The return of LaPo

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This article was published 07/06/2022 (1194 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’ll be familiar faces in new places when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers line up across from the Ottawa Redblacks Friday night at IG Field in their season-opener.

One of them will be the team’s former head coach and more recently, offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice. The 51-year-old signed a three-year deal with Ottawa in 2019 to become its head coach, but there wasn’t a 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Blue Bombers and Redblacks also didn’t cross paths in the shortened 2021 Canadian Football League (CFL) campaign, delaying LaPolice’s return to game action against his former team until this week.

“It’ll be great seeing LaPo,” said Blue Bombers offensive lineman Stanley Bryant. “He did a lot of great things here, we won a Grey Cup together so it’ll be good to see him.”

LaPolice was instrumental in Winnipeg’s Grey Cup 107 victory and oversaw a high-octane Blue Bombers offence that put up 28.2 points per game and was the CFL’s number one rushing team in 2019.

Before the Grey Cup glory, Winnipeg faced a daunting 29-year championship drought. In addition, the Blue Bombers were coming off of a 5-13 season in 2015 before bringing LaPolice back into the fold that December.

Bryant remembers how the team’s trajectory shifted as LaPolice implemented his schemes leading up to the 2016 season.

“I had a bad year for myself and the organization in ‘15, he set a spark with us,” said Bryant. “A lot of different plays, bringing in the right guys and he was able to use guys in the right position. Ultimately we got to the goal and won a Grey Cup.”

Blue Bombers defensive co-ordinator Richie Hall said his history with LaPolice dates back to 2007. The two worked with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the early 2000s and Hall was with the Blue Bombers through LaPolice’s stint as the team’s offensive co-ordinator.

Hall said he’s “fired up” about the start of the regular season and knows LaPolice is too, noting the passion goes beyond a matchup between old colleagues.

“We were together in that other place, in Saskatchewan and I was in Winnipeg, he was in Winnipeg… but I think it’s just exciting to go out there and play a game again,” said Hall. “It was nice to see the preseason, but now it’s just nice to go out there and play and it just happens to be Ottawa.”

The Blue Bombers posted a video of LaPolice putting pen to paper on its Facebook page Dec. 7, 2015. Winnipeg’s head coach Mike O’Shea sat beside him with a smile on his face and encouraged fans to welcome the team’s new offensive co-ordinator. The handshake they shared in the clip is a moment that will be looked back on for years to come.

Fast forward almost seven years and a 2019 Grey Cup run together later and O’Shea was all business following the team’s Tuesday afternoon practice. He mentioned the anticipation training camp brings heading into the regular and touched on “LaPo’s” impact with the club.

“Obviously we won a championship together,” said O’Shea. “He came in, helped generate a lot of wins with the offense he put in and the guidance he provided for the players… when you win a championship you always have that history together.”

One question heading into Friday’s game is if LaPolice’s history in Winnipeg will give his side an advantage. However, it’s not something Bryant is worried about and he’s confident in offensive co-ordinator Buck Pierce.

“I wouldn’t say advantage,” said Bryant. “I think he’s gonna go in maybe and expect some things that Buck may do.”

“He might know the little things, but I think that Buck will do a great job of switching things up and being able to disguise it,” he added.

Bryant is happy for LaPolice despite the fact Ottawa and Winnipeg will be competing for a win Friday night, adding that the situation is similar to when LaPolice came back to Winnipeg.

There’s only one result he’s looking for Friday.

“Hopefully he can continue to get those guys going, they can come out and play hard and not win, hopefully, we win, but you know, do what he does best.”

Gavin.Axelrod@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: Gavin77axe