The Toronto Argonauts hosted their second day of on-field practices during their 2016 Training Camp at the University of Guelph on Monday.
Monday’s sessions kicked off at 7:30am and saw the Argonauts, led by head coach Scott Milanovich, take their workout to the grass field located on University’s campus in an attempt to take a load off of the players’ joints and muscles.
“In addition to us getting ready to play on grass, part of the reason we do this [practice on grass] is to take some of the pressure off of their legs, said Milanovich as the second day of camp concluded.
Milanovich put the Argonauts through the team’s standard routine early and the intensity saw a spike as the offence and defence met in their first set of team periods. When the dust had settled at the end of the first practice it was clear that defence had won the first of two sessions, flying to the ball as a unit while breaking up and intercepting multiple passes.
“I’m an offensive coach by trade, but I know that it is defences that win championships and every one I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of has won because of the way our defence played”, exclaimed Milanovich.” I love seeing them back there playing the way they are, reacting to the ball, getting their hands on footballs.”
Despite Milanovich crediting the defence on day two, he still feels that the offence is ahead of schedule in relation to training camp in 2015 but noted that growing as an offence and defence is a process and does not happen instantly.
“They [the defence] are winning most of them, but I still feel like we’re light years ahead of where we were a year ago offensively just because our receivers have a year,” commented Milanovich.
A year of experience in the CFL has paid dividends for the Argonauts receiving corps, especially the team’s group of sophomores, including Tori Gurley, Kevin Elliott, Vidal Hazelton, Phil Bates and Diontae Spencer.
“We went through a lot as rookies together so we kind of grew together,” said 2015 East Division Most Outstanding Rookie Vidal Hazelton. “It’s good to have the brotherhood between the receivers that you are with.”
The Argonauts will return to the field at Alumni Stadium at the University of Guelph tomorrow for their third day of back-to-back practice at 7:30am.
Training Camp Day 2 Anecdotes: