Locked, loaded and ready for battle

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This article was published 25/06/2010 (5643 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

 It’s one of Paul LaPolice’s trademark phrases. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers boss spit it out Thursday and he’ll undoubtedly say it a gazillion times between now and the end of November:

"This is a change business."

And, fact is, football fans need look no further than the Bombers roster after the passing of cut-down deadline to have that point hammered home. Continuity? Yeah, there are always survivors who hang on from year to year, new regime to new regime. But as the 2010 CFL season approaches, the Bombers are also on their third head coach in three years. And while the makeover isn’t nearly as extreme as a year ago, it is significant.

Today, we take a deeper position-by-position look at the 2010 Bombers, with the regular season opening in one week:

QUARTERBACKS

Starter: Buck Pierce*

Reserves: Steven Jyles*; Alex Brink*

Key stat: 58.68 — The Bombers’ team QB-efficiency rating last season, dead last in the CFL. The last time Winnipeg finished at the bottom of the heap in pass efficiency was 1998 (63.5). And part of that ugly number was this: Bomber QBs completed only 47.8 per cent of their passes in ’09, the first time they’ve been under 50 per cent since 1992 (48.0).

Analysis: A year ago, the Bombers’ season started with Stefan LeFors backed up by Richie Williams and Bryan Randall, who had a combined 10 CFL starts. And how did that turn out again? There is talent here, especially at the top with Pierce (21-12-1 as a starter in B.C.), although his durability will forever be a question. The key question about Jyles is whether his career is still to be tracked with an upward arrow or if it has plateaued. But with those two and newcomer Alex Brink, the Bombers have an intriguing mix of experience and styles and are arguably as deep as they’ve been at this position since Kevin Glenn backed up Khari Jones in 2004.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Projected starters: LT: Andre Douglas*/Kelly Butler*; LG: Brendon LaBatte; C: Obby Khan; RG: Steve Morley; RT: Kelly Butler*/Luke Fritz

Reserves: Adam Bestard, Ryan Donnelly (one-game injured), Glenn January* (nine-game injured), Chris Greaves, Carlton Medder*.

Key stat: 26 — The number of sacks surrendered by the Bombers in ’09, fewest in the league. And also a bit of a misleading number. As solid as last year’s crew was, the offensive ineptitude meant they were on the field far less than most offences (Winnipeg ran 145 fewer offensive plays than the Alouettes last season, roughly the equivalent of two games).

Analysis: Still very much a work in progress, especially with Morley being moved from tackle to guard and with the introduction of two imports at the tackle positions. LaPolice has indicated there will likely be two variations of the O-line, one with Douglas and Butler at the tackles, the other featuring Butler and Canadian Luke Fritz. Continuity and chemistry are key to any O-line and the Bombers are looking at three changes, with only Khan and LaBatte remaining at their usual posts. There are good pieces here, though, and young depth in Bestard and Greaves, who may stick around rather than return to the University of Western Ontario.

RUNNING BACKS

Starters: Tailback: Fred Reid*; Fullback: Jon Oosterhuis.

Reserves: Yvenson Bernard*, Daryl Stephenson, Andre Sadeghian.

Key stat: 1,371 — Reid’s rushing total in his first full season as a starter. What’s even more impressive about that number is it came with the Bombers completely inept in passing and with defences often stacking more defenders in the box to limit Reid’s effectiveness.

Analysis: Reid’s numbers should be solid again this year and expect his receiving totals to get a boost, too (he had 21 last year). What the Bombers hope for is more balance overall offensively and that should help their No. 1 tailback, who had 519 yards in three games last year (260 vs. B.C., 167 vs. Cal., and 92 vs. Edm.) and 852 in in the other 15. Keep an eye on how the Bombers utilize Bernard and their fullback position — Oosterhuis is the blocking back, but Stephenson and Sadeghian might get more touches.

RECEIVERS

Starters: Terrence Edwards*; Adarius Bowman*; Brock Ralph; Terence Jeffers-Harris*.

Reserves: Cory Watson, Aaron Hargreaves, Jabari Arthur (one-game injured), David Ball*.

Key stat: 0 — Winnipeg didn’t have a single 1,000-yard receiver last season, a first since 1998. In both 2007 and 2008 they had three (Milt Stegall, Edwards and Derick Armstrong in ’07 and Armstrong, Edwards and Romby Bryant in ’08).

Analysis: Forget Bowman’s dropsies in the pre-season; he’s got all the physical tools to put up big numbers. Edwards is solid and Ralph, if he can stay healthy, has a shot at being the first Bomber Canadian receiver to go over the 1K mark since Gerald Wilcox in 1995. The guy to watch is Jeffers-Harris, who is just 22 and oozing potential. There is Canadian depth with Watson, Hargreaves and Arthur, but it’s thin at the import spot, meaning the club will likely keep looking for help or wait to see if Titus Ryan returns from the Dallas Cowboys.

THE D-LINE

Starters: DE Odell Willis*; DT Doug Brown; DT Dorian Smith*; DE Phillip Hunt*.

Reserves: Don Oramasionwu, Moton Hopkins*, Deji Oduwole.

Key stat: 39 — The combined games played for Willis, Smith and Hunt, all entering their sophomore years in the CFL. By comparison, Brown has appeared in 155 regular-season games, eight playoff contests and two Grey Cups.

Analysis: The lack of experience outside of Brown aside, this crew should hardly be referred to as Doug and The Slugs. Hunt and Willis — they call themselves Ferrari and Lambo (Lamborghini) — will bring big-time heat from the edge, while Smith should become even more of a force now that he’s got a year under his belt. The developing situation is the vastly improved play of Oramasionwu and how he has forced his way into deserving more work while giving the roster much more flexibility with the ratio.

LINEBACKERS

Starters: Ike Charlton*; Joe Lobendahn*; Marcellus Bowman*.

Reserves: Pierre-Luc Labbe; Chris Smith, Courtney Smith*.

Key stat: 7 — Games missed by Lobendahn last year due to injury.

Analysis: No one doubts Joltin’ Joe’s ability to be one of the most physical linebackers in the entire CFL. What concerns everyone is his ability to stay out of sick bay. Charlton may be one of the most underrated players in the league, while Bowman looks like a gem and a possible difference-maker. We’ve long been a fan of Labbe, and rookie Chris Smith looks like a solid addition. It’ll be interesting to see what the Bombers do with Derrick Doggett, a special-teams demon who was cut by Pittsburgh and would be a solid piece to back up/push Lobendahn.

THE SECONDARY

Projected starters: CB Jovon Johnson*; HB Brandon Stewart*; S Ian Logan; HB Keyuo Craver; CB LaVar Glover.

— Reserves: Alex Suber*, Brady Browne, Shawn Gallant, Clint Kent* (one-game injured).

— Key stat: 31 — The number of interceptions by the Bomber defence last season, most in the CFL, and the highest total by their defence since picking off 32 in 1994. The Bombers forced 54 total takeaways last year, tied for second in the league.

— Analysis: Three returnees from a year ago in Johnson, Logan and Craver, although Craver has moved inside from the corner. Glover has experience, but played only five games for B.C. last year before being released this winter. No question they’ll miss Jonathan Hefney’s spark — he’s getting first-team reps at free safety with the Detroit Lions — but Kent, when he gets healthy, is a capable if less-flashy replacement. Outside of Johnson, however, there is a lack of star power here.

THE SPECIALISTS

Placekicker: Alexis Serna*.

Punter: Mike Renaud*.

Returners: Punts: Jovon Johnson; Kickoffs: to be determined.

— Holder: Steven Jyles*; long-snapper: Adam Bestard.

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Key stat: 109 — Total kick returns by Jovon Johnson last year (65 punts, 44 kickoffs). That number could be significantly reduced, with the Bombers seeking to lighten his workload and protect his body by auditioning new candidates to handle kickoff returns.

— Analysis: Serna gives the Bombers solid placekicking, Renaud is a developing punter, the returns are capably handled by Johnson, and the foot soldiers who cover kicks — guys like Shawn Gallant and Labbe — are all in place here.

*Denotes import

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca