During the off-season a football team will add a multitude of players, some known, others are just a name on the page. You can watch all the videos you like, but until you see them with your own eyes you don’t really get a sense of what the player has to offer.
Training camp becomes the first chance for a new player to strut his stuff for coaches and the personnel department. For a trio of Toronto Argonaut receivers, they’ve been able to make a daily impression on those decision makers.
One of the pass catchers isn’t exactly new, though you’d have to be a die-hard Argo fan to recognize the name.
Tyler Kahmann arrived in Toronto last September after being a late cut of the Indianapolis Colts. He spent the rest of the season on the practice roster; a handful of weeks that has given him a head start over incoming receivers that are new to the Canadian game.
“I wasn’t here very long last year,” the Haysville, Kansas native told Argonauts.ca, excited to get more of a chance to show what he can do. “I’m getting a lot of reps that I didn’t necessarily get (last year). I learned the offence; I learned how to waggle and how it worked. It gave me a start on the playbook, one of the hardest things about coming up to Canadian football.”
The 6’3” Kahmann has looked good, primarily lining up in the slot and giving quarterbacks a big target over the middle. He was used to being the centre of attention at Emporia State University, where he set virtually every one of the school’s receiving records, catching at least 100 passes while adding 20 touchdown catches in each of his final two seasons with the Hornets.
He feels he can bring the same reliability to the Argos offence.
“I think my best attribute is my feel for the game,” he explained. “Just getting open in zones. I feel I can play multiple positions, whether it be on the outside or inside (though he prefers playing the slot), and just being friendly to the quarterback.”
While Kahmann has been consistent and workmanlike, Dre Miller has flashed, much like he did with the Ottawa RedBlacks a couple of seasons ago against Toronto. He posted his best game in his two seasons in the capital against the Argos, catching five passes for 95 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown.
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“That was a good game,” he said, chuckling after being reminded of it. “It’s funny because I had one of my worst games the week before. That’s just how this game is, you can’t be too high, you can’t be too low.”
There haven’t been too many training camp valleys for Miller, who is basically Kevin Mital sized at 6’2”, 224 pounds. The native of Old Town, Maine, and product of the Maine Black Bears, has been a constant target of the QBs, particularly Chad Kelly, who has used him as a deep target on a daily basis.
Miller says the chemistry between the two is building.
“It’s definitely something that takes repetition,” he explained. “There’s no way to shortcut it; you’ve got to be able to be on the same wavelength at any time in a game or situation. It’s just reps, that’s what we come out here and practice for.”
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Another receiver who seems to get better each day is Dimitri Stanley. He was a late camp cut by the Green Bay Packers – where his father played receiver for four of his seven NFL seasons – then had a brief training camp audition with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last season.
His CFL experience is minimal, but he’s flashed often at this camp, using one of the nuances of the Canadian game to his advantage.
“I love the waggle,” he told Argonauts.ca. “I like to utilize my speed. With the waggle I feel unguardable. The guys are helping me, trying different techniques. It’s fun, my routes are getting better every day.”
He’s also developing chemistry with Kelly.
“He’s kind of taken me under his wing,” said the Aurora, Colorado native of the QB. “He’s showing me the ropes. He hosts his own film sessions and gives breakdowns of what he’s looking for. Being able to have that kind of communication with your quarterback is so vitally important in this game because if you’re on the same page everything just clicks a lot faster.”
With five returning receivers who have started games for the Argos, the impetus is on newcomers to take the job away from the incumbent. For not only these three, but the other eight rookie receiving hopefuls, time is running out for them to show the decision makers that they’re worthy of a valuable roster spot.
ARGO NOTES: Minor injuries are a common occurrence during training camp, and on Wednesday, one player was finally able to get on the field for the first time after missing the first week-and-a-half. To say Damonte Coxie was excited about the opportunity to play would be an understatement. In the first skelly session he caught a 14-yard TD pass over the middle from Kelly, on the next play the two connected for another score as Coxie worked his way open along the sideline, then the two connected a few plays later on an underneath crossing route. Three scores, three different ways of getting open. The receiving group erupted when Coxie made his first TD catch…During that session Ethan John had to go against every one of his instincts when a receiver caught a ball at the goal line. John used his body to break the play up with sudden but minimal contact. The opportunity was there for a major hit, one of the elements of his game that led the Argos to drafting him in the second round. He wisely opted not to hit his teammate the way he would have hit an opponent in a game situation…Another defender who has been impressive not only on D but has been noticeable on special teams has been Owen Goss, who has played weakside linebacker. He had a nice breakup during the first scrimmage session…Tyler Kahmann also scored a TD in the early going…Returning kickoffs during special team periods were Janarion Grant, Peyton Logan, Dimitri Stanley, Dave Ungerer, and Solomon Davis…Stanley caught a TD pass from Kelly during a scrimmage period…Ungerer had a busy period in the final scrimmage when the team practiced no huddle…The veterans showed their stuff on D as both Benjie Franklin and Adarius Pickett had nice knockdowns on Wednesday…The Argos play in Hamilton Saturday afternoon at 4:00, with the teams getting together for a rematch on Friday, May 29 at 7:00 at Alumni Stadium in Guelph. Tickets are available at Argonauts.ca and are $25 for adults, $20 for youths 4-17, and only $15 if you purchase as part of a group of 15 or more.