MontrealAlouettes.com
LENNOXVILLE – You had questions. Jim has answers.
Here’s the first round of replies from GM Jim Popp’s special training camp mailbag, straight from Alouettes HQ on the campus of Bishop’s University in the Eastern Townships.
#Alouettes GM @PoppJim answered your questions in the 1st edition of his training camp mailbag http://t.co/vrS2g1TZdB pic.twitter.com/Zmv3CttCtT
— Montreal Alouettes (@MTLAlouettes) June 3, 2014
Got a question that you’d like answered? Submit it during training camp by clicking here, or via the form below.
Jordan from Montreal, QC asks:
Q: How do you see the quarterback situation playing out this year?
A: Troy with the edge over Tanner because of him starting at the end of last season, but it will be a battle during training camp.
Sheldon from Montreal, QC asks:
Q: When recruiting Americans, do you prefer it when they have pro experience or when they come straight from college?
A: Both have a benefit. Players with pro experience are more ready to play now while those straight from college are usually developmental and make up most of the practice roster. They’re also usually better contracts for the salary cap.
Diane from Missouri City, TX asks:
Q: Will Tyron Carrier have a great year?
A: Tyron has the ability to be one of the most explosive players in the CFL. He set a NCAA record for the most kick-off returns for a TD in a single season. He was an outstanding receiver at Houston and also ran on the 4×4 track team. He admitted himself last year that he was burned out, but he was playing in a different league when we signed him last off-season. He played in over 30 games last year.
Danielle from Montreal, QC asks:
Q: Will Kyries Hebert play this season?
A: Yes, we expect Kyries to play. It’s his job to lose at Will Linebacker, but he is looking great after two days of training camp.
George from Montreal, QC asks:
Q: Hi Mr. Popp. First of all, thanks for all the great years that you and the organization have given us fans. My question: Is it easier or harder to GM, coach, and play in a league with so few teams compared to the NFL because you are always playing the same teams, coaches, and players?
A: Thank you for your kind comments. To answer your question: it can be very difficult to beat the same team when playing them 3 to 4 times in a season. On the other hand, it can make it easier to prepare because there is only so much the other team can do to change and adjust. Most football games come down to execution of plays, taking advantage of big play opportunities on either side of ball, limiting penalties at crucial times, winning the turnover battle, staying mentally focused, not taking the other team for granted, and having luck on your side when it comes to having limited injuries. All pro teams can beat one another, no matter what each team’s record is.
Richard from Montreal, QC asks:
Q: Who has the final say as to a player making the team. I know that the cap always comes into play but if the head coach says he wants player A and the GM says player B is just as good but cheaper… Who gets the final say?
A: I have had the final say and control of personnel on the roster throughout my career in Montreal. The way I function though is to let everyone have their say, starting with position coaches, to coordinators, to the head coach, and even what the scouting staff thinks. Probably 99 percent of the time, I let the head coach and his staff play with the guys they want to play with. I have been in those shoes several times and always want them to feel like they get what they want in order to give our team the best chance to win. I do not want to hear a coach say that he didn’t have the players he wanted and that is why we didn’t win a game. These are very thorough conversations which are ongoing during the entire week or in the off-season, in order to give us the best chance to win. Most of the time, if I do not agree, I will keep a player on the reserve or practice roster, so we do not lose him and they are ready to go if needed. Examples of this would be S.J. Green and Duron Carter. These guys were not the coaches’ first choices (probably because we had a solid receiver corps or a veteran receiving corps that we didn’t want to disrupt) but I had strong feelings about them, so we kept them around and groomed them until they got their chances.
Denis from Mirabel, QC asks:
Q: Some players that were signed to 2-year contracts a couple of weeks ago have already been released! Do the Alouettes buy back their contracts?
A: Denis, there are no guaranteed contracts in football, be it in the CFL or the NFL. The only guarantee is money upfront, like a signing bonus. Even though a player signs a 3- or 4-year contract, they can be cut out of it at anytime. Unless the player makes the active roster after training camp, they are owed none of the money that their contract states.
Patrick from Montreal, QC asks:
Q: What does it take to be a scout for the Alouettes?
A: Passion to work in the business as though it’s your own team, knowledge and understanding of the game, a great work ethic, and the ability to be a team player and understand that you are not bigger than the job that you are being asked to do. Also, a person who likes to have fun and can carry out their duties with a smile.
Alan from Dundas, ON asks:
Q: Mr. Popp, will we be pleased with our defence again this year?
A: Our goal is to build off of last year’s great defense and find ways to get better. We have identified areas of weaknesses and are in pursuit of fixing those problems. The entire starting defense is back except for 2 players, and the players who are projected to fill those spots have been with the team for a number of years and have also started. I am pretty sure Coach Thorpe has something new up his sleeve.
Tim from Montreal, QC asks:
Q: The Als have always had a great contingent of former Arena Football League players. How did the Als’ relationship become so close with that league that the Als continue to sign their talent?
A: Tim, I have had contacts with the AFL since its conception (I am friends with a number of Head Coaches). We have sent quadruple the players to the AFL than we have ever actually signed from the AFL. Obviously, we have had great success with a few players, especially our two starting halfbacks in Billy Parker and Jerald Brown. We actually worked out Billy coming out of college but the coaching staff didn’t think he could make the team, so we didn’t sign him. I kept my tabs on him as he ended up signing and playing with the Carolina Panthers first and then with the AFL. We pounced on both players when the AFL was folding and have had great success with both, including multiple Grey Cup appearances. Billy I knew from college and Jerald played for a coach that I coached with from the World League of American Football (later known as NFL Europe). So we had good insights on both players. There are certain positions in the AFL that train players well for the CFL. The AFL picked up the CFL rule for running motion, so players like Billy and Jerald were well-trained on how to play the motion before they came to the CFL. Now watch out for DB Chris Smith who we added to the training camp roster, he is a player!
