In world history, the date of November 20, 2021 is at worst insignificant, at best anecdotal.
Davis Alexander, however, remembers vividly what he was doing that day. As a Portland State Vikings player, he played in the final game of his college career — a 42-28 loss to Eastern Washington.
“I played well, I think,” Alexander said Wednesday morning, this time from Saint-Léonard, where the Alouettes train.
“I had 350 yards passing and three touchdowns, but we lost… Washington’s quarterback was Eric Barriere, who now plays in Saskatchewan.”
Upon checking, Alexander’s recollection is accurate, or nearly so: he actually threw for 339 yards (forgive him for rounding up), but he only orchestrated two touchdowns. Regardless, the game is clearly still fresh in his memory.
If he remembers that cool fall day so vividly, it’s because it was the last time he started a game as a starting quarterback. Almost three years later, this Friday, he’ll be called upon to lead Montreal’s attack against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Head coach Jason Maas hasn’t officially confirmed it, having made a near-religious statement about the identity of his starting quarterbacks. But at practice Wednesday, Alexander still got the majority of the reps, with Caleb Evans as his backup. Cody Fajardo, who was removed from injured reserve earlier this week, was also there, but he didn’t touch the ball.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Davis Alexander against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 25
Alexander emerged from obscurity last week when he was sent on the field to take over for Evans against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at a time when nothing was working for his club. He literally resurrected the Sparrows’ offence, turning a deficit into a lead and then a victory.
After more than two seasons of waiting his turn on the bench and in practice, the Washington State native was imperial in his first real major assignment in the Canadian League, which earned him praise from his coaches and his general manager. His brilliance was such that he will play his first professional game as a starter on Friday. As he himself noted, “it’s true that hard work pays off,” adding how “grateful” he was for what was happening to him.
Same… or not
The watchword in the Alouettes camp is that everything is normal, that there is nothing to see, that everyone can go their own way without looking back.
Whether the quarterback is Fajardo, Evans or Alexander, the work of his teammates around him remains unchanged, said offensive lineman Pier-Olivier Lestage.
“We’re super happy for Davis, but our job remains the same,” confirmed the Quebecer. “That is to say, protect him and open up gaps for the ball carriers. Maybe the center is more used to the pace of a particular quarterback when it comes time to get him the ball. In a week like this, since we know it won’t be Cody, we can put the emphasis on that. But ultimately, the job remains similar.”
Jason Maas echoed the sentiment. “We’re going to run the offense the same way, no matter who’s playing,” he said. “That doesn’t worry us.” […] Davis has been in this league for a few years, he prepares the same way every day. I guarantee you that won’t change just because he’s in the first round.”
A good student, Alexander did not contradict his teammates and his coach. In any case, he has been scrutinizing Fajardo’s actions in training for a long time. In this sense, he hopes above all to ensure a certain continuity.
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Davis Alexander escapes pressure from Bryan Cox Jr.
“He’s the one who set the standards,” he said of the man who led the Alouettes to the Grey Cup in 2023.
Besides, the duel against the Cats (2-5) will be just one among many, he added. His team (6-1) will be looking for its seventh victory, period.
“Are we the ones making a big deal out of this?” the representative of The Press.
“No, I think it’s just me trying not to make a big deal out of it,” Alexander said with a smile. “For anyone, a first start is really cool.”
That’s what we thought.