It can be dangerous to form opinions and jump to conclusions after only two games. But again this season, the Alouettes? special teams are displaying signs of becoming their albatross ? the weakest link in their attempt to become something more than mediocre.
And, should Larry Taylor return to the scene of the crime Thursday night at Molson Stadium (7:30 p.m., TSN, RDS, CJAD Radio-800), when the Als host the Calgary Stampeders, the story will come full circle and be complete. It?ll be one more strike, one more damning piece of evidence against a team that allowed Taylor to escape and seemingly never has found a suitable replacement to return kicks.
The Stamps? Taylor, the special teams player of the week in the Canadian Football League, set a franchise record, combining for 441 all-purpose yards, last weekend against Toronto. That included a 125-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown and eight kickoff returns for 222 yards. That feat was surpassed only by Winnipeg?s Albert Johnson III, who produced 474 yards in 2000.
The Als? special teams? Feast or famine and, so far, mostly the later. In last Friday?s win against Winnipeg, Demond Washington returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown against Montreal in the third quarter. But he was held to eight yards on two other returns.
At the same time, Montreal players always seem to be near the bottom of special teams categories.
Sean Whyte is averaging 40.7 yards on punts and 58.1 yards on kickoffs. Saskatchewan?s Chris Milo leads in punting average (48.2 yards), while Edmonton?s Grant Shaw has a 69.1-yard average on seven kickoffs. Yes, it seems like the opposition always starts its drives in good field position against Montreal.
The Als? Trent Guy is averaging a modest 10.3 yards on four punt returns ? more than eight yards behind the league?s leaders. Noel Devine is averaging 19.6 yards on 11 kickoff returns, again well behind Taylor and Toronto?s Chad Owens, himself another former Alouette who departed following a contract dispute.
What should be more alarming is the fact Montreal has two special-team coaches, yet these problems persist. Andy Bischoff co-ordinates special teams, assisted by newcomer Brendan Nugent. Bischoff wears many hats in the organization, coaching the running backs and serving as an administrative assistant to head coach Marc Trestman.
It?s natural to believe Bischoff, an organized and respected coach, is simply being spread too thin. Just as it?s natural to suggest his message isn?t getting through to the players ? although the athletes, to a man, have come to his defence.
?This is man for man. It doesn?t have to be something the coach tells us,? said Dahrran Diedrick, who makes his 2012 regular-season debut against Calgary, having recovered from a torn hamstring suffered in Montreal?s first exhibition game. ?We?ve got to be accountable to our teammates, sometimes more than you are to the coaches.?
The Als haven?t had an exclusive special teams coordinator since 2010 ? and Richard Kent barely made it through training camp before being fired by Trestman over personal issues. Rather than hire someone new to replace Kent, Trestman gave Bischoff more responsibilities, hiring Carson Walch as a special teams quality-control coach. Walch has since been promoted to receivers coach.
?We?ve been doing it (like this) for four years,? Trestman said. ?I?ve never seen anyone who manages his time like Andy Bischoff. He?s got a big job, but manages himself well.
?His meetings are outstanding, along with his attention to detail and presentation. He?s giving players what they need. He doesn?t hold back. He?s telling guys what they need to know.?
While Trestman approached Toronto special teams coordinator Mike O?Shea last winter, that was only in the event the Als weren?t able to find an offensive-line coach, in which case Bischoff would have been asked to change portfolios. But Pat Meyer was hired and O?Shea remains with the Argonauts.
All that Trestman will concede for now, as he has repeatedly stated, is Whyte must do a better job with his directional kicking. Whyte attempts to place the ball between the numbers and sideline. He failed on Washington?s touchdown, but was attempting to punt to the wide-side of the field ? a tougher kick.
?The kick placement and distance were perfect,? Whyte explained. ?There were errors on the pursuit angles. People were stacking over top of each other. They have to spread out. We?ve got to push (the returner) out of bounds. That?s what we?re trying to do.?
And, while many are complaining about the lack of distance on Whyte?s kickoffs, he said a kick to the 13, combined with 3.8-second hang-time, is his mandate from the coaches.
?If it?s deeper, you create more space between their wedge and our guys coming downfield,? he explained. ?That gives them more time to set up the return.?
And, should Larry Taylor return to the scene of the crime Thursday night at Molson Stadium (7:30 p.m., TSN, RDS, CJAD Radio-800), when the Als host the Calgary Stampeders, the story will come full circle and be complete. It?ll be one more strike, one more damning piece of evidence against a team that allowed Taylor to escape and seemingly never has found a suitable replacement to return kicks.
The Stamps? Taylor, the special teams player of the week in the Canadian Football League, set a franchise record, combining for 441 all-purpose yards, last weekend against Toronto. That included a 125-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown and eight kickoff returns for 222 yards. That feat was surpassed only by Winnipeg?s Albert Johnson III, who produced 474 yards in 2000.
The Als? special teams? Feast or famine and, so far, mostly the later. In last Friday?s win against Winnipeg, Demond Washington returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown against Montreal in the third quarter. But he was held to eight yards on two other returns.
At the same time, Montreal players always seem to be near the bottom of special teams categories.
Sean Whyte is averaging 40.7 yards on punts and 58.1 yards on kickoffs. Saskatchewan?s Chris Milo leads in punting average (48.2 yards), while Edmonton?s Grant Shaw has a 69.1-yard average on seven kickoffs. Yes, it seems like the opposition always starts its drives in good field position against Montreal.
The Als? Trent Guy is averaging a modest 10.3 yards on four punt returns ? more than eight yards behind the league?s leaders. Noel Devine is averaging 19.6 yards on 11 kickoff returns, again well behind Taylor and Toronto?s Chad Owens, himself another former Alouette who departed following a contract dispute.
What should be more alarming is the fact Montreal has two special-team coaches, yet these problems persist. Andy Bischoff co-ordinates special teams, assisted by newcomer Brendan Nugent. Bischoff wears many hats in the organization, coaching the running backs and serving as an administrative assistant to head coach Marc Trestman.
It?s natural to believe Bischoff, an organized and respected coach, is simply being spread too thin. Just as it?s natural to suggest his message isn?t getting through to the players ? although the athletes, to a man, have come to his defence.
?This is man for man. It doesn?t have to be something the coach tells us,? said Dahrran Diedrick, who makes his 2012 regular-season debut against Calgary, having recovered from a torn hamstring suffered in Montreal?s first exhibition game. ?We?ve got to be accountable to our teammates, sometimes more than you are to the coaches.?
The Als haven?t had an exclusive special teams coordinator since 2010 ? and Richard Kent barely made it through training camp before being fired by Trestman over personal issues. Rather than hire someone new to replace Kent, Trestman gave Bischoff more responsibilities, hiring Carson Walch as a special teams quality-control coach. Walch has since been promoted to receivers coach.
?We?ve been doing it (like this) for four years,? Trestman said. ?I?ve never seen anyone who manages his time like Andy Bischoff. He?s got a big job, but manages himself well.
?His meetings are outstanding, along with his attention to detail and presentation. He?s giving players what they need. He doesn?t hold back. He?s telling guys what they need to know.?
While Trestman approached Toronto special teams coordinator Mike O?Shea last winter, that was only in the event the Als weren?t able to find an offensive-line coach, in which case Bischoff would have been asked to change portfolios. But Pat Meyer was hired and O?Shea remains with the Argonauts.
All that Trestman will concede for now, as he has repeatedly stated, is Whyte must do a better job with his directional kicking. Whyte attempts to place the ball between the numbers and sideline. He failed on Washington?s touchdown, but was attempting to punt to the wide-side of the field ? a tougher kick.
?The kick placement and distance were perfect,? Whyte explained. ?There were errors on the pursuit angles. People were stacking over top of each other. They have to spread out. We?ve got to push (the returner) out of bounds. That?s what we?re trying to do.?
And, while many are complaining about the lack of distance on Whyte?s kickoffs, he said a kick to the 13, combined with 3.8-second hang-time, is his mandate from the coaches.
?If it?s deeper, you create more space between their wedge and our guys coming downfield,? he explained. ?That gives them more time to set up the return.?
