Camp d'entrainement dres Alouettes 2016 à L'université Bishop de Lennoxville
TORONTO – Nine days into training camp Argos head coach Scott Milanovich believes his team is beginning to take shape, as players on both sides of the ball are carving out roles and reputations for themselves.
Monday’s practice was typical for the Boatmen including walk-through, individual drills, 1-on-1’s, and team sessions. After a short break, the club carried out a second practice that focused entirely on special teams.
In the past, the Argonauts offence has typically relied on a single player, or a select few players, to make big plays when the game was on the line.
This year, however, the team feels that it will be able to spread the ball around regardless of the game situation, thanks in large part to the maturation of its young group of receivers both on and off the field.
“I think we’ve got a lot of go-to guys, that’s the beauty,” said Milanovich. “We have a bunch of guys we feel like we can go to with the game on the line.”
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When he looks at his group of playmakers on offence, the biggest difference Milanovich says he’s seen is the unit’s willingness to set aside personal goals for the betterment of the team.
“The hard thing – that’s always going to be the case when you have as many good receivers as we feel like we have – is that those guys are probably sometimes better off when they’re not with a great crew because they get more balls,” explained Milanovich.
“Sometimes those guys will have one catch in a game and sometimes they’ll have 10,” the Argos head coach continued, “and I think they’re grasping that and understanding that whatever we do to win is good with them.”
Of any major position group on the field, this off-season brought the most change to the Argonauts’ defensive line. Just one member of the 2015 squad’s starting four remains in Ricky Foley, while three established veterans arrived via free agency in Justin Hickman, Bryan Hall, and Brian Bulcke.
Second-year man Tracy Robertson has worked towards a more prominent role.
Amidst the player changeover, the Argos also signed a new defensive line coach in Kit Lathrop, who returns to the CFL following a three-year hiatus. Outside of Foley, the group has undergone a complete makeover, but the transition has been nearly seamless.
“What I’ve liked so far is the character of these young men,” said Lathrop. “They’re outstanding, they’re seasoned and they know about the game . . . They’re quality people and quality players.”
“What you don’t see in a lot of pro camps is the veterans taking time to help and teach,” continued Lathrop. “It’s like having extra coaches on the field.”
“What you don’t see in a lot of pro camps is the veterans taking time to help and teach. It’s like having extra coaches on the field.”
Kit Lathrop
Ricky Foley is the veteran mainstay for the Argos on a new-look D-line (Argonauts.ca)
Lathrop’s respect for the veteran linemen has been mirrored by those players, and they’ve responded warmly to his coaching style and philosophy.
“Between [Lathrop], Scott [Milanovich] and [Rich] Stubler, I’ve never really had a combination of coaches like that,” explained defensive end Justin Hickman. “They allow us to have a certain type of freedom, they take care of our bodies, and they allow us to go out there [and make plays].”
The bond between the veterans on the line formed almost instantly, stemming from the group’s tendency to make jokes off the field and work hard on it.
“When we step on the field we’re here to work and that’s what I respect,” said Hickman. “When you come out here, when you put the pads on and you’re not scared to put in the work to be better, you can’t go wrong.”
