Montreal needs more magic

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This article was published 08/07/2021 (1529 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Montreal Alouettes were a feel-good story in 2019. It certainly didn’t start that way.

The Alouettes appeared to be spiralling on the eve of that season, after firing head coach Mike Sherman just days before the season opener. That opened the door for Khari Jones to take over, and the quarterbacks-coach-turned-main-bench-boss was exactly the man needed to right the ship.

Jones led the Alouettes to a 10-8 record, good enough for second place in the East. They snapped a four-year playoff drought, and it was viewed as a significant turnaround, even if Montreal was eliminated at home in the division semifinal by the Edmonton Elks (nee Eskimos).

That season also marked the emergence of Vernon Adams Jr. as the team’s No. 1 quarterback. Adams had been toiling in the league for years, but thanks to injury and inconsistency at the position, was able to make a home in Montreal. His inspired play injected excitement into the fan base and set the club’s expectations at a new level.

The question now is whether this group, a roster that has undergone a bit of an overhaul, can bring the same magic back in 2021. That mojo will only help in what is expected to be a much more competitive East Division than previous years.

Here is an early season preview of the Alouettes, in what is the eighth instalment of a Free Press series titled, Around the CFL.

Three training camp stories.

Front-five makeover: The Alouettes saw great improvement from their offensive line in 2019 compared to the year before, allowing 39 sacks compared to 66 in 2018. In 2021, they’ll see a much different group making up their front-five.

Gone are Tyler Johnstone, Spencer Wilson, Chris Schleuger and Trey Rutherford, replaced by a trio of newcomers – all of whom have roots in Quebec – in Philippe Gagnon, David Foucault and Jason Lauzon-Sèguin. Lauzon-Sèguin will play right tackle, opposite to Trey Washington, while Gagnon and Foucault will play left and right guard, respectively, with Kristian Matte at centre.

It’s an experienced group, but chemistry is a big part of an O-line’s success, making training camp an important time to gel. Every rep matters when you have that many moving pieces.

QB pressure: Montreal finished with the fewest sacks (27) and pass knockdowns (38) across the entire CFL in 2019, which clearly made the defensive line a priority over the prolonged offseason. The addition of Almondo Sewell, a six-time CFL all-star, should certainly help, as well as the signing of defensive end Nick Usher, who totalled six sacks for Edmonton. Usher will be complimented by Antonio Simmons on the other edge and he’ll be expected to build off his three-sack season. Canadian Junior Luke appears to be front-runner to play the inside, beside Sewell, which should help him build on what’s been a modest three-year CFL career.

Safety first: The Alouettes had all-star safety, and oft-injured Taylor Loffler patrolling the secondary for much of 2019, before another injury cleared the way for Bo Lokombo to slide in.

Both were key contributors to the position, and to the secondary overall, but both are gone now. That leaves an honest battle for the safety spot, a position that will likely see filled by another Canadian.

The Alouettes could move Chris Ackie there, but he’s been a blessing playing weakside linebacker. The other options appear a bit thin, at least compared to what they had before, including Ty Cranston and Marc-Antoine Dequoy, the 14th overall pick in 2020. Kerfalla Exume and Dominique Termansen round out the Canadian talent at safety, but both are expected to play a significant role on special teams.

Three players to watch

1) RB William Stanback — He dominated the CFL in 2018 and 2019, averaging 6.7 yards and 6.2 yards per carry, respectively. That got him a chance with the NFL’s Oakland Raiders in 2020, though Stanback said this week he didn’t feel like he was given a fair shot. That’s good news for the Alouettes, who will once again have a weapon in the backfield capable of leading the CFL in rushing.

2) Almondo Sewell — It’s going to feel weird seeing Sewell in a jersey that doesn’t have green or yellow on it. Sewell spent nine years in Edmonton before inking with the Alouettes as a free agent. He’s 34 years old, but he’s among the most dedicated players in the CFL. He brings leadership to the defence and an identity to the D-line. His inclusion should pay dividends.

3) WR Mario Alford – He played six games for the Toronto Argonauts in 2018 and was released just prior to the start of the 2019 season. He’d have to wait until late Sept. to find another home, eventually inking with the Alouettes. In three games, Alford had two touchdowns on just nine punt returns, and then added another score on a kickoff against Edmonton in the East semi-final. What might he be able to do with a full training camp and 14-game season?

X-Factor: QB Vernon Adams Jr.

He brought fans to their feet with his never-say-die attitude, orchestrating a number of late-game comebacks in 2019. He had 24 passing touchdowns and added 12 rushing scores to bring his total to 36 – the highest combined TD count in the CFL.

Adams won’t have the advantage anymore of being a relative unknown; no longer a rookie starter, there’s plenty of tape to study on him now. He also plays a bit recklessly so the hope is a prolonged offseason, and a full training camp will allow Adams to progress and make Montreal a real threat in 2021 – not just a good story.

Final word

“I’m sure in 2019 they didn’t think we were going to win two or three games, so I’ve never listened to what the so-called ‘experts’ think. It’s just about what we think in this building. I have high hopes for this team.”

— Head coach Khari Jones

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.catwitter: @jeffkhamilton