Winnipeg Blue Bomber head coach Paul LaPolice is fond of saying “football is a change business.”
Never has that statement been more accurate than when it pertains to the Blue Bombers’ off-season.
After a Grey Cup appearance in 2011, albeit a losing one, the Bombers left B.C. Place Stadium last November confident they had put together a team that would be back, largely intact, for another run in 2012.
» WATCH: Bombers provide injury update on Chris Garrett
Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice gives an update on RB Chris Garrett who was injured in practice on Tuesday.
The Bombers might very well bid for the Grey Cup again this year, but if they do, it will be with a sharply different lineup. And the interesting thing is, most of the changes were by design or out of the Bombers control.
All-star defensive tackle Doug Brown and center Obby Khan retired. The Bombers decided to sever ties with enigmatic rush end O’Dell Willis, trading him to Saskatchewan.
They lost All-Star guard Brendon LaBatte to free agency but there was nothing they could have done to keep him from going home to Saskatchewan.
The Bombers made no effort to keep backup defensive lineman Don Oramasionwu. They did make a big effort to re-sign wide receiver Greg Carr but Edmonton GM Eric Tillman kept piling up the money until Winnipeg V.P. and General Manager of football operations Joe Mack hollered “uncle.”
The Bombers also released running back Fred Reid, middle linebacker Joe Lobendahn and outside linebacker Clint Kent.
That’s quite an exodus of talent, but it’s important to remember that, outside of the retirements of Brown and Khan, there were only two players from that group that the Bombers actually tried and failed to retain – Labatte and Carr.
Still, it left a lot of holes to fill. And training camp injuries only added to the challenge. Four starters, slotback Cory Watson, running back Chris Garrett, linebacker Marcellus Bowman and offensive tackle Andre Douglas will be spectators due to injury when the Bombers open the regular season Friday night in B.C.
Who is riding to the rescue? Well, Rookie Chris Kowalczuk and converted defensive lineman Chris Greaves will replace LaBatte and Khan on the offensive line. Six-foot-five Chris Mathews looks like a solid replacement for Carr at wide receiver.
NFL veteran Alex Hall and rookie Brandon Collier replace Brown and Willis on the defensive line. And Brandon Stewart moves from cornerback into Kent’s linebacker spot.
Bloi-Dei Dorzon, who joined the Bombers last fall on the practice roster, will step into Garrett’s shoes at running back, Dustin Doe from Florida plays in Bowman’s linebacker spot, Jordan Taormina draws in at tackle for Douglas and U. of Saskatchewan rookie Rory Kohlert will try to fill Watson’s big shoes at slotback.
So yes, there have been lots of changes in the Bombers lineup. But, what has been somewhat forgotten is that many of last year’s key players are back. The best secondary in the CFL still features Jovon Johnson, Jonathan Hefney, Alex Suber and Ian Logan with hard-hitting Johnny Sears now a full-time starter.
Veteran Pierre Luc Labbe takes over at middle linebacker, Glen January and Steve Morley are back to anchor the offensive line and the receiving corps is strong with Terrence Edwards, Clarence Denmark and Kito Poblah leading the way.
Finally, the Bombers have the best quarterback depth in the CFL with Alex Brink and Joey Ellliott backing up Buck Pierce.
There is an air of uncertainty and a good dose of skepticism about the Bombers fortunes heading into 2012, but the players are quietly confident they can prove their detractors wrong.
Their first chance, Friday in Vancouver.
