1. KEEP THAT O-LINE ENGINE PURRING: It can’t be overstated how important the Bombers returning their entire starting offensive line will be heading into 2021, especially given some of the challenges and turnover their rivals across the Canadian Football League are already experiencing with that position group.
Not only to the Bombers have veteran tackles Stanley Bryant and Jermarcus Hardrick back, they have right guard Pat Neufeld returning for a 10th season and Michael Couture settling in for his second full campaign at centre. And then there’s Drew Desjarlais — the club selected him fourth overall in the 2019 CFL Draft and by the end of that summer he had settled into the left guard spot, starting 10 regular-season games and the three playoff contests.
Still just 24, Desjarlais is the youngest of the club’s current projected starters.
Here’s Desjarlais when asked to look back at his rookie campaign:
“It really does (seem like a dream), especially with so much time to look back on it. Such a crazy season, it was. Not starting the first games of the year and then getting thrown in there and taking over the spot and eventually playing in the Grey Cup, it was pretty surreal.”
Desjarlais, who finished up his general studies degree through the help of the CFLPA during the lost season, also spoke of his comfortability between his first camp in 2019 and now.
“The difference is crazy between now and then,” he said. “It’s just the composure and being able to handle myself and having a greater understanding of what we’re trying to do, it was definitely a huge difference.”
Asked to describe the personality of the Bombers O-line, Desjarlais was succinct.
“We’ve got a brand of just tough football,” he said. “That’s the standard that was set before I came here and l played for the Bombers. Just to follow those guys, play physical football, maximum effort at all times… I feel like I fit in well.
“The key was just playing tough. They’re always going to respect maximum effort and playing toughness at the end of the day. That’s what they’re really counting on you for.”
2. OUCH REPORT: Tough news for the Bombers and WR Blake Jackson on Wednesday, as head coach Mike O’Shea made official what many had suspected when the receiver was carted off the field near the end of practice on Sunday.
“He’s done for the season, he’s had surgery and he’s gone home,” said O’Shea. “He tore his Achilles, unfortunately, in a walk-through type setting.”
Jackson, who was having an excellent camp, is the second Bomber to be lost for the year with an Achilles injury after defensive back Mercy Maston also went down a week before him.
The Bombers injured list is shrinking as the regular-season nears. Getting a rest on Wednesday were DE Jackson Jeffcoat, FB Mike Miller, LB Kyrie Wilson and WR/KR Charles Nelson. Still on the mend are RB Andrew Harris, WR Darvin Adams, DB Alden Darby and WR Brendan O’Leary-Orange.
3. MAKE SOME NOISE: The Bombers began preparations for what is expected to be a large crowd for the CFL’s 2021 regular-season opener on August 5th by practising for a stretch on Wednesday with the pumped-in noise through the PA system.
“There’s going to be certain points of the game where there’s crowd noise for both sides,” said O’Shea. “As much as we know that our fans are the most-intelligent fans in the league, there’s going to be points in time where they’re cheering on the beer snake or something like that and the next thing you know our offence is out there running plays.
“We’ve got to deal with the distraction. We’ve been good with it and over the last number of years we’ve been well prepared no matter what stadium we go into it and what it holds in store for us in terms of noise. We might as well go ahead and prepare for noise when the offence is out there in our own stadium, by chance. It’s not that I expect it, but we’ve got to be prepared.”
4. COUNTING DOWN: It’s been a long time since fans have seen the Blue Bombers play at home, dating back to October 25, 2019 and a 29-28 over the Calgary Stampeders. We’re now eight days away from a return…
8️⃣ DAYS #ForTheW
📸: @TheRobOng pic.twitter.com/Oml2Or11fi
— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) July 28, 2021
5. JUST FYI: Those fans who have already purchased tickets to the 2021 curtain raiser — and those who are going to in the days ahead — have been asking about some of the changes around game day. To that end, check out this:
