July 30, 2021

M.A.D. is living his childhood dream…

Île Bizard native Marc-Antoine Dequoy was eager to don the shoulder pads and helmet for the Montreal Alouettes training camp.

It’s a great atmosphere we have so far. With the team that I saw during camp, it gives me a lot of confidence for the season. We have veterans who are dedicated, and it helps the young guys to get into the system. There are no excuses on this team. Everyone is doing everything to succeed.

The six-foot-three, 190-pound defensive back from the Carabins program was the Alouettes’ first pick, 14th overall, in the 2020 draft.

Despite all the local attention, this time last year he was still preparing to attend the Green Bay Packers’ NFL training camp. A year later, the rookie safety is glad to have the opportunity to wear the Montreal team’s uniform.

I was hoping for something good, but I was surprised to see that this is a team that really competes every day. You have to ”put in the work” as they say. We’re trying to be a winning team and we’re going for a championship.

Although his time with the Packers was brief, Dequoy said he learned a few lessons that benefited him during his first camp in the CFL.

I came to the Alouettes, and it wasn’t my first camp. I had already done 5 weeks with the Packers so I got to see another level of competition.  It got me well prepared for this camp.

A former player for the Île Bizard Vikings, Collège Bourget de Rigaud, CEGEP Montmorency de Laval and the Montreal Carabins, Dequoy is looking forward to his first tryout as a new professional this August and it is with the confidence of his former coach with the Carabins and now GM of the Alouettes, Danny Maciocia, that this young prodigy was able to push through the pandemic and through training camp.

Since I arrived there has never been a time where I didn’t feel like I belonged or that things were going too fast. I felt comfortable, I felt confident. It was just a matter of getting used to my new position. I had to take the time to understand certain concepts and apply them, but nothing too much for me.

While he may be adjusting nicely to his new position, Dequoy says the changes made to accommodate the COVID-19 pandemic were a real hurdle to making the roster.

I think I showed the coach what I had to show. There’s always room for progress, that’s for sure, but the position of safety in the Canadian League is a position I had never really played. I look at my progression from day to day, and I am really satisfied.

As a Franco-Canadian defenseman, Marc-Antoine Dequoy may be an anomaly in the world of professional football, but he feels right at home in the Montreal Alouettes’ training camp.

There are so many Canadians and Quebecers on the field, it’s something quite special. In the pros, they always speak in English. It’s not really a francophone field. So, the fact that I’m here and that I can speak in French, it’s pretty amazing. You have to take advantage of this rare occasion.

In his final varsity season, the 26-year-old had 34 solo tackles and seven assisted tackles, as well as three interceptions, including one for a touchdown, earning him an All-Canadian selection and an RSEQ All-Star selection. In addition, during his pro days in 2020, he recorded an impressive 4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which caused a sensation on both sides of the border.

With the end of training camp, Dequoy could easily rest easy and enjoy the success that follows him to down a starting position on the team. However, with the much-anticipated battle coming for the Als’ safety position, Dequoy knows full well that he must continue to push himself…

You don’t want to slack off. It’s not because of the cuts that the competition drops. Maybe that’s one of the things that can happen in some teams, but here the level stays the same. You can’t really afford to do that, especially when you’ve just seen 15 players leave.

 Dequoy is one of the unique prospects in the 2021 crop. With his defensive instincts and athleticism, he can make an immediate impact on the team and with the right coaching, there is no limit to Dequoy’s growth.

 I want to be a team player because I know what it’s like to be on the sidelines and not play or to play and have people on the sidelines not cheer for you. Even if my role is just that, I want to contribute as much as I can to the team.

We will have to wait until the season starts to find out exactly what Dequoy will look like on the field. Regardless of where he ends up, Dequoy feels privileged to be able to put on a show for the 15,000 Alouettes fans who will be in the stands on August 27.

It’s a bit of a childhood dream to be able to walk onto the Alouettes field with the fans cheering you on when you make a good play. Because football without the fans just isn’t the same sport. I can’t wait for the first home game.

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