Als trying to put tough week behind them
Team working to ensure costly errors don’t resurface against Roughriders
After Ottawa’s DeVonte Dedmon returned two kicks for touchdowns last Friday, it only seems like the Alouettes have been practising special teams more this week.
But if looks could kill, Montreal special teams co-ordinator Mickey Donovan would be behind bars today. The look on his face, captured by television cameras, after Dedmon returned a punt 95 yards for a score — breaking at least five tackles in the process — spoke volumes.
“It’s never a good feeling. It hurt a lot. I’m a passionate guy. You care. You coach,” Donovan said Tuesday. “This is what we do for a living, and we love it. But when those things happen in a game … At the end of the day that hurt us. It was a big part of the loss.”
The Als’ three-game winning streak ended with their 30-27 overtime defeat. Montreal’s defence surrendered only one touchdown, but Dedmon almost single-handedly beat the home team. He returned a kickoff 111 yards earlier, after the Als jumped to a 10-0 lead.
Dedmon established a team record, with 382 total kick-return yards. It also was the second-highest total in Canadian Football League history, after Larry Taylor’s 428 yards in July 2012 while the former Alouette was with Calgary.
“That was a big pill for me to swallow,” said Donovan, the former head coach of the Concordia Stingers. “I haven’t seen my expression (on television) but, I’m sure, the way I looked, that’s how everyone felt.
“It was disappointing for sure.” The Als made some curious personnel decisions going into that game. It started with the team placing Canadian linebacker Jean- Gabriel Poulin, who plays exclusively on special teams, on the practice roster. At the same time two import backup linebackers, Tevin Floyd and Jamor Jones, both were activated. Jones was utilized as an extra defensive back, while Floyd, it seemed, dressed at Poulin’s expense, ratio considerations excluded.
Poulin, who played collegiately at the Western University, will be on the active roster Friday, when the Als host Saskatchewan. Montreal also signed free-agent Canadian linebacker Frédéric Plesius on Tuesday. Plesius, who once played for Montreal, has been a force on special teams throughout his career, which also included stops in Hamilton and Winnipeg.
“As a pro player, you want to be on the field at all times. It killed me to watch from the sidelines,” Poulin said. “There’s a lot that can happen on a play, a lot of small details. To say I would have made a difference would be a big ego problem.
“That was the hardest part, to feel powerless on the sideline. I’m using that as fuel. I don’t want that feeling again.”
Special teams aren’t complicated, players are taught to remain in their lanes and tackle. It’s pretty much that basic. In a nod to player safety, there are no padded practices during the season and there are also three bye weeks in the schedule. The result of these factors can often be that tackling, one of the game’s basic skills, lags.
“That’s the tough thing,” head coach Khari Jones said. “When that happens, of course, you want to tear down everything. We had a lot of missteps and it can’t happen again. Our special teams have been good and pretty solid to that point. Now it’s time to get back on track. Hopefully, they have a fire to erase the memories of that. That just can’t happen.”
Rest assured, Donovan has shared that sentiment. What’s done is done. Now the time has come to focus on learning and competing, so the same errors don’t resurface, he explained.
“It felt like we gave (Ottawa) the game, especially on special teams,” he said. “The two big plays hurt us.”
The Als won the turnover battle against the Redblacks and controlled the clock, their time of possession slightly more than 36½ minutes. That’s normally a recipe for victory.
Meanwhile, concussed quarterback Vernon Adams was on the field after Tuesday’s practice — an encouraging sign. While tailback William Stanback was not, Jones said he could possibly play Friday, even without practising.
While the hit on Adams, administered by J.R. Tavai, is under disciplinary review for a potential fine, as per league policy, he won’t be suspended, according to a league official. The hit wasn’t considered a spear, as there wasn’t a blow delivered with the top of the player’s helmet. It also wasn’t considered roughing the passer, as Adams left the pocket and was over the line of scrimmage. He therefore lost his protection as a passer.
Both Antonio Pipkin, expected to start against the Roughriders, and Matthew Shiltz had better passing days on Tuesday.