MontrealAlouettes.com
SHERBROOKE – After a busy off-season at the running back position, Brandon Whitaker is finally back, but this time he’s got some company — and competition — in the Alouettes backfield in both veterans and newcomers alike.
The battle among running backs for one of the few roster spots available continues to be one of the more intriguing story lines coming out of camp as it’s becoming increasingly rare that teams go through the season relying on just one back.
The Alouettes called on, count ’em, five tailbacks last year, all of whom contributed and this year could be more of the same.
“The more choices we have the better,” explained Alouettes General Manager Jim Popp of the depth at running back. “Competition is a good problem to have. The decision will be harder to make, but we would rather have tough decisions to make than be scrambling to find a suitable tailback.”
Right now it’s a seven-man show as veterans Whitaker, Chris Jennings, Dahrran Diedrick and Jerome Messam, as well as CFL rookies Dominic Rhodes, Rodney Stewart and Steven Lumbala are all doing their part to make that tough decision even more difficult. Jack of all trades Noel Devine, meanwhile, is lining up at receiver, tailback and returner, adding to the backfield by committee.
With the team prepping for Thursday’s pre-season opener at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Jennings, who ended the 2012 season’s final three games as the starter, is expected to get the nod once more at Percival Molson Stadium.
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“Projected starters are normally players who occupied those jobs at the end of last season,” added Popp. “As far as Brandon Whitaker is concerned we don’t want to rush his return. He looks fine and as long as he continues on this same path over the next few weeks, he might have a shot at being the starter. We’ll see how it shakes down in practice.”
Jennings combined for 497 offensive yards in just eight regular season games after rejoining the Alouettes last September, having been in Montreal previously in 2008 and 2009 before being released so that he could pursue an opportunity with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.
Canadian tailback Jerome Messam, for his part, has shown over his career with Edmonton that he’s got the ability to be a feature back in the CFL. The six-foot-three 245-pounder was named the league’s top Canadian in 2011 when he became the first non-import to rush to more than 1,000 yards since Sean Millington in 2000, racking up 1,057 yards and six touchdowns on 195 carries.
Both Jennings and Messam run with the same ferocity and have the size and athleticism to be dominant forces running the ball down the middle, but with the CFL always going to be a pass-first league, there’s also a reason why Rhodes, a third-down specialist in the NFL, was signed recently.
“I work good in space. I’m quick and I can catch the ball which fits the CFL game perfectly,” elaborated Rhodes. “I’m going to continue working hard and hopefully that can guarantee me some snaps and allow me to see the field. I’m excited to see what happens next and where the cards fall. Like I always say, there’s only one football, so let’s see who can run it the best.”
