Going whole hog

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/05/2016 (3403 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When Michael Couture stepped in front of the contingent of reporters and TV cameras Wednesday afternoon, the Burnaby, B.C., native had a bit of a “wow” moment.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ second selection at 10th overall in the 2016 CFL Draft took a second to regroup before firing off an answer to the first question he received.

It was the most recent of a series of surreal moments for the Simon Fraser University alum since being drafted earlier this month.

For many, Wednesday’s first rookie practice at Investors Group Field was a back-down-to-earth moment. The Bombers scheduled their only rookie two-a-day Thursday and the signs of progress were evident to Couture.

“It’s starting to come together a lot quicker than yesterday because we are going over the same plays as yesterday and adding things here and there,” the O-lineman said. “Given the tools (offensive line coach Bob) Wylie has given us and applying them to the different plays, it’s coming along a lot more smoothly.”

Rookie camp is far from just displaying on-field prowess. Of course, being able to play the game is paramount. But being studious off the field is arguably just as important. Just because the college days are over doesn’t mean a reprieve from the books just yet.

“We go over the playbook for two or three hours in the morning each day,” Couture said. “Then, me and my roommate (fellow 2016 draft pick Zach Intzandt) go back to our room and go back over everything we just went over. Then we put it under our pillow and come back and do it the next day. The more you put into it, the more you will get out.”

If Couture has any advantage over his peers, it likely comes from his relationship with former second-overall pick Matthias Goossen. Friends, former teammates at SFU and now reunited with the Bombers, Couture has gained much from his fellow hog.

“Matthias knows I’m a hard worker and that’s what he taught me from the first day we got to SFU,” Couture said. “When I got to SFU, he was the first to message me over Facebook and say, ‘Welcome to the squad, now it’s time to go to work.’ He’s really showed me the way to prepare for games, what it takes in the off-season. If you want to be successful in football, put everything you have into it. That’s pretty much what he’s taught me leading up until now.”

Bombers general manager Kyle Walters said before rookie camp started he’s looking for an offensive lineman to push for a starting job. Emulating Sukh Chungh, the Bombers’ second-overall pick in 2015 who earned a starting spot as a rookie, is part of Couture’s plan.

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“I have to show that I understand what is going on,” he said. “Coach Wylie presses on why we do things just the same as how we do things. Understanding why we are doing what we’re doing makes it easier for everybody because the guys on the O-line need to work as one.”

Couture said he’s tipping the scales at 290 pounds, 14 pounds heavier than his listed weight at Simon Fraser. He plans on expanding to 300 pounds, but insists he will do it the right way.

“It’s pretty natural for me to lose a couple pounds during camp,” he said. “I hope to regain that weight, but I feel pretty good right now. (Getting to 300 pounds) is definitely the next goal of mine. It’s just going to come with time. I don’t want to put on a bunch of bad weight.”

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca 

Twitter: @scottbilleck 

Scott Billeck
Reporter

Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade’s worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024.  Read more about Scott.

Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.