Big Blue have need for Reid

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/06/2010 (5641 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Of all the changes made within the organization during the off-season, the implementation of a new offensive system could have the biggest impact in the win-loss column for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Head coach Paul LaPolice and offensive co-ordinator Jamie Barresi have returned a more traditional CFL attack to Canad Inns Stadium, using a five-receiver set with multiple looks that should give new quarterback Buck Pierce plenty of options when he lines up under centre. Included in this plan is a little more activity from the running backs — a strategic shift that’s A-OK with Bombers starter Fred Reid.

A bigger role in an offence he was already a big gun in?

Yes and please.

"I love it," the 28-year-old back said about the new scheme. "They’re using me a little bit more coming out of the backfield, trying different things. I have a bigger role in this offence; it gives me more of a chance to show my complete game and gives me a chance to come out of the backfield and catch the ball.

"The offence has opened now… and I’m excited to see how it performs."

Backup tailback Yvenson Bernard echoed those thoughts:

"This offence is suited for a running back in this league," he added. "You get a chance to do it all. It will be a lot of fun."

In 2009, Winnipeg’s offence was a stale, four-receiver design geared towards a power-running game. The air attack was practically non-existent but Reid, the feature back in Blue and Gold, thrived in the system, rushing for 1,371 yards on 238 carries, putting him near the top of the league in those categories.

There was a disturbing asterisk to the numbers, however.

Following that celebrated game against B.C. last August, when Reid rushed for a team record 260 yards against a leaky Lions defence, the back failed to put up a 100-yard game the rest of the season.

Going deeper shows a significant drop in the numbers: In the first eight games of 2009, Reid rolled off 795 yards. In the last 10, he had just 576.

It doesn’t take a football genius to determine defences loaded up the box against the Bomber attack as the schedule wore on. Even Reid, who’s never met a handoff he didn’t like, felt he had a bull’s-eye on his back.

"(Defences) definitely keyed on our running game last year — especially in the last couple months," said Reid, who will also be asked to block more than he did last year. "It will be tough for clubs to focus on one area with us this season, because we have so many things going on."

The system the Bombers will employ is similar to the one LaPolice and Barresi used in Saskatchewan last season, with a few tweaks to adapt it to the players on the Winnipeg roster. Without getting into specifics, there will be a lot of motion and most of the formations will be run off a standard inside zone read — the typical isolation play most CFL teams subscribe to.

From that foundation comes a few different sets, moving various players around the field as situations dictate and with so many moving parts coming off the line of scrimmage, Winnipeg’s offence could be in a better position to keep opposing defenders honest.

In some formations, Reid is a passing target– a responsibility he’s looking forward to. But while he figures his rushing totals may come down as more passes come his way (he had 21 receptions for 157 yards in 2009), the coach isn’t so quick to make the same leap his dynamic rusher does.

"I wouldn’t say that," LaPolice said Sunday. "He’s a great player. He’ll touch the football, he’ll run the football. We believe in running the football here."

After working out just one time over the last four days, Winnipeg returns to the practice field this morning in preparation for the season opener against Hamilton on Friday (Canad Inns Stadium, 7 p.m.).

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca

Third Down Gamble

THE betting window is now open, Bomber fans.

A quick glance at a few online gambling websites suggests either good news or bad news for Winnipeg football loyalists and the prospects of their club ending its 19-year Grey Cup drought.

Apparently, the people who set the odds are not certain quarterback Buck Pierce or new head coach Paul LaPolice will make that much of a difference in River City this summer. If you’re a glass half full kind of person, you could make a few extra dollars once the final whistle blows in Edmonton, the site of the CFL title game this year. If you’re a little more pessimistic, however, the long odds given to the Blue and Gold may inspire you to slip that wallet back into your jeans.

A number of outlets seem to agree on where the Bombers’ fortunes will lie this season.

According to Bowmans (bowmans.com), the Bombers are 14-to-1 long shots (+1,400) to win the Grey Cup, a figure which puts the locals near the bottom of the CFL list. On the flip side of that speculation, if you shell out $100 on the Bombers and the team actually wins the whole enchilada, you could find yourself holding a $1,400 betting slip at the end of November.

And just in time for Christmas, too!

Only the Toronto Argonauts at 50-to-1 (+5,000) have longer odds than Winnipeg.

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The safest bets are the Montreal Alouettes (+175; $100 wins you $175), the Saskatchewan Roughriders (+350; $100 wins $350) and the Calgary Stampeders (+450). The B.C. Lions and the Eskimos are both next at +700, while Hamilton comes in at +800 to win it all.

Given the strides the Tiger-Cats took in 2009, that number could be the best play on the board. Throw a few hundred dollars on the Ticats and you could be in line for a bounty large enough to put a down payment on a new car or truck.

Or even a fishing boat.

— Wazny