Rogerio Barbosa/Montreal Alouettes
CFL.ca Staff
VERO BEACH, Fla. — Just ask the Montreal Alouettes what a difference a year makes in the CFL.
The team held its off-season mini-camp last weekend in Vero Beach, Fla., and among the biggest highlights was the offence.
It’s a far cry from a year ago, when the team stumbled out of the gate to a 1-7 start – an anemic offence leading the team’s troubles.
“I think Turk’s done a phenomenal job at putting our playbook together and trying to get everyone involved,” said Jonathan Crompton.
Unlike a year ago at this time, the biggest question surrounding the Als’ offence now might be how they can spread the ball. Returning receiver S.J. Green has been a staple of the team’s passing attack, but this year he’ll be joined by perennial CFL All-Star receivers in Nik Lewis and Fred Stamps, on top of speedy national receiver Samuel Giguere.
| Crompton by the Numbers |
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Has Jonathan Crompton provided the Als an answer at quarterback? After an impressive 2014, the pressure on Montreal’s starting pivot will increase this coming season.
» Crompton by the numbers
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“We’ve got a great group of talented players and skill guys, and I couldn’t be more thrilled because I get to throw it to them,” said Crompton. “It’s really funny out here joking around about how to spread it around, because we’ve only got one ball and all these guys to try to get it to.”
“But the guys know if they’re not getting it, they’re going to give themselves up and get somebody else open, so we’ve got a really unselfish group of guys out here.”
It’s a refreshing thought for the Als, who seem to have the most stability on offence since the legendary Anthony Calvillo suited up as the quarterback.
Coincidentally, Calvillo is now a coach on the offensive staff, but the team’s new outlook is based more on stability than anything else.
Turk Schonert is the offensive coordinator after joining the team as an offensive advisor partway through last year, while former OC Ryan Dinwiddie remains an offensive assistant. At quarterback, meanwhile, Crompton spent the latter half of 2014 emerging as a leader and above all, a winner, guiding the Alouettes to a winning record down the stretch and nearly a division title.
The result of last season’s growth and some off-season continuity was crystal clear – even to the defence – two weeks ago in Dodgertown, as most of the full roster assembled for the first time in 2015.
“I was just telling Coach Schonert that we’re way ahead of where we were last year, just the efficiency of practice because he was not here, now the offence is already rolling,” said Bear Woods, a candidate for Most Outstanding Defensive Player a year ago. “Everything’s moving fast.”
“I can’t say one person who’s doing something good or not good, but I can tell you there’s a lot of speed,” added Woods. “The efficiency of practice – we got a lot done in comparison to last year, and it’s very wonderful.”
The turnaround in Montreal is nothing short of remarkable. At one point last season, Head Coach Tom Higgins faced questions about his job security on a weekly basis. After early-season struggles and an injury to Troy Smith, the quarterback puzzle remained unsolved.
But just as 2014 began to resemble a lost season, a backup quarterback named Crompton emerged and provided the Als’ offence some much-needed direction. After a 1-7 start, the Alouettes won eight of their last 10 games, coming just one late-season victory shy of capturing the division title.
Last year was a tale of two halves, but the Als have to believe they’ll more resemble the club that went 8-2 down the stretch – not the one that started 1-7.
“You can’t predict the future, but if we had it our way, we definitely will not start like we started last year,” said Green. “I feel like we’re a lot further along than we were at this point last year.”
Green caught fire over the second half of last year and in the playoffs, and could be in for a return to his usual All-Star numbers in 2015. More than that, the Alouettes believe they’re primed for a run to the Grey Cup.
“We have a foundation built from the previous year and we have a coaching staff that’s also here from the year before, with a couple of new additions here but for the most part it’s pretty status quo,” added Green.
“I think we’re moving in the right direction and at a great pace.”
