THE CANADIAN PRESS
A movie crew filmed for long hours outside TD Place this week as the Ottawa REDBLACKS changed the roles they have played this season from quasi-contender and playoff long shot to what they hope will be that of spoiler down the stretch.
No, the crew, along with the actors and the extras who did their work along the Rideau Canal were not on hand to shoot the REDBLACKS version of “Remember The Titans” or “Hoosiers”, two legendary movies about upstart teams who went where no-one thought they could.
Very little of the REDBLACKS expansion season has much draw in Hollywood, not when a first-year team will finish just about where everyone expected them to: last.
That’s not to say when it comes time to put together the REDBLACKS’ promotional highlight film of Year One; it will have no starring roles.
And one of them figures to be SAM linebacker and rookie Antoine Pruneau, a core player who figures to grow as the team grows.
| Plenty to play for |
|---|
|
The Ottawa REDBLACKS won’t finish this season in the playoff picture, but as Don Campbell writes, there’s plenty on the line over the final month of 2014. |
Pruneau arrived back in May at training camp as a heralded draft pick who would need time to develop.
Seven weeks into the season, he was promoted to starter and now Pruneau stands a chance at becoming the first major individual award winner in REDBLACKS history, for the league’s Most Outstanding Rookie Award, an award not won by an Ottawa player since running back Reggie Barnes in 1990.
“I have heard (talk) about that,” said the personable Pruneau, who daily fields every question thrown his way in both official languages. “But I’m not focused on that. If the recognition comes, it comes. But my focus here is to win more games.”
“I’m not going to lie to people. It’s tough being on the field and seeing all the support in the stands that people have shown us all season and not thinking we have disappointed the fans.”
“But we’re young and the (progress) arrow is only going to go up. What I see around me is a team to be proud of and a team I am proud to be part of.”
“Yes, we’re disappointed in the results. But the spirit is still good here.”
After the high the week previous in really beating up on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the REDBLACKS landed back on earth with their most lop-sided loss of the season, by 38 points to the B.C. Lions.
The loss mathematically eliminated the expansion bunch from the playoff race in the East though, realistically, that was a mute point for weeks.
So the REDBLACKS will go down the stretch, with the possibility of having a lot to say about which two division rivals advance — that’s if they can pull off an upset or two.
Ottawa has road games in Hamilton and Toronto sandwiched around the final two home games at TD Place in 2014, against Montreal and Hamilton.
That leaves the mood around the club upbeat as the coaching staff continues to look at players to decide whether they can help the team going forward while the younger REDBLACKS who have been around most of the first season, gain even more valuable playing experience.
Pruneau is one of the cornerstones the REDBLACKS are building around and considering he only turns 25 next Monday, that is one huge building block.
Why just a year ago, the Montreal native was leading the University of Montreal Carabins into the CIS post-season on his way to top athlete honours at the school.
The REDBLACKS saw the Carabines often and were more than willing to pay the price to get Pruneau on draft night, sending the rights to veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn to the B.C. Lions, then swapping first round picks to get Pruneau at No. 4 overall.
He impressed in camp. And he impressed every time he stepped on the field in the early going, subbing in at safety in the opening weeks of the season.
By the week prior to the REDBLACKS’ sixth game of the season, the coaching staff had seen enough of Pruneau and we mean in the best of ways.
Gone was veteran T.J. Hill and into the starting lineup at SAM linebacker went the rookie and he has never looked back.
He registered eight tackles in his first start in Calgary. It was more of the same the following week against Edmonton with 10 tackles.
Considering his season last year in university consisted of all of eight games, that he’s still going strong after 14, is a testimonial to his physical abilities.
“This is the position I thought I could make more plays,” said Pruneau, after being named a starter. “It’s a position made for that. I like to get in there and put my nose on every tackle.”
He has done that and the rookie experience will only help him down the road as the REDBLACKS move towards respectability.
Pruneau has plans to spend a good part of the off-season in Ottawa to work with the assistant coaches and training staff to do anything it takes to get better.
Part of the plan if just to have him identify what is happening in front of and around him quicker. Some of that comes with just being out on the field. Another part of it is plain doing homework to see what other teams and offences do.
“I’m not where I want to be,” said Pruneau. “I think I did a great job (for a rookie) but I have got to get better.”
“I know I can play with the guys in this league now. And the athletic part will not be an issue,” he added. “But I have to get faster over the whole field with my eyes. I have to be more aware of what is happening quicker.”
A lot of the young REDBLACKS have to do the same and head coach Rick Campbell knows it will take time.
Pruneau says his coach’s patience has been remarkable.
“Rick is the perfect coach for the situation,” said Pruneau. “And not just only as a head coach but as a human being in dealing with us.”
“What I see is a team to be proud to be a part of.”
