MontrealAlouettes.com
MONTREAL – Canadian university star Kyle Quinlan took one step closer to his CFL dream this week and he has a phone call from a 514 number to thank for that.
“It’s one of those things you just remember how it all went down,” recalled Quinlan. “My agent called me first and then the Alouettes’ assistant GM Marcel Desjardins followed up with the good news. At that point, all I could remember was thinking about getting the opportunity to learn and perfect my game from Marc Trestman and Anthony Calvillo. Those two names instantly came to mind.”
Quinlan made a lasting impression on the CFL last November at B.C. Place Stadium when he led McMaster Marauders to their first Vanier Cup title under the watchful eyes of pro scouts and coaches. The 23-year-old then carried that momentum in March by being one of three pivots invited to the CFL Evaluation Camp. While he may not have been selected in last week’s CFL Draft, Quinlan wasn’t hurt and remained confident in his both his ability and chances of reaching the pro ranks.
“Nothing hurts more than missing a wide open receiver or leaving points on the board, when it comes to football,” revealed Quinlan. “They both feel different, but they come and get you deep within.”
By that measure, Quinlan has been virtually pain-free during the 2011 season completing close to 65 per cent of his passes to assist his 13 touchdowns passes with just two interceptions. The native of South Woodslee, ON attributes his breakthrough year in part to the three weeks he spent at the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ training camp last summer.
“It was a great experience and I was honored to have been invited to attend their camp,” explained Quinlan. “I was able to attend all of the team meetings, live in residence with the guys, and just be around pro football.”
Despite the fact that this will mark his second CFL training camp in as many years, Quinlan understands that he’s competing for a roster spot on a talented depth chart.
“Nothing is going to be easy and I’m no vet by any means,” shrugged Quinlan. “I’m just a rookie who is looking to absorb as much information as possible from CFL legend Anthony Calvillo and guys like Adrian McPherson. Plus, I’m a huge fan of those two players.”
With a year of CIS eligibility remaining, Quintan has kept in close contact with his Marauders teammates. While the offseason has been a grind juggling football and work, Quinlan still found the time to poke fun at his new teammate and national championship runner-up with the Rouge et Or, Patrick Lavoie“.
I’m sure Patrick has had the time to get over the fact that McMaster won the 47th Vanier Cup,” laughed Quinlan. “He’s had his fair share of success down in Laval and his two championship rings reflect the type of player he is and the talent that Quebec possesses.”
