Quote:
Dominic Picard retired on Friday. Now, the Alouettes could be staring at four potential changes on their offensive line when the regular season begins.
With regular centre Luc Brodeur-Jourdain recovering from winter knee surgery that will sideline him indefinitely, the Als signed Picard as a free-agent from Winnipeg — never expecting he would retire six days into training camp.
The obvious move on the weekend was to shift Kristian Matte from left guard to centre. Matte, a former Concordia Stinger entering his seventh season, all with the Als, was Brodeur-Jourdain’s backup.
But that move created a domino effect. When the Als scrimmaged on Saturday morning at Bishop’s University, Matte was at centre; Philip Blake moved from right to left guard; and rookie Philippe Gagnon was starting at right guard. Gagnon was the Als’ first-round (second overall) draft choice last month.
Jacob Ruby, a first-round (eighth overall) draft choice last year, remains at left-tackle. Ruby, who started one game in 2015, is the potential replacement for Josh Bourke, who signed with Toronto as a free agent. For now, only right-tackle Jeff Perrett remains in the same position he occupied last season.
“It is a difference, of course. I’ve been ready for it the last few years,” said Matte, himself a former first-round (seventh overall) draft choice in 2010. “It’s just another opportunity to show what I can do. I’ve done it before, so it’s not a stressful thing. You work on it hard in practice. If you have to use it, you do. If you don’t, it’s in your back pocket.”
Not only does the centre touch the ball on every play, he must be more conscious of the defensive looks, since he’s the lineman responsible for making the calls, depending on what he sees from the opposition.