Burke on Bombers secondary: ‘I’m not happy’

By: Ed Tait Posted: 11:06 AM CDT Tuesday, Jun. 4, 2013

Tim Burke put the Winnipeg Blue Bombers secondary on probation last season. He warned them again during spring mini camp and rattled cages prior to the start of main training camp this past weekend and in the days since.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/06/2013 (4506 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Well, consider the message delivered, but not yet received.

Asked Tuesday morning after the first of two practice sessions to comment on the progress of his team, Burke tore a strip off his crew of veteran defensive backs.

TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Archives
Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Tim Burke running his first practice of the 2013 CFL season, Sunday. 'I told the first group of secondary people last night I wasn’t happy with their performance and if they don’t pick it up, they’re going to be gone,' said Burke — TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Archives Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Tim Burke running his first practice of the 2013 CFL season, Sunday. 'I told the first group of secondary people last night I wasn’t happy with their performance and if they don’t pick it up, they’re going to be gone,' said Burke

“I told the first group of secondary people last night I wasn’t happy with their performance and if they don’t pick it up, they’re going to be gone,” said Burke. “I don’t know how many times I’ve got to say it. I guess it’s going to take somebody getting cut to get the message across.

“I’m not happy with the first secondary and how they are performing. Everybody else is performing really well.”

When pressed if it was assignment or mental mistakes, Burke said: “Effort. How is that possible? They aren’t running hard enough. They’re not getting to the football. They’re not intense enough on the field. How is that possible? Ask them, because I don’t have the answer.”

The Bomber secondary has already undergone a significant change this offseason with veteran Ian Logan released after the club signed Cauchy Muamba, formerly of the B.C. Lions, in free agency. But clearly Burke is pushing vets Jovon Johnson, Jonathan Hefney, Alex Suber and Brandon Stewart to be better. And when he was asked if the starters’ iffy performance during camp was perhaps a result of being put off by the pressure he was applying, Burke didn’t mince words:

“Well, then they won’t be very good in the pressure of a game.”

The Bombers are on the field again Tuesday afternoon from 4:15-5:50.

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait