BITS AND PIECES FROM BOMBER CAMP Day 1

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/06/2010 (5917 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

— THUMBS UP TO: Draft pick Cory Watson looked especially sharp, but all the receivers took turns making some key plays. What strikes immediately is the collective size of this crew — Will Franklin (6-0, 210, Missouri), D.J. Hall (6-3, 190, Alabama), Chris Ioannides (6-4, 228, Queen’s), Terence Jeffers-Harris (6-2, 220, Connecticut) and Watson (6-2, 204, Concordia). In the one-on-one drills we also liked the work of former Cal star Bernard Hicks, Jason Tate of North Alabama and Alex Suber of Middle Tennessee.

 

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— THE COACH SAYS: "Here’s what you’re proud of: we had a meeting at 2 o’clock. At 2:05 we finished and then they went into individual meetings. They had 40 minutes to learn how to line up, play three different coverages, learn a route tree, four pass concepts and then go out and practice. The first practice there was a lot of mixed signals and confusion going on, but the second practice was tremendous. It’s a growing process and that’s what I told them at the end of practice: ‘Be patient and every day it gets easier.’"

 

— NOTABLE: SB Jabari Arthur practised, as any veteran coming off surgery is allowed to work out with the rookies. Obby Khan also handled all of the snapping duties with the QBs.

"He actually came to us and said, ‘Coach, I’d love to snap. I need work on snaps,’" LaPolice said. "We just let him get some snaps on his own."

When one media type wise-cracked that Khan didn’t get a lot of work on shotgun snaps a year ago — remember, the previous coach said shotgun was for flag football — LaPolice laughed before offering up a ‘No comment.’

 

— OUCH REPORT: RB Anthony Woodson, drafted by the Bombers in the fourth round last month, was in attendance but sporting a cast on his left foot. He will not practice at all in camp, but will soak it all up before returning to the University of Calgary.

"The thing we’re concerned about is we don’t want him to come to camp and then all of a sudden we ruin him for his last year (of college ball) in Calgary," LaPolice said. "We really felt he’s got talent. We want to start developing it now, send him back and then we get him in a year."

 

— NEW BLUE BLOOD: The Bombers announced the signing of five players before rookie camp: Watson, the team’s first pick in the draft; DL Chris Greaves (6-5, 290), the sixth-round pick this year; DB Jason Tate (5-11, 184, Hofstra); DB Marty Bowman (6-2, 225, Boston College) and RB Guilluame Senecal (6-0, 200, Laval).

 

— NEXT: Thursday and Friday’s practice sessions go from 9:30-11:15 am. and are open to the public. As well, the club has now indicated Sunday’s first full practice session will be open to everyone, not just season-ticket holders as originally planned.

 

— Ed Tait