By Kevin Thompson
Ticats.ca caught up with head coach Marcel Bellefeuille to discuss last week’s season opener and the Tiger-Cats upcoming tilt versus B.C. this Friday July 10, 2009.
Overall, what are your thoughts about the season opener against the Argos?
MB – “We started very slow, we had a tough first quarter and got behind 20 points but after that I thought we settled down and played better football and we ended up winning the last three quarters 17-10 so we have some positive things to draw from.”
What areas are you looking to improve on from Game 1?
MB – “All areas to be honest with you, but obviously we want to be better in our run defence and we need to be better on protection up front so those are two key areas that if we improve we have a better chance to win.”
Can you comment on the performances of rookie defensive linemen Khari Long and Justin Hickman, who combined for three QB sacks?
MB – “Those guys did a good job, for a couple of young guys they did a good job of rushing the passer and got up the field. They did a few little things that they need to get better at in terms of their run support responsibilities and once they do that then the sky is the limit.”
How about Marquay McDaniel, who did some good things on punt returns?
MB – “Yes he really did cause going into the game he wasn’t our primary returner but because of injury he had to go back there and showed that he can return the ball well and do some things with it so that was encouraging to see.”
How does the preparation during practices and meetings change for the upcoming game versus BC?
MB – “It changes a little bit, last week was our first in the stadium and our first week back doing different practice formats so obviously it makes it a little easier coming into your second week with the understanding of what’s expected during the week and what your schedule looks like so that was good. And obviously we are coming off a loss so players want to get better and want to improve so there is definitely a focus and emphasis on that.”
East Division teams have not fared well in B.C. over the last few years. Why is this and how do you combat that?
MB – “Well the reason is that they are a good football team. They go 7-2 and 8-1 at home all the time so they beat everyone. It’s not a matter of whether you’re from the east or the west so we have to go out there and play a much better football game than we played last week. We need to take care of the football and make more plays.
What are you expectations for linebacker Jamall Johnson? Is he expected to play this Friday against his former team?
MB – “He’ll probably play, and I’m sure he’ll play quite a bit. Our expectations are for him to know his assignments, do his job and when he has his chance to make plays we expect him to make plays. Obviously this is his first game in some time so we’ll have to give him a fair evaluation.”
What is the status of running backs Terry Caulley and Tre Smith?
MB – “They are probably both out for the upcoming game but they are day-to-day, week-to-week after that so I am sure we will see one or both of them soon enough.”
What are you expecting out of rookie RB DeAndra’ Cobb in their absence?
MB – “Cobb has the potential to be a big play player, he had a long run in the preseason and he has a lot of speed so we are expecting him to be productive and make the same type of plays they [Caulley and Smith] can make.”
In your opinion, what is BC’s most significant threat? How do you plan to contain that threat?
MB – “They have a number threats, but obviously Geroy Simon is one of the premier players in the league so there are a lot of different things. Sometimes you just have to play him tough, sometimes you can double cover him, there are a lot of different ways to handle him but certainly he has to have his share of the attention.”
