ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO – With the Argos first snaps since hosting & hoisting the 100th Grey Cup Trophy coming up on June 12, 2013, Argonauts.ca looks at what position battles to keep an eye – or in this case ear – on in preseason game one. The game will not be broadcast on TSN, but will instead be available via audio live stream on TSN.ca with the call from Mike Hogan and Sandy Anunziata.
Quarterbacks
As profiled in our second episode of “Argos Pull Together: Battle for Back Up”, there is already a heated competition for the number two quarterback spot underway between Trevor Harris and Zach Collaros. With both taking heavy reps in practice and during the Double Blue Game, the two upcoming preseason games may very well determine who becomes the second line of defence behind incumbent starter Ricky Ray.
Lost in the shuffle of the Harris and Collaros question marks arises a competition not talked about in great length, between newcomers Mitchell Gale and Josh Portis. Both new to the Milanovich offence, and the Canadian game, they have started to pick up the schemes and tempo that Coach Milanovich looks for in a quarterback. Gale is more of a pocket passer, while Portis has the ability to use his legs and extend plays outside the pocket. The coaching staff have never seen these two in live action before, so the ability to share snaps between Gale and Portis, along with giving Harris and Collaros a fair look, will be very interesting.
Defensive Line
With multiple departures on the “D-Line” from 2012 (Ron Flemons, Ricky Foley and Adriano Belli), the Double Blue defence will look much different in the trenches for 2013. All indications point to the two monsters in the middle, Kevin Huntley and Khalif Mitchell, being the starting inside lineman once June 28 rolls around, but the spots bookending those two are still up in the air. The likes of newcomers Jonathan Williams, Kenny Horsley, Cleyon Laing, Kiante Tripp, Jermaine Reid, Christopher Lyle, Akwasi Antwi, Jeremy Geathers, Antonio Leak and recently acquired Eric Foster will all want to make an in-game impression to the coaching staff.
One interesting storyline to keep an eye on is that of second-year returnee David Lee, who played himself onto the roster midway through the 2012 season and has the advantage of knowing the intricacies a defensive lineman needs playing in a Chris Jones style defence.
Secondary
Perhaps the most publicized losses to the Double Blue from 2012 have been the departures from the secondary. Evan McCollough left to join former Defensive Backs Coach, and now newly appointed Ticats Defensive Coordinator, Orlondo Steinauer, in Hamilton, 2012 defensive captain Jordan Younger has indicated to the club he plans to retire, and CFL All-Star Patrick Watkins remains suspended by the club as he deals with a personal matter back home in Florida.
Jalil Carter, who started at Cornerback in place of the injured Watkins in the 100th Grey Cup Championship, has been practicing at a high pace throughout the course of training camp, while fellow Cornerback Pacino Horne finally joined the Argos at UTM after a calf injury sidelined him for the first few sets of two-a-days. These two are joined by 5th year CFL pro Matt Black as the only returning members of the 2012 Boatmen secondary.
Players who will be looking to fill the void in the Argos defensive backfield include the likes of Shane Herbert, Antareis Bryan, Alonzo Lawrence, Josh Gatlin and Quentin Lawrence, as well as Double Blue draft picks Jermaine Gabriel and Djems Kouame. Brent Vinson is also hoping to find a home in Toronto after spending time with the Stampeders during Coach Jones’ tenure there, and has looked comfortable in schemes during camp. With so many bodies on the defensive side, one or two are sure to rise above the rest and make a real impression on the coaches. And for those who question the lack of experience, it should be noted that the Argos started three players in the Grey Cup victory who, prior to June 2012, had never played one snap of CFL football.
Receiver
A final point of competition for the Argonauts this training camp is at the receiver position; however, unlike last season, the starting group of wide receivers seems to be already set, as every member of the starting receiving group that raised the Grey Cup has returned for the road to the repeat. That group includes 2012 CFL MOP Chad Owens, Slotback Andre Durie, second year breakout candidate Dontrelle Inman, Canadian Spencer Watt and Slotback Jason Barnes, who lead the Boatmen in receiving yards in the Grey Cup game.
Even with all the above players back, there are still roster positions available to those who earn it, and Wednesday night in Winnipeg can go a long way in determining the fate of some of these CFL hopefuls. Many of the receivers in question, including Darvin Adams, Juaquin Iglesias, Tyler Beiler, John Chiles and Reggie Williams, have no CFL game experience and the game in Winnipeg is a great opportunity to show that they understand the waggle, how to use the larger field, and that they grasp Coach Milanovich’s complicated offensive schemes.
Alternatively, Trent Guy, Quincy Hurst, Julian Feoli-Gudino and Romby Bryant are players with CFL experience trying to show they deserve a spot on this Argos roster. Guy and Hurst will have additional opportunities to display their skills on the special teams units, as they will handle the kick returning responsibilities for the Boatmen as they compete to see who will share the load alongside the aforementioned Owens.
Though the game is not broadcast on TSN, make sure you listen live on TSN Radio1050 on your computer or smartphone, as the radio broadcast will be streamed online for all to hear. Additionally, make sure you follow along on Twitter and get in the conversation using the hashtag #ArgosLive, as we keep you in the loop on everything happening in Winnipeg.