Photo: Argonauts.ca
Alumni Stadium at the University of Guelph was the perfect setting for the first day of practice for the Toronto Argonauts’ full roster. In many ways, Thursday was like the first day of school for the almost 100 players that took part.
The Argos took the field knowing that the teachers, err, coaches would be watching; taking notes and grading their every move.
It was also a great day for the players as they took to the field as a team, fully aware of how close they came to an appearance in the Grey Cup a year ago. At times, that’s been used as an off-season motivational tool by many in the organization, including McLeod Bethel-Thompson.
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McLeod Bethel-Thompson heads into Argos’ training camp as the team’s No. 1 QB for the first time in his career (Photo: The Canadian Press)
“Use it when you can and forget about it when you don’t need it,” the QB told Argonauts.ca after practice. “On the slow days, you remember you lost the Eastern Final, but you don’t think about it every day.”
Bethel-Thompson is back for his fifth season in Toronto, but after a nomadic 12-year career in pro football, this year is different. For the first time in his journey, he enters camp not as the hunter, but as the hunted. He’s the starting quarterback with three other players trying to unseat him from his perch.
“I want to help guys as much as possible,” said Bethel-Thompson of his fellow QBs. “I want to help the guys behind me because if they’re firing on all cylinders, if they’re pushing me, then I’ve got to be even better. Not all QB rooms are like that. I want to build a good one where guys are competing every single day and if I’m not the best player out there then I better get better the next day and earn it.”
From an individual standpoint, Shane Ray’s season didn’t go as well as Bethel-Thompson’s. Dominant during camp, the defensive end suffered a serious hand injury in the season opener in Calgary and missed most of the year as a result. As good as he felt during last year’s camp, he feels even more at home this time around.
“I just feel way more comfortable,” said Ray. “This year I have a plan and I’m way more prepared coming into camp; being able to keep my weight up, and just doing all the things I need to do to be the best me.”
Ray played just five games in the regular-season, finally rounding into shape in time for the Eastern Final, where he finally recorded his first CFL sack. The injury bug has bitten Ray hard during the course of his pro career, but the former NFL first-round pick has a pretty simple objective for this year.
“My goal is to make it 18 games,” he said. “Because if I know if I play 18 games, I know what I can do as a player. My biggest focus is to make sure I get through camp healthy; I’ll make sure I make it through Week 1. I’ll just take it one day at a time and that’s just how I focus on things.”
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Kicker Boris Bede had a spectacular 2021 season. He’s capable of handling all three kicking disciplines, though there’s a chance that Global punter John Haggerty may lighten his workload. The Laval product is ready to repeat his success of a year ago and worked hard in the off-season to remain at a high level.
“I just controlled my reps,” Bede told Argonauts.ca. “I want to make sure I’m fresh at the moment I’m being called. I trained with (Ottawa punter) Richie Leone this off-season. We had some fun in Montreal. I worked out four times a week and am ready for some football.”
Bede was paired for two seasons in Montreal with Mickey Donovan, the Argos’ new special teams coordinator. He’s excited about the reunion.
“Mickey’s going to bring an attitude to teams,” said Bede. “He’s going to bring fear.”
Fear?
“We’re going to be dangerous on special teams,” Bede explained. “We’re going to be explosive. He has good schemes on the returns and that’s really going to help us. Our cover teams are going to be really aggressive also. We’re going to dominate field position.”
The Argos are set to go on offence, defence and special teams. They’re going to have to be in what shapes up to be a competitive East Division.
ARGO NOTES:
Do you believe in good omens? After a cloudy, cool, rainy morning the sun emerged and it got much warmer as soon as the players ran out for warmups…Offensive players were in white jerseys, defensive players in blue jerseys, and quarterbacks wore red…Deionte Knight flew in from Ottawa Thursday afternoon. This year’s second-round draft pick arrived while practice was on, then signed a contract with the Argos when practice was over…First-round Global draft pick John Haggerty showed off a ridiculously strong leg during warmups, impressive with both distance and hang time…Three returning players have switched numbers this year. Eric Rogers is now wearing No. 24, Antonio Pipkin No. 2, while Shane Ray slides into No. 5.
While it’s strange enough to see Andrew Harris wearing Argo colours, seeing Brandon Banks in Double Blue is going to take some time to get used to…McLeod Bethel-Thompson connected with Cam Phillips for two TDs during drills. One was a long pass down the left sidelines that hit the receiver in stride and went for a 70-yard TD. He also hit Phillips on a crossing route where the receiver – in tight coverage – tipped the ball in the air, caught it, then ran 40 yards to the end zone. MBT would also hit Eric Rogers with a high, arching pass down the right sideline that a sliding receiver got under for a 40-yard TD…Royce Metchie got the better of Bethel-Thompson on another deep ball, sprinting from his safety spot and picking off a pass near the sideline.
