It is without several veterans that the Montreal Alouettes will play their last preseason game, Friday, against the Ottawa Rouge et Noir. In fact, many of the club’s regulars simply won’t make the trip.
However, we know more about the Alouettes’ starting lineup on June 6 in Winnipeg by looking at the list of players who will not be in uniform than by observing the position chart sent by the team on Thursday.
Cody Fajardo, Tyson Philpot, Kaion Julien-Grant, Tyler Snead, Cole Spieker and Tevin Jones, on offense, as well as Shawn Lemon, Darnell Sankey, Reggie Stubblefield, Tyrell Richards and Mustafah Johnson, on defense, are part of a list of 31 players left aside by head coach Jason Maas for this final preparatory duel.
Some of them were wondering where to gather to watch this match as they left the Claude-Beaulieu Sports Complex in Saint-Jérôme for the last time in 2024.
Caleb Evans will be the starting quarterback for this game scheduled for 7:30 p.m. For now, James Morgan should be his backup: Maas indicated that Davis Alexander was not 100% and that a final decision will be made in his case before the meeting.
“Unless he feels better than he told us [jeudi]he will not play,” Maas said.
Reporters who attended Wednesday’s practice reported that Alexander had his left calf and thigh taped. Maas did not specify the nature of the injury from which Alexander would suffer, who had nevertheless indicated to The Canadian Press a few moments earlier that he would be there in Ottawa.
“He is not injured. He just doesn’t feel up to it right now, Maas added, without really explaining anything. It’s a preseason game and until he tells us he feels better, he won’t play. »
Maas was careful to point out that this did not mean that Evans was the de facto quarterback.o 2 from the Alouettes to start the season.
” No way. We will make our choice after the meeting,” said the Birds pilot.
Maas, however, was more vocal when it came to what he wanted to see from Evans against the Rouge et Noir.
“Good decision-making, precision and endurance, really the three qualities we want to see in all our quarterbacks. But also, growth. Every time it is used it plays a little better. He experienced quite a camp. He has grown in our attack and it’s good to see that,” he said.
“He’s a much better passer. He made mechanical changes before last season and you could tell he wasn’t completely comfortable with his new motion. To have given the kind of performance he gave in these circumstances is remarkable. This year, he is really more comfortable, and it shows in his aerial game,” added Maas.
Some players will obviously benefit from one last chance to show off. This will notably be the case for receiver Charleston Rambo, who had a good camp, and the Alouettes’ first round pick in the last draft, Geoffrey Cantin-Arku, listed as the starting middle linebacker for this meeting.
The Alouettes will have to announce their roster on Saturday and will officially begin their 2024 season on Sunday, with a first practice in preparation for their first game against the Blue Bombers.
The Alouettes’ first local match will take place on June 20, against the Rouge et Noir.
Back at Hébert stadium
The Montreal organization decided to leave the training ground adjacent to the Olympic Stadium this season to return to Hébert Stadium in Saint-Léonard, where the team had already held its training sessions in the past.
Last year, the Alouettes divided their time between the training field located between the Olympic stadiums and Saputo, the concrete exterior plazas of the Olympic Stadium, as well as the Percival-Molson stadium.
“This arrangement no longer worked for us,” Maas said. At the end of the day, what we want is consistency and by moving to Hébert Stadium, that’s what we will get. We planned everything to ensure that we had plenty of time throughout the season. »
“That’s what we wanted: one place for the whole season. That’s why we decided not to move to McGill halfway through the season. We didn’t want to have to travel every day. This year, at Hébert Stadium, we already know that we will be there every day. This will lead to better workouts, a greater routine and better results. We are delighted,” he concluded.
Veteran Kristian Matte, who will relive school bus trips to the club’s training site, believes it was the best decision in the circumstances.
“I know that “Coach” Maas and the whole organization will make sure that all the rules [sur le nombre d’heures dédiées à l’équipe de façon quotidienne] will be respected, explained the veteran guard, who is also the union representative for the Alouettes. We have no concerns, and on the players’ side, we take it as it comes. »
If the Hébert stadium offers great conditions, this umpteenth change of training ground over the years demonstrates all the difficulties that the Alouettes, who have neither permanent home nor training complex, must overcome in order to offer conditions optimal to their players.