We’re there already. Nine games in, nine games to go. Time sure flies when you’re having fun! We reached mid-season with a winning percentage greater than 0.500 for the first time since 2012. I kinda sorta feel like copy-pasting some comments from last June, but I’d rather focus on the current enthusiasm surrounding the team. Let’s just say, only two months ago, most bets were against us.
With five wins, including three away, and four losses, with one that can partly be blamed on Mother Nature, in hand, our Head Coach Khari Jones can be proud of the work he, his staff and players put in so far this year. Montreal hasn’t made the playoffs since 2014, a pretty bad stat when you play in a nine-team league. As a matter of fact, prior to these recent years, the last time our Alouettes hadn’t at least qualified for the East semifinal was in 1986.
Tough times. Tough on a team’s morale, especially. You start believing people when they say you’re just a bunch of losers.
But Khari Jones had another belief. Even before he was named Head Coach, Khari saw the potential in our group. As soon as he was given the reins, he made it his mission to pass on his confidence to each and every one of the guys in his locker room. Before he left Montreal for a short trip to Quebec City, where he plans on attending Rouge et Or practices and discovering the splendid views of our beautiful Quebec capital, I was able to chat with our charismatic Head Coach.
“I knew we had a chance to be something special, to be a special team this year. But I wanted the guys to see it as well! So I made it my focus,” he said. “We have all the elements of a good team, now all we have to do is let them out. My biggest goal was to make them see what I saw, and I feel like they do now.”
So far, so good. The energy emanating from the locker room in the past few weeks is indescribable. Seeing all three units come together is pretty extraordinary. There are so many different personalities within the group – just spend two minutes with Pat Levels, DeVier Posey or Tommie Campbell and you’ll see – and everyone feels free to express themselves, be themselves. But when time comes to hit the field, all these personalities become one. That’s why our team has so much swagger, determination and fun out there this year; there is no division.
According to Coach Khari, such unity is not something all teams are able to reach. The players of the 2019 edition truly share the same burning desire to put in the work and reap the rewards of their efforts. It’s as if all the pieces of the puzzle have finally been assembled, starting with the coaching staff. While some may have thought Khari’s nomination was ill-timed (one week prior to the first regular-season game), he believes it happened at the right moment.
“I was ready. I’m 48, I feel good. If I want to dance, I’ll dance. I don’t know if I would have done that five or ten years ago. I would have wanted to act like another head coach probably. Now, I want these guys to see who I am. They’re going to see me make mistakes and I’ll admit them. They’ll see me get mad, but still know that I love them for who they are and that I just want them to be at their best.”
The addition of Bob Slowik as Defensive Coordinator also had an important impact on the group. The man, who had never been in the CFL before, raised doubt in the first stages of the season, but the respect his players have for him says it all. The way his group is performing doesn’t hurt either. Coach Slowik is a student and a teacher all at once. He listens enough to be able to take advantage of his players’ strengths and he has more than enough experience for his players to trust him in return.
The response towards Khari Jones, Bob Slowik and the coaching staff in general has been phenomenal, whether coming from the players or you, the fans. We’re clearly not just a bunch of losers. We’re that team with the wind in its sail, the team that had you flabbergasted last week with that triple reverse whatchamacallit trick play, the team that is shocking all analysts (except for Chris O’Leary, we see you Chris), the team that is causing you to have a heart attack at the end of each game also (sorry not sorry). Long story short, our Alouettes are the best show in town right now! Don’t be surprised, however, if our Head Coach doesn’t read your comments online. He learned to white out the noise back in his QB days.
Other pieces of the puzzle have also naturally come together in the first half of the season. When star receiver DeVier Posey got hurt in the first weeks, Geno Lewis was moved to his position and Quan Bray took Geno’s spot. Then, when BJ Cunningham fractured his wrist, DeVier came back as a slotback. The unexpected game of musical chairs turned out quite well.
“The challenge was to put the right guys in the right spots,” Khari explained. “The most pleasant surprise in all of it was Geno. I knew Eugene was talented and capable, but he had a set-back early in the season where he was pushed aside a little bit. Then, DeVier got hurt so he came back, moving to a new position and, as it turns out, that position suits him very well! I know it hurt him not to be one of the main guys early on, but he responded well to the adversity. I love it. I love when a player gets a little angry sometimes and wants to prove a coach wrong. He told himself: “I’m going to show you, Khari.” And that’s what he did! I almost want to keep him angry, keep him on edge,” he said laughingly.
Geno, if you read this, know that Coach is very unhappy with that one drop you had in Moncton. Very, very unhappy.
The changes made to the roster also allowed DeVier Posey to shine at the slotback position. The spectacular catch he made on the goal line last week surely didn’t go unnoticed. And how about the diamond in the rough that is Quan Bray! Our group of receivers certainly has nothing to envy to its opponents, if only a little depth. We have nine uninterrupted work weeks ahead of us. Of course, we hope nobody will get injured, but, as a team, you want to be prepared for anything. While he’s not eliminating the possibility of bringing in an extra receiver, Khari says he likes what he sees in his practice roster.
“As soon as we get back from bye-week, I’m going to tell them that they’re not practice roster. They’re pretty much backups. They have to be ready when their number gets called. What’s good is that both Malcom Carter and Zac Parker have had some game experience already.”
Other important change: Boseko Lokombo’s transition to free safety. When Taylor Loffler went out, our Alouettes had to quickly find another mighty and intuitive guy who could become a threat in the middle. Not only does Boseko have the same body type as Taylor, he shares his ability to knock people down hard. Like really hard.
“He didn’t make any major mistakes last week, said Khari. You could tell it was his first game at that position, but we’re going to work on improving his instincts quickly. He hits hard and that’s what I loved about Loffler too. I want guys to think twice about going to the middle.”
Although the team has been quite surprising in the past weeks, our Head Coach was definite when saying there is still some work to do. Actually, your little precious hearts are in his thoughts as he would like his squad to be able to take the lead earlier in games.
“My main focus this bye-week was to look at our first halves. I would like for our wins to not always be a comeback effort. Our adjustments have been good, but we need to find ways to come out stronger. Even though we’ve won some games, we still have quite a few things that we can get better at and that’s good because I don’t want these guys to be complacent or to stagnate.”
Special teams were effective in cover against Rainey in Moncton, but they can improve on returns. The defence has reached a level where it could mix it up a little more. And the offence needs to find ways to reinvent itself game after game after game, especially when it comes to running the ball. While Jeremiah Johnson did a tremendous job in Will Stanback’s absence, our beast of a number 31 will certainly propel our offence when he comes back after the break.
Nine consecutive weeks of football are ahead of us, including – can we say it? – maybe finally an exciting race to the playoffs! Keep supporting us friends, because even if Coach Khari doesn’t read your comments, the entire organization can feel your positive vibes.
