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2017 Training Camp June 3, 2017

Landry: 5 takeaways from the first week of camp

Esks.com

CFL.ca
@CFLLandry

Hello, CFL fans. The weekly takeaways column has returned and not a moment to soon. I needed an outlet. As soon as my internet world became dominated with news, video and pictures from training camps across the nation, I got up from my computer and began running tight, energetic circles around my desk. Non-stop, for about a half an hour. That’s normal, right? Football’s back, baby. I’ve got two words: Giddy. Up.

Here are this week’s takeaways.

1. “MVP… MVP… MVP…”

The Hamilton Ticats are employing an automated tackling dummy – known as the MVP – at training camp.

The MVP really impresses with its speed. Apparently it can cover 40 yards in 4.6 or 4.7 seconds. That’s good, for sure, but it is worthwhile to note that it failed to bench press a single rep at combine and its vertical depends on precisely the velocity and angle at which linebacker Larry Dean blasts it. It’s got good leadership qualities, though. Not in the outspoken, “rah-rah” kind of way. The MVP chooses instead to lead by example. And is it disciplined? Hoo, boy. Simoni Lawrence was seen trash-talking it for almost 25 minutes this past week and not once did the MVP take the bait.

Larry Dean takes down the moving tackling dummy at Ticats practice (Ryan McCullough/Ticats.ca)

The Ticats are on the leading edge by virtue of adding the MVP to their practice roster. More and more teams across the U.S. – from high school to pro – are utilizing them. It is believed that by lessening contact between actual players at practice while still allowing for tacklers to work on technique and closing speed, injuries can be reduced.

Keep an eye on the Ticats this year. If they see an improvement in their injury situation compared to seasons past, you can be sure other teams will start to mimic some of their new thinking on how players recover from games and how they practice, including the use of the MVP.

2. LINEBACKER: THE EPICENTRE OF SHOCKWAVES AND QUESTION MARKS.

Linebacker news was so prevalent this week it was bested only by COVFEFE as a trender in my Twitter feed.

The Argos welcomed back Marcus Ball but lost free agent signing Winston Venable. Cory Greenwood went down for the season. The Montreal Alouettes released Bear Woods, the 2016 East Division Most Outstanding Defensive Player. Wowsers. The position of linebacker took centre stage during the first week of camp and as it stands right now, rookies are going to need to step up to fill a void.

In Montreal, Als’ general manager Kavis Reed is banking on first-year linebacker Anthony Sarao to take up the considerable slack left in the wake of Woods’ departure (Bonus Takeaway: Kavis Reed likes to shove ALL his poker chips into the middle of the table when you merely ask him to ante up).

The Alouettes released Bear Woods shortly after camps kicked off Sunday (Dominick Gravel/Montreal Alouettes)

In Edmonton, the Eskimos shed their Canadian depth on the defensive line because they were shifting that ratio spot to linebacker, with an eye to having Greenwood as a fixture there. With Greenwood suffering a knee injury, understudy Canadian linebackers like Blair Smith and Adam Konar are now the focus of attention. Do the Esks have what they need to keep that spot Canadian? Or will an unplanned ratio shift need to be the answer?

3. RENE PAREDES IS MR. CONSISTENCY. OFF THE FIELD, AS WELL.

The Calgary Stampeders’ place kicker has a career accuracy rate of 86 per cent to his credit and holds the CFL record for consecutive field goals. He’s been straight down the middle so often that his hometown ought to rename its main street “Paredes Avenue.” As reliable as his kicking has been, though, there is something else that has been even more remarkable.

Headshots. The Stamps sent out an array of Paredes’ training camp poses from 2013 to today and the consistency is ridiculous. Expression, head angle, beard and hair length…spooky.

If he can remain healthy and play until he’s 66, Paredes could wind up with 39 consecutive mean-faced media guide headshots, equalling his record of consecutive field goals made. Of course, we’d have to asterisk (that’s right, it’s not asterix) that record because he would likely need a dye job or ten to maintain that dark-haired look. Unless… nah. How do I put this? Um, have you ever seen Westworld?

4. THE ROUGHRIDERS FEEL UNSURE ABOUT THEIR RUNNING GAME.

Or are they unsure what their ratio balance is going to look like? On Friday, the Riders announced the signing of international running back Anthony Allen, who’d previously played in Sasky before suiting up with the BC Lions last season. He’d been on the market since Feb. 14, as a free agent, so they could have signed him anytime. That they did so a week into camp suggests they are not certain that Canadian Kienan LaFrance, backed by countryman Greg Morris, is the way to go at running back.

That might be because they think they can do better or it might be because they have enough strength at other positions to take care of the ratio. Either way, Saskatchewan’s signing of Allen illustrates that Chris Jones is actively considering his options, which means a whole bunch of heated competition at the position in pre-season games.

5. MIKE REILLY’S WARRIOR BEARD IS STAYING PUT.

The Edmonton Eskimos put it to their fans in a Twitter poll and the question pertaining to the quarterback’s beard was simple: Keep it or Shave it? Nearly 900 votes later, the decision was in and with a total of 54 per cent of the vote, the “Keep It” faction (also known as the “Make Mike Reilly’s Chin Great Again” lobby) won out.

For his part, Reilly declared the poll only reiterated what he already knew and he admitted as much after practice on Wednesday. “Oh it’s staying,” Reilly said with a steely gaze that – truth be told – was made even more resolute because of the presence of the beard in question. He did admit, however, that it may go when his wife, Emily, arrives in Edmonton in a week or so.

Personally, I boycotted the vote because I wanted a third option on the ballot: Grow it longer and braid it.

AND FINALLY…

The Ottawa REDBLACKS signed a defensive back whose first name is Armageddon and now I can’t get that old song by Prism outta my head.