Training camps are never fun for players. The practice sessions are long and intense; there are weight room obligations and endless meeting sessions that take their toll both mentally and physically.
On Monday, the Toronto Argonauts got a reprieve, at least physically. While there was still time spent in the classroom, there was no on-field activity, just treatment to help some well-worn muscles recover.
The day off came after Sunday’s Double Blue Game, a controlled scrimmage where players, perhaps some for the first time, became acquainted with the speed of a CFL game. There were constant wholesale changes of groups, meaning players had to be mentally aware of what was happening on the field, lest they not be out there when they were supposed to be.
It also gave players, particularly the rookies, the chance to shine in a more game-like environment than a practice.
Argonauts.ca spoke with head coach Mike Miller as he left the field, before he was able to watch film of the game. His immediate reaction was not a surprising one.
“It’s kind of what I expected,” he said. “Some guys were playing hard. A lot of guys out here are fighting for jobs, and the competition is really good and that’s what we were hoping to get out of it. We saw some guys step up and make plays, I’m sure there are some guys that left some plays out here they wish they had over and that’s why we’re out here doing this.”
Even with the naked eye, Miller was able to witness some things that didn’t go as he had hoped but understands it’s all a part of the pre-season process.
“That’s to be expected,” said the coach. “It’s why you do these things. It’s the first step toward the regular-season kickoff, where you’re trying to build chemistry, build that understanding of execution of detail, then applying physicality.”
It’s not just rookies that are under the spotlight. There’s a mostly new coaching staff, meaning some veterans need to prove themselves to the incoming coaches. Among those veterans is Brian Harelimana, best known for his excellence on special teams.
On Sunday, the University of Montreal product also had an opportunity to show off his skill at weakside linebacker and responded with an outstanding performance, making numerous plays, including knockdowns on back-to-back snaps, later being credited with a sack after touching the quarterback (there was no hitting the QBs).
“It felt great,” Harelimana told Argonauts.ca. “It just felt great being back and playing football. I want to be able to contribute to the team as much as I can this year. Whatever role they give me I’ll be ready, so whenever my number is called, I’ll be in there and I’ll be hungry to eat.”
As the team gathered on the field after the session, Miller pointed out how pleased he was with how the veterans provided leadership for the newcomers. As one of the leaders on special teams, those words meant a lot to Harelimana.
“It’s the biggest thing,” said the Laval, Quebec native. “If we’ve got a good locker room, and it starts with the leadership, it goes a long way. I think we’re doing a good job this year. A lot of guys came back and are bringing the locker room together and preparing this team for a long season. We have a lot of obstacles, but we don’t want to make any excuses, we want to face every adversity we have and play Toronto Argonaut football.”
ARGO NOTES: Sunday was by far the nicest day of training camp with sunny skies and a temperature pushing 30 C. The players felt the heat, while most of the fans sat in the shade below the press box at Alumni Stadium…Many of the fans who showed up were keenly interested in seeing how Chad Kelly looked. For most, it was their first chance to see him since he suffered a broken leg in the 2024 Eastern Final. They weren’t disappointed as he looked like the same player he was before the injury…Fans didn’t have to wait long to see him show off his arm. On the first play Andre Miller ran a perfect stop-and-go route and found himself wide open behind coverage. Kelly hit him in stride with a perfect deep ball, but Miller, who has had a very strong camp, couldn’t hang on to the ball. Later in the game Miller again found himself wide open, this time hanging on for an easy TD…There was a full crew of CFL officials on hand and the new 35-second clock was used. There were a handful of violations, mostly from not getting the proper personnel on the field on time. One of those flags came on a Lirim Hajrullahu field goal. The flags were thrown on each violation, but due to the nature of the scrimmage, the whistle wasn’t blown immediately, and the play was allowed to continue, though it will be blown dead in the regular season as soon as the clock hits zero. Sunday’s violations will prove to be a great teaching tool…Kelly hit Kevin Mital for a touchdown, where Mital used his body to box out the defender and made the catch coming back to the QB…Peyton Logan had a couple of lengthy runs as the battle for the starting running back job continued…Tarvarus McFadden had an interception…Two draft picks made nice plays; Darius McKenzie had a sack, while Ethan John almost had a leaping interception, but was able to at least knock the ball away from the intended receiver…Tristan Ready has made a strong case for himself during camp, and made another nice diving catch along the sidelines, getting both feet in bounds…Dave Ungerer III and Kelly teamed up for a 35-yard completion…The afternoon concluded with full-contact competition with a pair of first-and-goal series from the six-yard line. Kelly ran for a TD on second down from the five-yard line. Kelly would also hit Soloman Davis for a six-yard touchdown on a crossing route one play later. Davis also caught a TD pass from Nick Arbuckle earlier in the session…Jack Cassar has been playing fullback and had a catch, as well as a devastating pancake block in the final full-contact series…The afternoon’s final play was an end-zone interception by rookie linebacker Jordan Pollard…The next test for the Argonauts is Saturday with a pre-season game against the Tiger-Cats in Hamilton. Kickoff time is 4:00.