MontrealAlouettes.com
MONTREAL – There’s a certain level of mojo that every player must carry with him leading up to game day. Safety Kyries Hebert was reminded of that while standing in front of his locker with his new pair of white cleats in hand.
“White shoes give off the impression that you’re running faster,” laughed Hebert about his formula to success. “If you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you play good.”
With the start of the Alouettes 2012 regular season now just a day away, Hebert is itching to get back on the field after a one-year absence from the game he loves.
“I’m just excited to be playing football again,” explained the Eunice, Louisiana native. “I was prepared for life after football but then I got the call. The wait is over and now it’s time for me to show why the team brought me in. These guys have done a good job to get where they are, so the biggest challenge is to not let anybody down.”
Based on his solid training camp and five defensive tackles in his first two preseason games with the Als, the 31-year-old can temporarily let a sigh of relief as he has earned the nod from his coaches.
Perhaps best known for having spent two seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, playing 31 games and recording 57 tackles, Hebert made the trip to Orlando last April for the Alouettes mini-camp.
“Coach Trestman told me to trust him and work hard during training camp and the rest will fall into place. Now I’m part of a great organization that shares the same vision and goals as I do.”
Hebert has always secretly been a fan of the Alouettes and didn’t shy away from his memorable encounters with the team, having suited up against Montreal during his five seasons in the CFL.
“I always loved playing against the Alouettes,” admitted Hebert. “It didn’t matter if I played with Ottawa, Winnipeg or Hamilton, Montreal was always a tough team to compete against. I truly enjoyed the challenge and relished lining up against the best. Their team was always relevant.”
Hebert has been steadily following the team from a distance and expects continued success for the defence despite the changes from last year’s roster.
“I used to watch Dwight Anderson play and say to myself that we would be such a good fit if we were ever to play on the same team because we both bring so much energy out on the football field. Same thing can be said about Aaron Hunt and how he created havoc on the line of scrimmage. Now add myself and the proven vets already on this team and you have something special.”
Hebert’s 211 defensive tackles and 102 special team tackles over his CFL career aren’t all he brings to his new team.
“I speak a bit of French,” revealed Hebert. “I took French classes in school growing up in Louisiana since it was considered the second language. My family ancestry came from Acadiana, a region that is home to a large Francophone population.”
