(Photo by Gregory Campbell)
Isaac Owusu
Ticats.ca
Joel Figueroa came into training camp with a new focus.
The strength of his mentality has been so apparent that when defensive end Eric Norwood was asked what caught him by surprise the most on day one of camp, he mentioned Figueroa’s name.
Coming into his second season with the Tiger-Cats, Figueroa finds himself doing the majority of his work at the left tackle position opposed to the right tackle spot where he was mostly found in 2013. With left tackle widely considered the most important spot on the offensive line, the transition would appear to be difficult, but not for the hulking native of Miami.
“It’s pretty much the same thing, just mirroring everything from before. The left foot is actually now where the right foot is and the same with the hands,” he said.
“I’m happy to do exactly what the coaches want and whatever I can to help the team,” he added.
Figueroa’s coach on the offensive line Allen Rudolph anticipated his pupil’s ease in transitioning.
“He played a lot of left tackle at points during last season. Brian (Simmons) was hurt at times, and Joel had to fill in. he’s a really good athlete who’s been coached well prior to coming here”
Rudolph sees the adjustments that Figueroa, who played for the University of Miami Hurricanes from 2006-2011, has made as thing of organic nature.
“The on the field the transition from the 11-man game to the 12-man game has been very good and easy for him. He’s a good football player period. I don’t care if you line him up in a parking lot, he’ll be successful and he’ll play at a very high level,” he said.
Figueroa credits his improvement to the tricks he learned at his alma mater.
“I just worked on the little things. A lot of people think you have to go above and beyond when you’re working out but we always worked hard at Miami,” he said.
“It just trying to focus on those small things like the first two steps, getting your hands where they need to get, and reading the field. When you understand that, it becomes second nature for you,” he added.
Rudolph noticed that Figueroa’s off-season has provided him with a better player than he had before.
“He came in with a new focus. One that I haven’t seen from him before,” he said.
“You can tell he’s been in the weight room. You can tell he had been stretching. He had been working with some guys, drill work, that type of stuff,”
Figueroa looks around the field and has as much optimism about the whole team that Norwood and Rudolph have for him.
“Everybody knows what’s at stake, and we have been gelling together really well. Now were more in sync with each other than we were after two games last year. I’m excited and can’t wait to get the season started.”
The tackles working with #Ticats offensive line coach @arudolph53 #CFLTC14 #CFL pic.twitter.com/kOsAPYzoWZ
— Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats) June 4, 2014
