After several hours of not knowing whether or not they’d be playing, all systems are go for the Toronto Argonauts to being their pre-season schedule Friday night against the Redblacks in Ottawa.
While most Argo starters will not be playing, it doesn’t lessen the importance of this game. For several players their performance could be pivotal to their future with the team as a round of cuts is expected on Saturday.
There’s little doubt quarterback Chad Kelly is going to make the team, but will he be above or below Antonio Pipkin on the depth chart? There’s no question the Mississippi State product has the tools to play, but he’s battling an experienced CFL QB who effectively ran the Argos short-yardage offense a year ago.
What would be a successful night for Kelly?
“A good night would be leading the offence down to score,” he told Argonauts.ca. “Control what you can control and just have fun out there. It’s been a long time (2020) since I last got on the field and was able to feel the energy. I just want to complete footballs and that would be a good night.”
His introduction to the Canadian game has been a learning process and that was evident during the team’s scrimmage on Sunday night. It was the first time he played with a 20-second clock as opposed to the 40-second clock he’s used to from the NFL and NCAA.
The pace surprised him.
“Ya, I think the first time,” he admitted. “Just because we didn’t have it in practice, even in rookie camp; so, seven, eight days straight without knowing how fast it really goes. Having it out there was good because guys now understand how quick we’ve got to get in and out of the huddle.”
Kelly is wearing No. 12, first made famous in the family by his uncle Jim, the Hall-of-Fame quarterback with the Buffalo Bills. Chad Kelly hasn’t donned the number since his high-school days in Buffalo.
He’s also comfortable in another aspect of life with the Argos – his relationship with QB1 McLeod Bethel-Thompson, the man he’s chasing.
“He’s been awesome, I’ve learned a ton from him,” said Kelly. “He’s proven he can do it. I’m trying to learn every day and we’re bouncing thoughts off each other. He runs a rep and we talk, ‘What did you see? What did I see?’ The feedback is always good and positive and that’s what it needs to be.”
Friday is also a big day for D’Angelo Amos. The defensive back is new to the CFL, unlike his older brother DaShaun who is in his first season in Double Blue.
The younger Amos spent some time with the Detroit Lions last year and is trying to crack a deep, talented defensive secondary in Toronto.
“It’s a lot of fun,” he told Argonauts.ca. “It feels good to be back just playing ball, to be around guys with the same mentality and the same goals. I’m appreciative and grateful to have this opportunity.”
His chances of making the team could increase substantially with a solid performance Friday night in Ottawa.
He’s well aware of that.
“There’s not an amount of importance I can put on it,” said the native of Richmond, Virginia. “I came here to make a name for myself; aside from my brother but for my brother, we share the same last name. The fight that I’ve had to get to where I am. To me it will prove a lot; it verifies myself and why the organization did a good job picking me up.”
Walkthroughs the day before a game can be a bit on the mundane side. While players are attentive while they’re on the sidelines, there’s plenty of room for conversation to stray away from what’s happening on the field when they’re not involved.
When Amos was on the sidelines during special teams he was absolutely zoned in. If he wasn’t a part of a specific special teams group, he took a couple of steps onto the playing field to stand by himself, watching every group with laser focus.
“I feel like you never know what position we may be in, where you have to come in and play another position that you’re not familiar with. I try to pay attention to everything, I was a big special teamer in college, so to me knowing all the positions was always important. I take pride in special teams, so to watch those things, things may chance last minute, and you’ve got to know what’s going on. Just always be prepared.”
It’s a great mindset to have as excelling on special teams as for a positional player it may be the difference in making or not making the team.
For John Haggerty, special teams is his thing.
The Australian punter was the Argos first pick, fourth overall, in this month’s CFL Global Draft. He’s new to the Canadian game, but not to the North American style as he excelled at Western Kentucky University. Haggerty was named First Team, Second Team and Honourable Mention All-Conference in his three years at WKU.
“There are so many different rules,” he said with a smile. “Going from college to this is completely different. The main thing to me is the field is so much bigger. It’s a little bit different but that’s just football, you’ve got to adjust.”
Directional punting is usually more important in Canada than the States because of the width of the field and the fact that the overwhelming majority of punts up here are returned; there are no fair catches, no touchbacks, and the kicking team can’t down the ball. Haggerty was used to kicking left or right in college, but this is a new experience for him.
“The difference is from the hash, it’s so much wider to the boundary, so you’re turning more than you normally would in college or the NFL with the field being smaller.”
The conversation continued about the equipment. It’s not talked about often from a punter’s perspective, but there’s an adjustment that needs to be made simply because the CFL football is different. It’s like a golfer trying new clubs for the first time, or a hockey player using an unfamiliar stick.
“It’s different. I punted four years with a college football, then this whole off-season I was working with an NFL football. The only time I’ve seen a CFL ball was when I first got here at my first practice. I’ve kicked it now for two weeks and I’m starting to get a feel for it now. It’s a lot fatter, it’s a lot harder to hold I find; more than the NFL ball. But once you get a hold of it, they fly.”
There’s a path for him to make the roster. Boris Bede is a weapon at all three kicking disciplines, but if Haggerty shows he can out punt Bede, the incumbent could get a chance to focus on kickoffs and placekicking, and the Argos can maximize production from the Global spot on the roster.
It means Friday night is an opportunity for Haggerty to show his stuff.
“It’s my first showcase really,” said the 6’5” Aussie. “These coaches haven’t really seen what I can do. Practice is a lot different from games, so it’s the first time they’ll get to see me suited up and rolling out there. I’m excited.”
Haggerty, Amos and Kelly are just three of the players who know how important Friday night’s game is and they’re not alone. This game is pivotal for virtually everyone who will be on the field in terms of where they stand on the team, or if they even survive the cuts. While most of the probable starters are not on the trip, it doesn’t lessen the importance of a game that doesn’t count in the standings.