Bert Faibish
Ticats.ca
While a victory is always the preferred outcome for a coach, on Sunday, the chance to see players in a game situation was the real prize.
“I was happy we got to play everybody and the really young guys got a lot of playing time,” said Head Coach Marcel Bellefeuille.
“We got to find out some things about different players and their abilities, and we got to find out how they play with the lights turned on,” he said.
The preseason represents an integral part of the evaluation process as coaches prepare to whittle their roster down to the 46-man limit for opening day.
Saint Mary’s product Justin Palardy was drafted with the hope that he could handle the team’s punting duties and to potentially form an all-Canadian kicking duo with field goal specialist Sandro DeAngelis.
In his first game-action, Palardy performed well, punting the ball with hangtime and solid distance. A 53 yarder in the third quarter stood as his longest punt of the day.
“I really was happy with Justin’s punting today, I felt like they brought some pressure on him and he still managed to get the ball off,” said Bellefeuille.
“I hope I impressed the coaches today, I hit a couple of boomers and my times were right where I want them to be,” said Palardy.
Off-season pick-up Demetris Summers made sure his name will be mentioned when the coaches decide on a punt-returner this season, breaking up the middle for a 77-yard return before being brought down at the Toronto 20-yard line by a shoestring tackle.
“Summers obviously did a good job today, we wanted to look at a number of guys in today’s game and we did that,” said Bellefeuille.
“He had that one good return in the first half which was impressive,” he added.
The preseason is also a time to see growth from last season’s rookies, who in their sophomore season will be expected to show significant improvement from last year.
Defensive lineman Khari Long showed that last season was no fluke, sacking Argonaut quarterbacks three times in the first half.
After accumulating 10 sacks in his rookie season with the Ticats, Long hopes to continue the hot start he’s gotten off to in 2010.
“I just came out and did my job, I wanted to see where I was at mentally and physically and I’m happy with the result,” said Long.
Without the advantage of film study, players were forced to rely on themselves to learn their opponents tendencies.
“My main focus is to read how the tackle plays and since we didn’t get to see any film on these guys I actually had to see how they were going to play me and see which moves worked the best,” he added.
The result of Sunday’s game will have no bearing on how the season plays out, but it certainly will have a direct effect on the names on the roster come opening day.
