‘He’s got something to him,’ Popp says as rookie camp opens
By Herb Zurkowsky,
Montreal Gazette
There’s a new bachelor attempting to land the role of backup quarterback with the Alouettes. And, unlike his predecessor – the retired Jesse Palmer – Kliff Kingsbury doesn’t have to appear on a reality television series to get his dates.
The quarterback still gets the girls, and always will – some more famous than others. In 2002, the story goes, Kingsbury ended up on Britney Spears’s tour bus, receiving gifts and handwritten notes from the singer. A couple of years later, according to a published report, the aspiring pivot hung out at a New Orleans Hornets basketball game with Jessica Simpson while she was in Louisiana filming the Dukes of Hazzard.
“You can just write no comment about all that. That was a while back,” Kingsbury, 27, said yesterday, after the first official day of the Als’ rookie training camp, conducted indoors at Stade Haut Richelieu because of the weather.
Kingsbury, signed by the Als as a free agent in March, has been in Montreal since early April, participating in voluntary informal workouts in Lachine while learning the team’s new playbook. That has given the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder more than enough time to sample Montreal’s famed nightlife, along with potential opportunities to add a number or two to his little black book.
“I can’t play the quarterback card up here,” he said. “I’ll have to rely on other things, but there’s definitely beautiful women up here.”
Every U.S. football player who ventures north has a story; if they didn’t, they wouldn’t be seeking salvation in the Canadian Football League. Kingsbury is no different. At the conclusion of his university career at Texas Tech, he was the most decorated player in school history. That was five years and six franchises ago.
“A lot of great quarterbacks had huge numbers and never played in the NFL,” said Als general manager and head coach Jim Popp. “He was good enough to continue going to training camp or playing in NFL Europe, but was looking for something different.”
Kingsbury established 39 team, 13 Big 12 Conference and seven NCAA Division I-A records. He became only the third player in U.S. college to pass for more than 10,000 yards, gain over 10,000 yards in total offence and complete 1,000-plus passes. In 43 games, he passed for 12,429 yards and 95 touchdowns.
Selected in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL draft by New England, Kingsbury spent time with the Patriots, New Orleans, Denver, the New York Jets, Cologne of NFL Europe and Buffalo. He made his NFL debut for the Jets in the fourth quarter of a November 2005 game against the Broncos, completing one of two attempts for 17 yards.
“I’ve been in a few different spots. Things didn’t work out, but I’ve always felt I could play at a high level. There are only so many reps available (at practice). If you don’t get in and see it live, it’s hard based on one play a day,” the Texan said.
“Things happen for a reason. I’ll keep grinding until I get the right opportunity. I love to play. If I can continue, why not?”
Kingsbury’s a leader with a knack for making plays, but was always considered to be lacking a strong arm. At practices for the Senior Bowl, he had the weakest arm of the six quarterbacks. But he enjoyed so much collegiate success because most of his throws were touch passes from the shotgun formation.
Popp scouted Kingsbury at three NFL camps, and said he came away impressed on each occasion.
“He’s got something to him. He’s smart and distributes the ball well. He won’t lose a game. He runs the offence and gets the ball to people. And there’s other things I’ve seen him do. They say he doesn’t have a strong arm, but I’ve watched and don’t see that,” Popp said.
“Each time, I’ve wondered why he hasn’t made teams coming out of camp. Maybe this is his fit, because collegiately, he was phenomenal.”
Notes – A number of players who spent time with the Als last season are attending rookie camp, including defensive-end Alain Kashama. … Return specialist and receiver Keith Stokes watched the workout in civvies. … Ryan Lucas, a rookie Canadian defensive tackle, is on crutches suffering from a foot problem. Popp said he won’t return for a week.
