With Argos training camp just around the corner, Argonauts.ca has been preparing fans for the start of the 2009 season by breaking down the competition at each position as the Boatmen prepare to bounce back with a new coaching staff, new mentality and personnel. 

Looking at the Argos offensive and defensive lines, the contrast is almost astounding.  The Argos will enter camp with a defensive line that has core personnel that has gone relatively unchanged since 2008 with the exception of the addition of depth and youth.  Conversely, the offensive line has been more than tinkered with and enters camp as one of the Argos’ most intriguing positions.

Defensive Line:
It was at about the mid-way point of last season when the once dominant Argos defence, which reigned supreme for nearly five years, began its overhaul.  Personnel both on the field and on the sidelines had changed and the once steady 3-4 defence became volatile and in need of some tweaking. 

Enter the 4-3 defence which allowed the Boatmen to add an extra player along the defensive line and, within a few games, a d-line that was seen as vulnerable just a few weeks earlier suddenly had promise.  The additions of DE Claude Harriott  as an outside pass rusher and DT Walter Curry as an inside run stopper proved to add an instant spark to the two remaining down lineman in DT Adriano Belli and DE Jonathan Brown.  Those four will make up the core group that will enter camp along the defensive line along with veteran DL Ron Flemons who re-signed with the club in the off-season, and Ray Fontaine, who dressed up front last season will be observed at both d-line and his more natural linebacker position. 

Perhaps the brightest story on the Argos’ defensive line will be the development of the club’s newest addition in Étienne  Légaré.  The Laval product was the second overall pick in the 2009 CFL Canadian Draft and will look to make an immediate impact in the Argos’ new system led by new coordinator Pete Kuharchek.

The Argos have also added new bodies in the form of DT Clifford Dukes, DE Kevin Huntley, DE Ben Ishola, DL Ronald Jones and DE David McMillan who will join returnees DT Adrian Davis and DE/LB Richard Seigler. With 12 defensive lineman set to come to camp, that position will be among the most highly contested.

Offensive Line:
On the offensive side of the ball, personnel has changed dramatically.  Starting from the top down with former 12-year pro Ron Heller leading the charge on the line, the Argos have not only changed a lot of the players along the line but have changed the entire character of the unit with the signing of two of the league’s most ferocious o-linemen.

The Argos made the biggest move they have made on the offensive line in many years by adding OT Rob Murphy who still stands as arguably the best offensive lineman in the entire league.  The two-time CFL Most Outstanding Lineman is sure to make an immediate impact at the backside tackle position, adding more protection for QB Kerry Joseph and opening space off the edge for Argo tailbacks.  Edgy and sometimes controversial, Murphy will work along well with the Argos other unruly lineman in OC Dominic Picard. 

Picard was signed as a free agent after spending the first part of his career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.  The man known as ‘the angry Frenchman’, will anchor the Argos o-line in place of legend Chad Folk who retired in March.

The two free agent pickups combined with veterans Taylor Robertson and Brian Ramsay will create a formidable force in the trenches heading into the ’09 campaign. 

Despite the line’s rapid improvement, there still remains a position unfilled at this point and the Argos will likely look for a newcomer or Canadian within their system to fill the guard position opposite Robertson.

Canadians Mark Dewitt, Scott Evans and Chris Van Zeyl along with veteran IMP Jonta Woodard return in 2009 looking to step up after getting their feet wet the last year with the Double Blue.  Combine that with the return of fan-favourite Jeff Keeping, Shannon Boatman and Brandon Joyce and the Argos seem to have a solid group of players to vie for the guard spot left open by the now departed Jude St. John as well challenge at the outside tackles positions.

In addition to having a rather fitting name, Boatman’s size is not something that can be ignored.  The Florida State grad intimidates at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds at the OT position.

Not So Different Afterall
Despite the contrast in off-season movement, these two units do share one common trait aside from their location on the football field – both units look to be a lot more intimidating and a lot more fierce than those in seasons past.