SHERBROOKE – In front of a crowd of a few hundred fans, Alouettes players took to the field for the intra-squad game presented by TELUS on Saturday morning at Bishop’s University’s Coulter Field. With many players still auditioning, fans on site were treated to many physical confrontations and many spectacular plays. Add a blazing sunshine and everything was in place for a superb morning of football in the Eastern Townships.
Official entrance on the field, a bagpipe performance, the national anthem and players high fiving fans, everything was in place just as if this was a home game at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.
The contact being somewhat limited on special teams however, speedy returner Stefan Logan had a field day, as he returned the opening kickoff all the way into the end zone. He did the same thing a few minutes later, this time on a punt return, which pleased the Alouettes faithful in attendance.
During the first series, veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn connected with Duron Carter who had easily broken away from his defenders and took the ball to the house on a 60-yard play.
B.J. Cunningham also pleased Alouettes fans when he made spectacular catch at the one-yard line, hauling in a 24-yard bullet from quarterback Tajh Boyd. The team’s young quarterback continued to push each other on Saturday, as Vernon Adams Jr. followed up Boyd’s performance with a 55-yard touchdown pass to national receiver Kyle Graves, good for a major.
For his part, Rakeem Cato showed that he as at his best when the heat is on, as he threw two touchdown passes in four attempts in the red zone. Jewel Hampton and Chandler Jones were on the receiving end of these precise passes.
On the defensive side of the ball, national safety Hayden Peters made the only interception on the day when his unit was working with their backs to their end zone. International linebacker Jared Koster racked up a few tackles, including a touchdown saver when he used his speed to catch up to the ball carrier who had eluded everyone else.
“The guys were excited to come out and see the stands filed up. The intensity always seems to climb up a notch when we play in front of our fans,” said Alouettes linebacker Winston Venable while signing autographs for fans after the game.
“We are fighting to keep our jobs and for a spot on this team, but this event reminds us that the community of Alouettes fans is here and is loud,” added the Alouettes 2015 Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
Accompanied by a few colleagues, referee André Proulx officiated the game. Possible sign of a good omen for the season to come, the staffers threw very few flags and this even with many rookies on the field experiencing CFL football for the first time.
Transaction
Before taking the field, the Alouettes added international running back Cam McDaniel to the roster. The former University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish became famous for having a photographer capture a natural pose of himself during a game, as he had just lost his helmet, but not the ball, during an important win against rival USC Trojans. The photo looks like a staged still photo taken on a movie set. The team had a spot on the roster for him following Dominic Picard’s retirement.
Amateur level coaches
On Saturday, CIS and amateur coaches were invited to watch the team’s intra-squad game. They have also been invited to Sunday’s practices. During those two days, they will have the opportunity to attend team meetings and meet with coaches and players. This presents a great opportunity for the coaches who want to learn from the best and soak in the CFL coaching experience.
Tomorrow
The 2016 Alouettes training camp continues tomorrow on Coulter Field, as the team will partake in back-to-back practices starting at 8:30 a.m.
