Fraser Caldwell
Ticats.ca
Cortez: “We’re maybe as well as we’ve been”
The Ticats appear to be rounding into health as Saturday’s Final Game at Ivor Wynne Stadium approaches.
Head Coach George Cortez suggested on Wednesday that, where the Ticats have had many game-time roster decisions to make in previous weeks, very few of his players remain undetermined this time around.
“We’re maybe as well as we’ve been, other than guys who are definitely out and on the nine-game injured list or something,” said Cortez. “We don’t have a lot of maybes going on, which is a change of pace.”
Linebacker Jamall Johnson – who has struggled with back spasms and missed last week’s visit to Calgary – was training with the first-team defence on Wednesday.
Cortez was hopeful that Johnson’s recovery was progressing well, but said that he would be monitored throughout the week.
“He was back and practiced much more today than he had recently, so we’ll see how he is in the morning and as the week finishes,” said the coach of Johnson.
“It’s nice to have some guys back who haven’t been practicing too. You feel like you have some options as opposed to having to go with only one guy because he’s the only one who’s well.”
Running back Avon Cobourne also featured prominently in practice after suffering an injury in Calgary. Cortez indicated that the veteran tailback is on course to see game action on Saturday.
“He’s recovering from the shot that he took in the thigh,” said the coach. “We’re expecting him to be okay.
“He practiced more today than yesterday and was incredibly better yesterday than he was the day before. We’re expecting him to progress to where he can play come Saturday.”
Practices have been “sharp”
Cortez praised his players’ training performances on Wednesday, but cautioned that the quality of practice should not be used to gauge a team’s chances come game day.
“I thought that we practiced pretty well last week and I think practices have been good again this week,” said the coach. “You always feel better as a coach when practice is sharp.”
“I have found in my career that you sometimes don’t play well even when practice is sharp, so I don’t judge much anymore how well a team will play based on practice.”
“Considering how bad the weather was yesterday, I thought that practice was very good, and today was an extension of that.”
Training is no tougher than usual
The coach addressed comments made via Twitter by former BC Lion defensive lineman Aaron Hunt, who insinuated on Tuesday that the Ticats were being overworked in training.
“I don’t feel that they’re all that tough,” said Cortez of his practice sessions. “They’re exactly the practices that we used in Calgary when I was there. Actually, they’re easier than those ones.”
Portions of the team’s roughly two-hour training slots are dedicated to walkthrough, where players map out concepts without the exertion of a drill.
Cortez suggested on Wednesday that the Ticats use of walkthrough time is designed to both relieve physical strain and present an alternative to the classroom style of learning employed at team meetings.
“We did more walkthrough when I was with the Bills than we do here, but we do a fair amount here,” said the Ticat coach.
“It’s easier on your body. The first walkthrough is an extension of the meeting. We even come out earlier sometimes to make it even more of an extension. Honestly, there’s a point in time where your brain can only endure so much sitting in a chair.”
“The process of actually walking through it is just another learning strategy.”
