Blue announce special event

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/07/2010 (5890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are expecting a package today. Special delivery, one might say.

Derrick Doggett, a coverage demon with the Blue and Gold in 2009, will be on the Canada Inns Stadium field turf when the Bombers return to practice Monday. The club confirmed the addition of the import linebacker Saturday morning.

“I can’t wait to get back on the field,” Doggett said from his home in San Diego. “I’ve been watching what’s going on up there. It looks to me like there’s been a big change up there from last year. The offence looks great and the defence looks good, but it seems like they’ve been having some troubles on the special teams.

“I feel like I can come in and help out with that.”

Doggett hinted late Friday night via his Twitter account that he’s coming up to Canada. The 25-year-old was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers last month.

His 27 special-teams tackles made him one of the more effective kick- coverage players in the CFL last season, and his presence should provide an upgrade to a Bomb Squad that has been blown up through the first two games of the 2010 season.

“We won’t make any move until we see everything and we finish evaluating the roster,” Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice said of the likelihood of the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Doggett suiting up against Hamilton at Ivor Wynne Stadium Friday. “He gives you options. I know he was productive last year.”

Parachuting Doggett into town comes as a direct result of another kick return nightmare for Winnipeg, as the favoured Bombers dropped a 36-34 decision to the Toronto Argonauts Friday. In that contest, the Bombers allowed Argos return man Chad Owens a 117-yard touchdown score following a missed field goal from 45 yards out. The play left most at the Polo Park stadium — including some of the players — stunned.

Rightfully so. Winnipeg has allowed three special teams touchdowns, with two of those coming on missed field goal attempts.

“I don’t know what the problem is,” a despondent Brady Browne said after the game. “We have the athletes, we have the system. It’s one huge return a game now and it’s killing us. It’s letting the whole team down… and it’s embarrassing.”

In Week 1 against Hamilton, the Blue and Gold overcame a kickoff return and a missed field goal return for touchdowns, as well as some shoddy long-snapping from rookie Adam Bestard, to beat the Ticats handily.

Following that game, LaPolice tried to address the problem by publicly endorsing special teams coach Kyle Walters and his schemes, while being proactive in addressing the roster holes.

Bestard was out of work less than 48 hours later, and veteran long snapper Taylor Inglis was in.

The Bombers allowed 143 yards (17.8-yard average) on kickoffs vs. Toronto. Against Hamilton, the numbers were worse — 200 yards (25-yard average return) and a TD.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca