Offense 2012

even if Adrian lights the world on fire, do not think it will change much as long as AC is there. Adrian will get a quarter to show his ability in the first pre season game (if he is lucky) and then AC will get at least a half in the second pre season game leaving maybe another quarter or so for Adrian and whomever will be the third string QB.
Adrian’s playing time will depend on how much AC will be willing to come off the field unless of course he gets injured.

The problem may lie in Adrian’s itching to play on a regular basis. As any competitive athlete in their prime, how much longer will he be willing to hold the clip board and come in on 3rd and short situations with a quarter or two more of playing time sprinkled in along the way?

He might not be willing to wait, but we're not a position of complete dependence here. We have Santos, who's put in almost the same amount of time in the system, and moreover, we have the pieces of an elite offense for Adrian to work with. It's not every team that would give him the stability of the Trestman era Alouettes. We've also paid him very well to be a backup. If he leaves, it will be a disappointment, certainly, but he may find that the grass isn't always greener. I want Adrian to stay and become our next starting QB but it depends on whether AC can still play at a high level. We have a dominant QB who's still one of the best in the league, so it makes sense to see on a yearly basis whether he can still compete. We're not talking about McManus hanging on long past his best before date, Dickenson coming back from his umpteenth concussion, or even Burris slowing down and coming off a year in which he lost his starter's job. Anthony was the top QB in the league last season and passed for over 500 yards in the ESF. As long as he can and wants to play, the job is his.

What it comes down to is can we sign him with starter money after this season. If we can he will stay if we can't we will likely lose him. We would not be able to protect him anyway with Ottawa coming online. We would only be able to protect 1 QB and that would be Calvillo if he still wants/can play. I'm hoping things fall into place in a nice natural way. Let's see how things go at camp and take it one day at a time. We have all season to get some resolution as his future and the QB position going into 2013

Lulay devient agent libre en 2013…

Si Lulay quitte BC ca serait seulement pour le NFL.

Yes as long as AC is there the job is his no argument there. Hopefully he is still open (as he said he would be at the end of last season) to the idea of having Adrian play a little more to gain some more playing time experience and ultimately keep him happy where he will want to re sign with the Als.

As HF says, let’s wait and see what transpires coming TC which is just around the corner now!

Je comprends aussi que les Lions vont tout faire pour le garder, mais les affaires sont les affaires.

Sounds like Anthony's ready to rip it up this year. :rockin:

[i]CFL training camps open on June 3, and this could be the last time Calvillo puts his body through one. He turns 40 in August.

Still, he’s holding off making a definitive declaration on retirement because he’s throwing so effortlessly now; it’s as if his right arm had been re-tooled.

“The (thyroid) surgery in my neck made my shoulder a lot tighter than I anticipated,? he said. “But this year . . . the body is amazing.

“I don’t feel any soreness, tightness, anything. I’m the way I used to feel, and that’s encouraging. Knowing that I’m going to camp, and feeling like this . . . it’s exciting.?
[/i]
Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/E ... z1twkQ4c31

[url=http://www.lapresse.ca/sports/football/201205/17/01-4526211-marc-trestman-on-doit-ameliorer-plusieurs-choses.php]http://www.lapresse.ca/sports/football/ ... choses.php[/url]

Front sports page Bujold La presse interview with Trestman. I have to say our off-season press coverage French and English has been as good as it has ever been. This despite Popp and Trestman not residing in Montreal.

The part I liked best in the interview is Trestman saying there will be revisions to the playbook. I for one thought certain aspects last year were becoming too predictable.

Thanks for posting that, sheldon, great read. For the non-French-speaking:

  • Trestman has never discussed his contract status in the media, and won't start now.
  • Entering his 5th season as Als' head coach, he says it's the best job he's ever had. Has allowed him to raise his daughters while maintaining a good balance between football and family life. Wetenhall, Popp, and Harris have been great to him, and with Calvillo, we always have a chance to win games.
  • On the subject of disgruntled former Als (Watkins, Wilson, Stewart), Trestman says they never cut players because of what they say in the media. Usually, it's health or cap reasons, or wanting to give a younger player a chance. But he also says all three of those players were model citizens as Alouettes.
  • On the new offensive playbook, he says they've worked hard to improve it. They've looked around at what other teams in the league are doing and have incorporated some elements. He thinks the fans will enjoy what they have planned, and the players always enjoy learning new plays and strategies.
  • Doesn't really know the young players yet, but gets info from Popp.
  • On the subject of kick returner, he would like stability at every position, but can't commit to finding a KR since he doesn't know them well enough yet. Hopes we can get a game-breaker at the position, since most other CFL teams have one at KR.
  • On the subject of improvement, he wants the offense to learn how to close out games. Wants the defense to do better in second and long (hallelujah!).
  • Doesn't think creativity has anything to do with being good on defense. Doesn't matter how you stop the other team, as long you stop them.
  • Apart from the mini-camp, he hasn't seen much of Reinebold, but thinks he's a hard worker who is very much into what the team does as a unit.
  • Thinks Boulay has the inside track at safety over Brouillette, but doesn't rule out using an American at the position. Thinks Brouillette could also play LB if Emry isn't recovered.
  • On the subject of what's tougher -- dealing with the NI ratio or dealing with the media -- he says the media has always been nice to him, so he has to go with juggling the NI ratio, but also says Popp is very helpful on that front.

I agree and Lalonde has to have something to do with it.

I have to say, this is the absolute best interview I’ve read or seen with Marc in five years. Miguel shows a great knowledge of the team, the CFL game and his questions were superb. He’s asked in one interview most of the questions I would have asked coach if I had the opportunity.

Marc seems very happy in Montreal and I would not be surprised to see him stay as long as Jim and Mr. Wetenhaul are here. I guess a lot will depend on his personal life.

Awesome job Miguel. Best Als beat guy by a mile. Enjoy Herb’s work but Miguel is more football centric in his work.

I agree, it was an excellent interview, and a refreshing change from Herb's profile-based coverage. Profiles are great, but so is focusing on the football side of things.

I'm hoping that the two open wide receiver positions get filled by players with different physical attributes this year. The short-side WR (Watkins's old spot) doesn't need to be a behemoth or overly physical, but he does need speed (to provide a credible deep threat) and good route-running (being able to shake loose from coverage on a cut, stemming DBs one way then cutting the other way at the top of the route). The wide-side WR doesn't have to possess quite as much speed, but should be more of a hybrid body -- good speed, but enough strength to be effective on end-arounds and option runs. Since taking over, Trestman has turned that wide-side WR spot into a Swiss Army Knife position. Gone are the days when that receiver would the forgotten man on the other side of the wide CFL field. For the past few years, Bratton, playing that spot, frequently played close to the LOS, moving east-west pre-snap to get open on short curls or draw a defender away from a space we wanted to attack with our slots. Bratton has done a good job in the role, but we might want a slightly faster receiver there now. Regardless, it should be exciting to see who wins those positions in TC.

The two WR spots and the fifth receiver assignment are open IMO. The backup RB is open, the fullback position is open.

That's quite a few spots to fight for.

I doubt anyone will dislodge Deslauriers from the 5th receiver spot, nor Bedard from fullback (Lavoie won’t be ready for FB this year).

I don’t know I see the ratio this way.

5 Linesmen Backup Bomben,Matte
1 LB backup Brouillette, Dublanko
1 DL Backup Adebayo, Chima

with backups at those positions. I don’t see a Canadian starting on the offense at all.

or we play 8 and Brouillette and Boulay play safety.

5th receiver and fullback are not starter positions on their own.

My morning coffee pit stop includes a 10 minute session with La Presse sports pages, and this morning I was again pleasantly surprised by a Bujold Jim Popp interview. Bujold also has been reporting on the team by team press conferences, today it was the Eskimos, a bit delayed from last week.

[url=http://www.lapresse.ca/sports/football/201205/22/01-4527358-popp-on-peut-gagner-un-championnat-avec-cette-equipe.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B9_football_424_section_POS1]http://www.lapresse.ca/sports/football/ ... ction_POS1[/url]

As for interesting hard news, when asked about newcomers to watch in camp he mentioned RBs Noel Devine and Garrett Wolfe. Emmanuel Marc hitting 30, he wants to develop younger backs. So there goes my Joffrey Reynolds theory.

He also mentions DE Marques Murrell and DL Michael Montgomery.

When asked about returners he mentioned Devine, Wolfe, Slaughter and Trent Guy.

I was disappointed that Kerry Carter is not with out team this year. He could block, take a pass and run when called upon. The position that is most up for grabs ( fullback ) calls for a player with Carter’s skills. Diedrick is a contender but, its questionable that he is up for to that task. As I think about last season the issue that stands in my mind is Diedrick’s inability to make it over the line of scrimmage from 2 yards and, I can’t ever remember him taking a screen pass. Bedard was drafted by our team as a long snapper and , I cannot remember him in a blocking nor receiver mode. The team signed a couple of import backs,Devine and Wolfe so they remain to be tested and, I gather we are hopeful that one of them will occupy the kick/punt receiver position. We picked up Lavoie and Garrick ( UBC ) in the draft, but, can either make the jump to a CFL fullback position? In the 2002 draft the Als picked Matt Bertrand but quickly released him as we don’t play native Canadians at the QB position. The ESKS, aware of his size and strength played him in the fullback role which he has played with skillfor the past 9 years. I am looking forward to the opportunities of both Gabrick and Lavoie in a quest for the FB role. AS a rookie, Bertrand made the jump to fullback for the ESKS and I am wondering if either Lavoie or Gabrick can do the same?