Bombers’ O-line grows together

By: Mike Sawatzky Posted: 9:56 PM CDT Friday, Jun. 2, 2017

Matthias Goossen could be the poster boy for draft and develop in the CFL.

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Matthias Goossen could be the poster boy for draft and develop in the CFL.

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This article was published 02/06/2017 (3081 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Matthias Goossen could be the poster boy for draft and develop in the CFL.

The 6-3, 307-pound offensive lineman started four games for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after being chosen second overall in the 2014 CFL Draft.

He started six games in 2015, but became the club’s full-time starter at centre out of training camp a year ago and now appears to be on the verge of becoming an elite player. But it’s been no fast track to stardom.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Centre Matthias Goossen, a 2014 first-round draft pick, has solidified himself as a mainstay on the Bombers' offensive line. — WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Centre Matthias Goossen, a 2014 first-round draft pick, has solidified himself as a mainstay on the Bombers' offensive line.

“I think every year you improve and get better, you feel a little bit more comfortable,” Goossen said after practice at Investors Group Field on Friday. “The key is, everybody on the team’s gotta keep learning new things. From guys in their first training camp to guys in their 10th training camp, we’ve all got things to work on. I have that mindset where I’m always trying to get better every day, work on little things, sort of have an apprentice-type mindset.”

It’s not coincidental that Winnipeg’s projected starting five offensive linemen — Stanley Bryant, Travis Bond (who became a CFL all-star in just 12 games), Goossen, Sukh Chungh and Jermarcus Hardrick — have now played almost an entire season together.

“Footwork stuff, hand placement, I think a lot of that is just communication,” Goossen said. “Going from last year, we have a lot more communication on the offensive line because we’ve played together so long. No so long, but longer than we had last year. The kinds of things we were learning at mid-season last year we’re learning in training camp this year.”

Tweaking his game

In 2016, all-star kicker Justin Medlock led the CFL in scoring with 227 points and established a CFL record by hitting on 60 of 68 field-goal attempts for an 88.2 per cent success rate.

His 42.7-yard punting average was a career high, but Medlock said he’s planning to tweak that part of his game.

“I’ve got a couple of different punts I’m trying to add to my repertoire,” Medlock said, without getting into specifics. “Different types of punts that go different directions. Just trying to be a little trickier and I think it’s going to help a lot…

“It might look a little weird from the stands. Might get booed for a second.”

He said it

Receiver Kenny Stafford on the outcome of the Stanley Cup final between the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins:

“I’m a big fan of P.K. (Subban of the Predators). I got to meet P.K. when he was in Montreal and he was a good dude. I’m pulling for him. Hopefully, he can pull something out.”

Stafford on the enduring excellence of veteran slotback Weston Dressler:

“I mean, if you’re under six foot and you’re playing 10 years in the league, you’re obviously doing something well. He’s a good football player, most definitely. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @sawa14