MontrealAlouettes.com
SHERBROOKE, QUE. — With the first pre-season game just a week away, Montreal Alouettes quarterback Kevin Glenn says the offence is starting to click.
The Alouettes continued training camp on Tuesday, day three, with an early morning walkthrough in Sherbrooke, Que. where offensive coaches Anthony Calvillo and Jacques Chapdelaine focused on putting together the pieces of what’s, on paper, a very talented offence.
So far the work seems to be paying off.
“It went pretty well,” said Glenn. “I think the guys are learning the offence and getting more familiar with the plays and how we need to run them.
“We had a lot of success out there today.”
RELATED: 15 position battles you need to know about
Continuity is the word thrown around Als camp these days, as Glenn takes the helm for his first full season as an Alouette after joining the team for a short stint late last season. Catching the ball is a familiar group of receivers led by S.J. Green, Nik Lewis and free agent additions Kenny Stafford and Duron Carter.
With a proven veteran starter and the tutelage of the league’s all-time leading passer in Calvillo, there’s no reason that unit shouldn’t be productive. The only problem is CFL training camp is short and there’s little time to waste.
“I think the biggest thing is for us as an offence to make sure we understand the whole offence, fully,” Glenn assessed after practice. “Not having any hiccups or anything, and when I say hiccups I mean mishap plays, like we’re missing assignments and that kind of stuff.
“I think the communication has been good throughout camp and if we can continue to have that communication, it’s going to carry over to the season and we’ll be successful through the season.”
Part of the focus in Als camp has been on the offensive line, where Head Coach and General Manager Jim Popp has some decisions to make. The departure of perennial all-star left tackle Josh Bourke opens up a major hole on the offence, one that will likely be filled by either sophomore national Jacob Ruby or Toronto native Philip Blake.
Ruby, a first round pick last year, opened camp at tackle but by Monday was moved to the right guard position. Blake is a proven starter for the Als and has spent some time protecting the quarterback’s blindside despite last year setting up as a guard.
It’s early to make any assumptions but what’s certain is the Alouettes will have flexibility up front come the regular season.
“We want to move guys around and see where they can play,” said Popp. “If an injury occurs during the season, it’s better to find that out now than it is during the season.”
Sam Giguere looks for space after making a catch in camp (MontrealAlouettes.com)
The defence appears to be off to a good start in camp, particularly at the corner position where Mitchell White and free agent add Jovon Johnson have been busy intercepting passes and drawing several reactions from the crowd.
Meanwhile, John Bowman and the Als’ defensive line applied constant pressure on the quarterback in simulated play, getting their hands on a number of attempted passes.
As Noel Thorpe’s defence looks sharp early on, it all comes back to the offensive side of the ball where the O-line looks to fit together and the quarterbacks and receivers compete for positioning on the depth chart.
Rakeem Cato, Brandon Bridge, Vernon Adams Jr. and Tajh Boyd continue jockeying for position behind starter Glenn, a competition that’ll proceed throughout training camp.
At receiver, Jerry Rice Jr. continues to push for playing time after a strong mini-camp and a good start to training camp; Mikhail Davidson earned praise even from Green after making a highlight-reel catch; while Mike Davis has proven his ability to get open.
It looks like Glenn will have no lack of options this year, a problem few people are worried about.
“It’s not my job, that’s Anthony Calvillo’s job,” Glenn joked when asked about keeping the receivers happy with targets. “A.C.’s job is to make sure that those guys stay happy.
“He’s like the cook and I’m the waiter,” Glenn quipped. “He cooks the meal, all I do is bring it out and hand it to them.
“If they don’t like the way the steak is cooked, they have to talk to the chef, I didn’t cook it.”
Training camp resumes for the Alouettes on Wednesday at Coulter Field with two consecutive practices, while on Saturday fans are invited to watch a simulated game from 8:30 to 11 a.m.
– With files from MontrealAlouettes.com
