William Stanback has missed the last 13 and a half games for the Montreal Alouettes. To say the running back can’t wait to get back into action is an understatement.
” Oh yes ! said the Alouettes’ MVP and CFL’s best running back in 2021 all smiles after practice on Friday. I don’t feel nervous, but I’m very excited. I am very emotional about this return to play. There are a lot of things that are moving in my personal life right now, including my wife and child who have finally moved [à Montréal] for real. I’m really looking forward to being on the field with my teammates. »
Stanback, who finished first on the Ambrosie circuit with 1,176 yards on 193 carries in 2021, suffered a serious ankle injury in the Alouettes’ first game of the season in Calgary. The forecasts were not very good, and the management of the Alouettes then hoped to see him healthy again for the playoffs. He returns early with four games left on the schedule and the Alouettes (7-7) not only in a position to qualify, but in the fight for first place in the East.
“It means a lot to find William; it feels good, noted left guard Pier-Olivier Lestage. I’ve been here six or seven weeks, and I’ve seen him work hard [pour revenir au jeu]. I was told at the start that it was almost impossible for him to come back before the playoffs, and yet he is there and has four games left in the season. »
A gradual return
Bored by an injury during training camp, Stanback doesn’t have much football “behind the tie” in 2022. That’s why the Alouettes plan to go gradually in his case.
“What’s really important for us is to be really strategic with William,” explained head coach Danny Maciocia. He hasn’t played since the start of the season, we have two games in five days: I don’t think we can afford to give him twenty litters on Monday and twenty on Friday. We have a game plan that we have already established with the coaches. We made it known to the players, including William Stanback. We hope he will participate in our success, but we can’t expect him to give us 60, 70 games this week. »
“I would have no problem with a gradual return, for his part indicated the principal concerned. They [les entraîneurs] have a plan and I trust them. They came to see me every day in training to find out how I was doing and where I was, physically and mentally. But all these last games are playoff games. It will serve to refine our form and set the tone for the playoffs. »
In his absence, Walter Fletcher and Jeshrun Antwi have done a good job. Fletcher had 394 yards and a touchdown on 68 carries. Antwi meanwhile had 541 yards on 94 carries.
“These guys did an amazing job,” quarterback Trevor Harris said. Walter is a rising star in this league and Jeshrun is explosive: a run that seems to go nowhere can turn into a 70-yard play. But when you add an element like William, it can dictate what the opposing defense can and cannot do. It’s still the best in the league. »
Considering Maciocia’s words, we can expect Stanback to only carry the ball 5-10 times in this opener. He should gradually resume his normal rhythm until the two games against the Toronto Argonauts, October 22 and 29, which will possibly be used to determine the holder of the first place in the East.