens to a question from the media in Montreal on Sunday.

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