The Concordia Stingers football team conceded their worst result of the year, getting shutout by the Laval Rouge et Or in a 74-0 loss.
“Pretty simple, we need to play better,” said Stingers head coach Brad Collinson in an email to The Concordian. “This was not our best game in all [three] facets offense/defense/special teams. Credit to Laval and their game plan. They were coming off a bye week and they clearly studied us. We had a good plan but didn’t execute it to the level that we needed.”
The team struggled at every aspect of the game. Under center, Adam Vance went 8/20 for only 57 yards and an interception against the divisions top pass defense. It was a difficult game for the usually explosive QB, who was sacked four times. Sam Nadon led the receivers with 20 yards on three catches, and Kevin Foster racked up 52 rushing yards on 7 attempts. Foster collected 152 total yards thanks to his work on the kick return. So far this year, the team has only scored 77 points, the least in the division.
“We need to go back and just coach up our kids,” said Collinson. “We have a good group of coaches that are proud people and I know that this loss will only fuel us to work harder.”
The Stingers defense was left out to dry, facing wave after wave of Rouge et Or offense. Derek Achaempong and Willaim Benoit led the team with 6.5 tackles apiece. The team has allowed 146 points, the most in the division at the time of publication.
Laval rookie QB Thomas Bolduc threw for 252 yards, going 23/30 with three TDs. Concordia’s division worst rush defense continued to struggle, unfortunately this week they were up against the divisions best rushers, giving up 286 yards on 38 attempts and allowing four touchdowns.
“The whole team needs to step up,” said Collinson. “That’s the great thing about football. Everyone needs to do their 1/12th for us to be successful. Not one player is going to make a difference we need everyone playing to their level and doing their job each and every play.”
With only two games remaining in the season, the Stingers are currently tied for last place in the RSEQ with the Sherbrooke Vert et Or, their opponent next week. It hasn’t been an ideal season as of yet, but with the volatility we’ve seen in this division, playoffs still aren’t out of the question. If the team can win the next two games, it’s not unreasonable to hope for that elusive playoff spot.
“I hope that we can grow as a team and look ourselves in the mirror and be honest with ourselves,” said Collinson. “That was not the Concordia Stingers that we saw last week and we need to play on a more consistent level.”
Concordia will take on Sherbrooke on October 12th in Sherbrooke. Their last game of the season will be at home against McGill.
Defensive coordinator Ed Philion. Photo by Laurence B.D.
Concordia Stingers linebackers Jersey Henry and Sam Brodrique travelled to Ottawa this summer to take part in the annual U Sports East-West Bowl; a game meant to be a showcase of the top draft-eligible U Sports players in Canada.
“Good players never half-ass, they always run, they always try to make good plays,” said Brodrique. “Even when [those players] are opposite of the play, they’re always on the ball. That’s what good players do and that’s what we need to do on defence.
This isn’t a normal season for the Stingers. They’re in the middle of head coach Brad Collinson’s first true season at the helm after being hired late summer 2018. This year, he cleaned house and hired an entirely new coaching staff.
So far, at 1-4, the season has had its ups and downs. On offence, quarterback Adam Vance has emerged as a top playmaker in U Sports, even claiming offensive player of the week in Week 5. James Tyrrell is currently the most dangerous receiver in the division. On special teams, Kevin Foster has been one of the most dynamic returners in the RSEQ, and the kicking duo of Andrew Stevens and Bradley James Santos has helped put points (and wins) on the board for the team.
The learning curve on defence has been a little different. While players like Brodrique, Henry, Wael Nasri, Khadeem Pierre, former fullback Yassir Laarais, and Zamaad Gambari are enjoying solid individual seasons, the whole defence as a unit has struggled. The Stingers are currently ranked last in the RSEQ in both pass and rush defence.
Enter Stingers defensive coordinator Ed Philion.
The coach’s resume includes playing and coaching experience to the team. He played in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers, and an eight-year stint with the Alouettes of the CFL, where he played with Collinson in 2003.
Philion’s won two Grey Cups, the first in 2002 as a player and the second in 2015 as a coach with the Edmonton Eskimos. After retiring as a player, Philion travelled North to the CFL, coaching with the Toronto Argonauts, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Edmonton Eskimos. His experience is part of the reason the team responds well to him.
“Our coaches do a really good job translating the game plan, and making sure terminology isn’t too choppy,” said Henry. “All of our coaches having experience playing in the NFL, CFL, playing at that level that we all aspire to play at. Any time our coaches have anything to say, we listen.”
Now Philion’s job includes trying to shut down some of the strongest teams in Canada. After starting the season 0-3, Philion was adamant that he was trying to build the foundations of a winning squad.
“We just want to get better each game and build off of [the games],” explained Philion. “The last two games [against Laval and Montreal] we didn’t play well, so we’re looking to bounce back and we’ve focused a lot on teaching technique.”
For Henry and Brodrique, the goal for the rest of the season is to establish the defence’s gameplan, and that includes playing with speed.
“Everyone knows that our game plan is to bring pressure, it’s no secret,” said Henry. “For us it’s just making sure that we’re hitting our gaps and making sure that we’re doing everything that’s going to help our teammates make plays if we’re not the ones making plays.”
“We’re not a big team, we’re a fast team,” explained Brodrique. “We’re not just going out there to give a good game, we’re trying to win.”
Stingers record stands at 1-4 with three games remaining
The Concordia Stingers football team came close to beating the Université de Montreal Carabins. Again.
The 20-17 loss at UDEM’s Cepsum Field pushes the Stingers record to 1-4 with only three games remaining in the season. In the two team’s first meeting ended in a 10-3 Carabins win.
“We are a good football team that’s why these games are close,” said head coach Brad Collinson after the game. “When we stick together, good things happen.”
Quarterback Adam Vance has really come into his own as the season’s progressed, and Friday night was just another example of that. The American went 24/36 for 343 yards and a TD.
“The joy of playing football has come back for Adam,” said Collinson. “He has bought in 100 per cent and it shows.”
His main target this season, receiver James Tyrrell, also kept busy all game. He hauled in 13 catches 174 yards. Tyrrell is currently the most targeted receiver in the RSEQ.
“James is playing like a 5th year player should be playing,” said Collinson. “When we call his number he is making plays and that’s what we need from him.”
Rookie receiver Jeremy Murphy continued to establish himself as a dangerous option as he collected 6 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.
On defence, linebacker Sam Brodrique continues his consistent play with 6 solo tackles, and Jersey Henry made 5.5 tackles and added a sack.
“Our defence played great and continue to progress,” said Collinson. “I’m very proud of them and the intensity that they are playing with.”
Montreal managed to stay ahead and take the win thanks to a 10-point 4th Quarter. Opposing QB Dimitri Morand went 22/29 for 293 yards and a TD. The Carabins added 127 rushing yards in this game compared to the Stingers 108 yards.
The Stingers will face the Laval Rouge et Or for the second time this season on Oct. 6. The last clash between these two teams ended with the Stingers on the wrong side of a 41-6 loss.
“We need to keep progressing and following the process we have laid out,” said Collinson. ”If we can keep progressing we will be ok.”
Archive feature photo taken by Mackenzie Lad on September 22, 2018
Stingers football claim their first win of the season
Where have I seen this story before?
Concordia Stingers at home against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or.
Stingers losing in the last minute of the game.
A packed stadium full of students and alumni taking in the game.
A last-second score to give the Stingers the win.
Stingers fans enjoyed an exciting matchup on Homecoming day. Photo by Laurence BD
All moments reminiscent of last year’s Homecoming game where quarterback Adam Vance threw a pass to receiver James Tyrrell in the endzone with no time left on the clock to win.
This year, the heroics belong to first-year kicker Bradley James Santos who put up the winning 36-yard field goal to give the Stingers the walk-off win in a 37-35 result that gave the Stingers their first win of the season.
“Everything was silent around me,” said Santos. “I knew my team was around me and with me. The only thing I had to do was my job. We deserved that win. We know the other W’s are coming.”
The game wasn’t always that close though. Early on, the Stingers seemed to be in control. Vance and Tyrrell were connecting all game, and their chemistry was evident. Vance ended the game with 426 yards and three touchdowns. Tyrrell collected 11 passes for 176 yards with two touchdowns. Rookie Jeremy Murphy was right behind Tyrrell with 82 yards and six catches.
“I’ve felt good all season,” said Vance. “We’ve been playing good, but we’ve struggled in the red zone and we finally figured it out this game.”
“It’s nice to finally prove it,” said Tyrrell. “We’ve always known what we can do, and it’s a relief now that we’ve done it. Adam and I have a great connection, it was almost routine.”
Defence also seemed to click for the Stingers. Linebacker Sam Brodrique collected 7.5 tackles, Khadeem Pierre and Zamaad Gambari caught an interception each and the team forced three sacks.
Samuel Brodrique collected 7.5 tackles and a forced fumble in Saturday’s matchup. Photo by Laurence BD
At half, the Stingers were up 20-13. Two touchdowns later, the Stingers led by as much as 34-15.
Then Sherbrooke took control.
The Vert et Or are a hard-nose squad, and while they may not have the most talent on the field, they’ll hit you as hard as anyone. Every inch feels like a mile against them.
The packed crowd at the Stingers Stadium saw as much, as the Vert et Or nearly came back to beat the Stingers with a flurry of deep passes, strategic play calling, an onside kick and penalties. When Sherbrooke QB Zach Cloutier found his man in the endzone with 33 seconds on the clock, you could feel the air get sucked out of the crowd. The Vert et Or struggled on offence at times during the game, but found it in the fourth quarter, where they put up 20 points.
But the Stingers didn’t quit. With the game, and potentially the season, on the line, Adam Vance showed up big. The QB first found Murphy for a 31-yard gain. Then, Vance connected with Tyrrell for a short gain. Another completed pass to Vince Alessandrini later, and the Stingers were in field goal range. Santos stepped on the field, replacing an injured Andrew Stevens, and drilled the ball far through the uprights. The team stormed the field and tackled Santos as the Stingers manage yet another late-game win against Sherbrooke.
“I went and hid in the tent on the sideline,” laughed Vance. “I was too stressed! I couldn’t watch. I just heard screaming so I figured then that we must have made it.”
“I knew it was going in 100 per cent,” said Tyrrell. “After practice we’re always around the kickers and I saw the distance and knew he had that easy.”
You could see the relief that the win gave the team. The Stingers now improve to 1-3. Breaking through for that first victory saves the season and gives the team a chance to push for that elusive third playoff spot.
The Stingers are away next week where they’ll play the UDEM Carabins on Sept. 27.
NOTE:
It was hot as heck, half of my face burnt, looking like Harvey Dent, and yes I know I complained last game about how cold and wet it was, but is it too much to ask for normal weather?
The Concordia Stingers football team has had a… tough start to the season.
With a bye-week, now’s a good a time as any to take a look at where the team stands so far this season.
Three games, three losses.
In week one, the Stingers showed up big against the UDEM Carabins, losing a tight game 10-3.
In week two against McGill, the Stingers couldn’t get a vital win. What could have been a chance to pick up a invaluable points for the team’s playoff hopes instead turned into a 40-14 blowout loss.
In week three, the Stingers played defending U Sports national champions, perennial powerhouses and straight up bullies in the Laval Rouge et Or. That game ended with the Stingers on the wrong side of a 41-6 result.
In the RSEQ division, wins against the Laval and UDEM are almost impossible to come by. Concordia last beat Montreal in a regular season game in 2008. Concordia hasn’t beaten Laval since 2003. Beating McGill and Sherbrooke is the key to making it past the regular season.
After splitting the series with McGill into two tight games last season, getting blown out by them stings.
Those have been the results of the games so far, with five games left (including one game apiece against Laval and Montreal), the Stingers still have a chance to make playoffs. It’s also important to note that Concordia has had to face Laval and Montreal in their first three games, two of the toughest teams in the country, let alone the division. The stats don’t look great, but it might be fairer to chalk up some of the team stats to a tough early schedule. It’s not far off to predict a lot of those stats will even out by the end of the year and the team finishing middle-of-the-pack/high in a number of offensive and defensive categories.
It seems like a good place to look at the team stats. After the end of Week 4, every team in the division has played at least three games. So far, the team ranked last in the RSEQ in: scoring offense, scoring defense, turnover margin (-5), rushing offense and defense, total defense, 1st downs allowed (67), sacks (2), sacks allowed (13), red zone offense (4/6) and red zone defense (8/8). On a more positive note, they are currently first in the division in pass offense.
New defensive and offensive coordinators Ed Philion and Alex Suprenant were given a tough gig to plan for Laval and Montreal so early in the season. With their upcoming game against Sherbrooke, the team has a chance to build some momentum.
In terms of individual performances, this season’s been a bit all over the place. Quarterback Adam Vance has thrown for 666 yards so far, completing 55 of 94 pass attempts for a 58.5 completion percentage, slightly above his 56.4 per cent completion rate from last season. But so far, no touchdown passes yet. He’s also thrown four interceptions. Tough to blame him, he’s been sacked 13 times in just three games, most of any quarterbacks in the division. And when he’s not getting sacked, he’s taking hits as soon as the ball leaves his hand.
For the receivers, this year has been one of growth. The loss of last year’s leading receiver Jarryd Taylor, and Vince Alessandrini not dressing for games yet has opened up roster spots and more receptions for other players. Fifth-year veteran James Tyrrell has stepped up into the #1 receiver role seamlessly. Through the first three games of the season, he has 18 receptions for 252 yards. Rookie Jeremy Murphy has 14 receptions for 177 yards. Fifth-year Sam Nadon has 10 receptions for 115 yards. Again, no touchdowns yet.
The run game hasn’t caught its stride yet. Against Laval, in a game where the rain made it difficult to pass the ball and the run game became vital, the team only managed 36 yards on 20 attempts. Glody Musangu has been the team’s first-string running back for the start of the season, collecting 111 yards on 32 attempts.
Defense has also struggled so far, but again, they played Laval and Montreal. There aren’t a lot of teams in the country who have shown to be able to slow them down besides each other. Zamaad Gambari leads the team in tackles with 16.5. He’s followed by defensive stalwarts Jersey Henry (13.5) and Sam Brodrique (13). Wael Nasri and Khadeem Pierre have also stepped up, with Nasri recording 7.5 tackles in a gutsy performance against Laval. The rushing defense had a difficult time so far, allowing 585 yards and five touchdowns so far. That’s 195 allowed run yards a game.
On special teams, kicker Andrew Stevens has continued to be reliable and is 5/7 on field goal attempts so far this season. Kick and punt returner Kevin Foster has arguably been the most dangerous player on the team so far, and he has the team’s only touchdown. On 14 punt returns, he has 190 yards, including that massive 74-yard touchdown run that earned him U Sports special teams Player-of-the-Week honours.
As the team prepares for their upcoming game against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or, the Stingers are left in a difficult situation. They’re 0-3, last in the division, and their playoff hopes depend on them being able to win at least three games. At least one of those wins has to come against McGill in order to make up for their Week 2 loss. That playoff spot is still within reach.
The Stingers have had a tough start to the year, but their bye-week probably came at the perfect time. It offers a chance to regroup and focus on finishing the year strong.
As the second season of Brad Collinson’s tenure as head coach of the Concordia Stingers begins, a quick look at the team’s roster makes something extremely clear.
There are a lot of new faces on this squad.
The Stingers currently have 22 first-year players on their roster, with 13 more red-shirting. Three of those rookies are receivers.
If you’ve tuned in to the team’s first couple games this season, one of those rookies you’ve probably seen the most is receiver Jeremy Murphy. In the season opener, Murphy caught five passes for 95 yards. In week two against McGill, he caught seven passes for 58 yards. In week three, he added another 24 yards on two receptions. Murphy was last year’s RSEQ Division 3 Offensive Player of the Year thanks to an impressive season at Champlain College Saint-Lambert.
Alongside the first-year receiver are only two fifth-year ones on the team, James Tyrrell and Sam Nadon – both of whom have been relied on to provide on and off field leadership. Collinson spoke about the importance of building a culture of competition between younger and older players.
“Everybody is learning this year because it’s a brand new offense,” said Collinson. “We want to create competition, we want those young guys to learn from the veterans, and to have some of those young guys beat out those veterans [for roster spots].”
Murphy is joined by other first-year receivers like Tristan Mancini and Jean-Simon L’Italien. For Murphy and Mancini, who played together at Cégep, the chance to lean on the veterans around them has been invaluable.
“It’s pretty cool because these guys have been here a while,” said Murphy. “I’m next to (Tyrrell) on the field all the time, he knows what he’s doing and everything he’s taught me has helped me a lot.”
“There’s a vet on my left, there’s a vet on my right,” added Mancini. “As soon as I have a question, I can ask them.”
Tyrrell and Nadon have embraced their roles this year as leaders on the team. When I caught up with Tyrrell, Nadon, Murphy, and Mancini after practice before their match against Laval, the two fifth years were quick to praise their rookie receivers for their eagerness to be a part of the team and learn, including showing up for summer workouts before the season even started.
“It’s pretty cool that we have rookies that come in with talent and willingness to learn and get better,” said Tyrrell. “There’s an immediate trust on the field once the ice is broken off the field.”
“These guys are open-minded,” said Nadon. “When we tell them something, they listen. They’re two guys who fit in real good, real nice guys.”
On the field, the Stingers look to establish themselves as a contender in the RSEQ division alongside the usual powerhouses of Laval and UDEM. Off the field, Tyrrell and Nadon both talked about wanting to teach the younger guys to continue to be as open as possible.
“Be a sponge,” said Tyrrell. “For your first couple of years, it’s just about absorbing as much information as possible.”
As Murphy and Mancini continue to establish themselves on the team, the biggest thing they’ve learned is how much more skilled university game is compared to CEGEP.
“You gotta play with speed,” said Mancini, who caught his first U Sports pass in week three on a long 27-yard reception. “You can’t be hesitant anymore because everyone’s good here.”
“Everyone’s bigger and faster so you really can’t think twice,” added Murphy. “If you’re doing something, just go. Even if you’re messing up, you just have to go.”
The Concordia Stingers football team falls to 0-3 on the season after losing 41-3 to the Laval Rouge et Or in the 33rd annual Shrine Bowl.
“We shot ourselves in the foot there,” said head coach Brad Collinson after the game. “We missed assignments, we threw a pick…it’s unfortunate but we gotta regroup and we’re going to get better.”
The defending U Sports champs were quick to put points on the board against the Stingers. On the first drive of the game, Laval running back Vincent Breton-Robert ran 42 yards for a touchdown. Five minutes later, they added a field goal. Another five minutes later a bad snap resulted in a safety against the Stingers. They added a 27-yard touchdown pass in the first minute of the second quarter.
It wasn’t until midway through the second quarter that Concordia managed to get some points of their own to make the score 19-3. That would be as close as the Stingers would get, only adding another Andrew Stevens field goal in the fourth quarter.
At that point, the game was mostly out of reach for the Stingers. Then the rain started coming down at the start of the third quarter.
A field goal, a touchdown and a mix of safeties and the Canadian football classic rouge, and Laval took the win with a comfortable 35 point spread.
Despite the blowout, the Stingers did show some positives. They limited Laval to 13 points in the second half. Even as Laval extended the lead, the Stingers defence continued to tackle hard and pressure Rouge et Or quarterback Samuel Chenard. Rookie receiver Tristan Mancini got his first U Sports catch on a massive 27-yard grab
“Felt great to get the first one of the way,” Mancini wrote in an interview post-game. “Hopefully I can get some more and help the team win!”
Stingers QB Adam Vance was hit hard a number of times, but still managed to go 15-28-1 for 206 yards.
“We had a better second half,” said receiver James Tyrrell who caught five passes for 97 yards. “The game showed our character, that we’re never going to stop fighting and that’s a good trait to have as a team.”
The rain only got stronger as the passing game ironically dried up. Both teams handed the ball off at almost every opportunity. Laval’s running backs had a ton of success on the ground. Vincent Breton-Robert led way with 134 yards on 14 carries, with his teammate Joanik Masses adding another 114 yards on 18 carries. On the Stingers, the run game was less successful. Glody Musangu was only able to pick up 34 yards on seven attempts.
“We want to get to fundamentals,” noted Collinson. We’re a bit banged up right now, we’re going to go into our bye week and we’re going to be okay.”
Vance looked frustrated at times, and it wasn’t difficult to see why. A late hit in the second quarter forced backup Olivier Roy into the game. Roy was then pressured heavily on his first play, threw a weak pass that was tipped and then picked off.
As the rain finally started to let up as the game ended, the two teams shook hands and lined up for the Shrine Bowl trophy ceremony. Tyrrell and linebacker Wael Nasri were named the team’s game MVPs.
The Stingers have a bye week coming up, but are back in action on Sept. 21 at home against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or.
NOTES:
Can I just say that on a deeply personal level, I hate the rain? Cool.
Last season didn’t turn out the way the Concordia Stingers football team hoped it would.
Head coach Brad Collinson was hired last June to replace Mickey Donovan who left the school to join the Montreal Alouettes. With the season starting only two months later, Collinson barely had time to recruit players or effectively implement his system. The 2018-19 season saw the team finish 2-6, losing their last five games and at one point only managing five points over a three game stretch.
Despite this, last season showed some bright spots. Quarterback Adam Vance made some nice progressions under centre despite an overall difficult season. Maurice Simba delivered on his potential and developed into a top prospect, garnered interest on both sides of the border and was eventually picked 29th overall in the CFL draft by the Toronto Argonauts. Michael Sanelli was one of the division’s premier pass rushers, and was selected 39th overall by the Montreal Alouettes.
Going into his second season as head coach, Collinson is finally ready to make his mark on the program. He’s recruited 40 players for this season, with a focus on re-establishing Concordia as an option for top CEGEP players. Collinson also brought in a whole new cast of coaches, including hiring Alex Suprenant as offensive coordinator and former CFL teammate Ed Philion as defensive coordinator, both of whom are coaches with NFL and CFL experience.
Some of the other changes Collinson has made going into this season include introducing strength and conditioning for players during the off-season.
“It’s going to be different. We’re not going to reinvent the wheel, but we are going to do things a little different,” said Collinson. “We met with some high performance people at Concordia to see what we can do differently in the way we practice, and we think we’ve come to a formula that could be beneficial and make us healthier come game day, and also be ready to perform at a high level.”
There are holes to fill, especially on both sides of the line, but Collinson will have a number of core players returning this year.
“It was fun to be able to pick my people and bring them in, and we’re fortunate to have this opportunity to start over,” Collinson told The Concordian. “It wasn’t easy, but it’s what needed to be done.”
This year, with new coaches, a full year to prepare and a number of talented veterans and young talent, Collinson is hoping to field a team that can challenge the usual order of power in the RSEQ division.
Players to watch
Vince Alessandrini
The Stingers’ receiving corp is going to look a little different this season. Jarryd Taylor, the team’s most targeted receiver last season, has left the Stingers to join the Langley Rams of the Canadian Junior Football League. This means that Vance will have to look elsewhere as his top receiver from last season leaves the program. Lucky for Vance, he’ll have plenty of high end options as receiver, including fourth year Vince Alessandrini. Last season, Alessandrini missed seven games with an injury. The absence of the 6’2 receiver allowed defenses to focus on covering the rest of the receiving corps that includes guys like James Tyrell, Taylor and Yanic Lessard. Now, fully healthy and ready to play, Alessandrini is ready to step back up and show why he was considered one of the division’s top receivers before his injury.
Alessandrini collected 36 catches for 474 yards and a touchdown in his last full season with the Stingers back in 2017. The way he’s able to change directions after a catch is a tool in his arsenal that can often turn shortcut back routes into long gains (in most of the clips you watch, Alessandrini actually does this on almost all of the short catches he makes).
Watch this catch here from a 2017 game. Alessandrini quickly cuts towards the middle back and causes two defenders to miss him completely. Without even having a chance to look upfield, Alessandrini gains control of the ball and shakes the linebacker covering him, as well as forces a missed tackle from the second defender by planting himself and taking off in the opposite direction. He then turns what could have just been a short six-yard gain into a first down right outside the red zone.
Adding to the impact he can have, Alessandrini also put in time as a blocker, often coming in from the slot to help the line with the pass protection. Alongside Nadon, Tyrrell, Salvail and the rest of the receiving corps, Alessandrini is likely to be given the chance to step up as the top target on this team.
“He’s a top receiver in this division,” said Collinson. “We have to make sure that we use him to his full potential.”
Adam Vance, QB
Vance didn’t have the best season among RSEQ QB’s, but he showed that he’s got the talent to make game-changing plays in clutch situations (see his game-winning corner touchdown pass to James Tyrell against Sherbrooke.)
For the positives, Vance was pretty accurate on a team that had difficulties scoring all of last year. Over eight games, he averaged 204 yards a game, completed 56 per cent of his passes (114/202) and rushed for 116 yards. Those all rank above-average in terms of RSEQ quarterbacks.
While Vance is probably better known for his arm and his ability to push the ball downfield, he was also given the chance to show off his vision last season.
In this play, Vance makes a solid adjustment after his first read is covered. He is looking to hit his running back in the flat but that pass got covered by the defending corner who is playing shallow. So instead, Vance shifts his read towards receiver Sam Nadon who is running a pick corner. Nadon breaks away from his defender and finds space going towards the corner of the endzone. Vance strings a perfectly placed pass to the corner past the double coverage, into the hands of Nadon for a touchdown that won the Stingers last year’s Shaughnessy Cup.
Vance finished second in the RSEQ in passing yards with 1635, trailing only Laval’s Hugo Richard. On the flip side, Vance only connected with his receivers for five touchdowns, second to last among RSEQ starters, while throwing a RSEQ-worst 10 interceptions. Are those stats indications of Vance’s vision, or were they systematic of an offense that couldn’t seem to finish off drives last year? Either way, he’ll be looking to improve his decision making and accuracy as he becomes one of the more experienced players on the team.
It’s a safe bet that the team’s new offensive coordinator will continue to focus on the pass, which means that Vance will have more opportunities than ever to showcase his arm – especially with a deep threat like Taylor as a target.
“He’s a fifth year guy, this could be it. It could be his last year playing football. He wants to prove to everyone that last year was just a hiccup in his career.” said Collinson. “He can throw the football, with a new offense. Starting fresh is only going to be helpful for him.”
Samuel Brodrique, LB
Brodrique has started every game since debuting with the Stingers in 2016, and he’s averaged 28 tackles a year over that span. In his fourth year, the Stingers will look to Brodrique to continue his consistent play down the middle, now as a veteran player looking to prove himself in his draft year. Recently selected to the U Sports East-West Bowl, the annual week-long event that’s a who’s-who of CFL draft eligible players, Brodrique has the chance to impress CFL scouts with another strong year.
“He’s an extremely bright football player,” said Collinson. “He’s maybe not the most athletic guy, but he makes up for it with his football IQ.”
Brodrique is a solid linebacker, with a nose for getting the right spots. Take this play from last season against McGill. The beginning of the play is a mess of players diving into the line on a full blitz. Brodrique jumps up and over the line to try to make the initial tackle on the quarterback (gets pretty close too). He then quickly gets up, snatches the fumble, and explodes down the field for a 70-yard touchdown.
Brodrique has the ability to maintain that steady presence down the middle, but is always on the edge waiting for the offence to make a mistake so that he can take advantage.
Jersey Henry, LB
Henry is coming off a solid individual season where he collected 41.5 tackles, finishing third in the RSEQ in that category. He joined fellow linebacker Brodrique at U Sports’ East-West Bowl earlier this summer as one of the country’s top prospects.
“He’s a quiet leader on the team,” said Collinson. “He lets his play do the talking, it’s almost kind of old-school. He’s a guy you build a program around, and he bought into what we’re doing here. He turned a lot of heads at the East-West Bowl.”
In his draft year, Henry seems poised to continue to pile on tackles and cause trouble for offenses. His best moments last year came when he used his decision-making and speed to split the line and rush the backfield, resulting in all kinds of chaos for opposing offenses. Look at this play where he breaks through the line without even being touched and reaches the running back immediately after the handoff.
Henry’s got a great eye, is an explosive tackler and rarely loses his man while looking through the line, often ending plays before they start. Add that to his ability to effectively shutdown receivers in man coverage when needed, and Henry is one of the most important players on the Stingers’ defense.
“When you’re in your fifth year, you’ve seen it all. The game slows down out there, and I’m hoping [Henry and Brodrique] can be the generals out there for us,” said Collinson.
5 Questions:
What’s next for Adam Vance?
Despite the results, Vance put up numbers that show the American QB could be about to take a big step forward in terms of production this year. Vance loves the deep pass, and he’s got the arm to sail the ball past defensive backs and safeties.
His completion rate was good at 56 per cent, and he racked up enough passing yards to finish second in the division in the category. That being said, Vance has a tendency to wait too long for his receivers to get open, and will too often try to force passes into tight coverage.
The receiving corps struggled to stay healthy last season, with key players like Vince Alessandrini (1 GP) and Yannick Lessard (5 GP) missing significant time. If Vance has healthy receivers and some more time in the pocket, it’s not far fetched to see him filling the QB void in the RSEQ left by Hugo Richard who’s now with the Alouettes.
Who will step up in the trenches?
After developing talented linemen over the past couple of seasons, the Stingers now find themselves missing key players on both sides of the line.
Offensive lineman Maurice Simba is gone, drafted by the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. Defensive linemen Michael Sanelli joins him in the CFL after being chosen by the Alouettes. Fellow defensive linemen Lukas Redguard was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the BC Lions before being released by the team in early June.
Those three were some of the most influential players on both sides of the line for the Stingers last season. With them moving on to the next level, Concordia will have to find new leaders in the trenches. New defensive coordinator Ed Philion played in the CFL and NFL as a defensive tackle, is a Grey Cup winner and was the defensive line coach with the Argonauts, Eskimos and Roughriders for the past six years. Count on lots of players getting reps on both sides of the ball as the team tries to find the right chemistry with a mix of veterans and young players. From a coaching standpoint, Philion has got the experience to help plug those holes.
For Collinson, the only way to see who will replace Simba, Sanelli and Redguard will be to see who steps up during training camp and in the early parts of the season. “It’s hard to fill those holes. We’re going to have to compete, make more substitutions, we’re gonna have to be fresh. I’m excited to see what these young guys can do.”
Who are the rookies to look for?
Around 40 recruits have been brought in by Collinson for this season. The class of highly touted CEGEP recruits is led by allstar running back Kevin Foster Verdier from Vanier College, who led Division 1 with 971 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 159 carries. Collinson described him as “electric, extremely fast, a good competitor.”
When Verdier’s commitment to Concordia was announced in November 2018, he said that he wanted to “shock the world” with the Stingers. For a coach who’s worked to establish his culture with the team through style of play, coaching changes, and heavy recruiting, those words from Verdier probably sound like music to Collinson’s ears.
Some of the other recruits for this year include quarterback Olivier Roy from Division 3 Cégep La Pocatière who threw for 1763 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 57 per cent passing. Collinson also recruited defensive backs Edwin Tawiah from Collège Valleyfield (“Smaller guy, but has a hard-nose for the football,” said Collinson.) and Louis-Philippe Leclerc from Cégep du Vieux Montréal. He also recruited the receiver duo of Jeremy Murphy and Tristan Mancini from Division 3 Champlain College Saint-Lambert, where they both racked up 527 and 524 receiving yards respectively. Murphy won the 2018 RSEQ Division 3 Offensive Player of the Year.
“We’re going to be young at certain positions,” said Collinson. “It’s exciting.”
How does the team reduce turnovers?
Concordia just couldn’t seem to hold on to the ball last season. They led the league in terms of turnover margin, with a -15. Vance fumbled four times, but he was also sacked 24 times, more times than any other QB in the division, so you can probably chalk those fumbles up to a lack of time in the pocket. That being said, no other team in the division held a negative turnover margin. If the Stingers want to reduce their turnovers, they’re going to have to give Vance as much time as possible. Unlucky bounces, dropped passes, and tipped balls were a part of the problem, but limited the number of times Vance has to rush a throw is sure to make an impact. Unless things really go wrong, don’t expect Concordia to turn the ball over nearly as often as they did last season.
Can they beat Laval?
The question on every RSEQ team’s mind, although predicting the answer isn’t easy. Laval goes into this season without previous star players quarterback Hugo Richard (Alouettes) and lineman Mathieu Betts (Chicago Bears, NFL). Regardless of who’s under centre or rushing the quarterback, there’s a reason head coach Glen Constantine’s squad just won another Vanier Cup, and that’s their unrelenting play and power to collect an obscene amount of high-end talent.
“There’s some big pieces that have left. That being said, there’s other pieces still around, some other pieces still coming up,” said Collinson. “Yeah, on paper we look at it as an opportunity to compete each and every week and I hope that we do, but we’re going to take it day-by-day. Whoever we’re playing that week, we’re going to compete at the highest level and see what happens. At the end of the year, our goal is to be in the playoffs.”
For Concordia to stand a chance, a lot of things need to go right. Vance needs to continue his development as a quarterback, the receiving corps headlined by Taylor, Tyrrell and Lessard will need to be stellar and the defense will have to make important stops after the departure of a couple key players. Wouldn’t hurt to have a bit of luck and a couple of favourable bounces either.
Final Thoughts
The 2019 season will be one of the most important in recent Stingers memory. Do they manage to bounce back and challenge for a spot at the top of the standings? To do so, there’s no doubt the team will have to improve, especially in the red zone, where they only converted on 52.9 per cent of their chances and allowed opponents to score on 86 per cent of their red zone opportunities.
If Collinson’s team can continue to develop, there are pieces in place that could at least start to shift the balance of power in the RSEQ. He’s done just about everything needed to complete a rebuild; Good recruiting and a new set of coaches with impressive pedigrees to accompany a strong class of veterans. If it comes together, the Stingers could emerge as a force in the RSEQ. If it doesn’t, another season caught behind the usual division powerhouses could be in store.
Marie-Philip Poulin (pictured) returns to the Canadiennes as captain after playing for the Olympic team last year. Photo by Matthew Coyte.
Les Canadiennes split back-to-back games against Calgary Inferno
With goals from Maude Gelinas and Sarah Lefort, Les Canadiennes de Montréal opened their season with a fast-paced 2-1 win against the Calgary Inferno on Oct. 13 at Place Bell.
Sarah Lefort gets ready for a faceoff. Les Canadiennes de Montréal opened the season in their new home at the Place Bell in Laval. Photo by Matthew Coyte.
Montreal played an offensive game with more fast-break chances than you could count. On the other end, the Inferno used their speed to work the offensive zone. Les Canadiennes just edged Calgary in shots, 20-21. Both goalies, Calgary’s Alex Rigsby, an American Olympic gold medalist, and Emerance Maschmeyer for Montreal, were tested often and were forced to bail out their teams. Rigsby’s highlight of the game was stopping Mélodie Daoust, the 2018 Olympic MVP, on three separate breakaway chances.
The Canadiennes played their first two games of the season at Place Bell. Both against the Inferno, this past weekend, they lost 3-1 on Sunday. The arena has been home to the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL) since its inauguration in 2017. The 1,500 fans in attendance weren’t exactly the numbers the team was hoping for. This could also be partially attributed to the Laval Rocket playing right before and the Montreal Canadiens playing at the Bell Centre downtown at the same time.
The crowd was more than enthusiastic, however, and the loud cheers filled the empty seats. For captain Marie-Philip Poulin, the move to the 10,000-seat-capacity at Place Bell is a sign that the women’s game is continuing to take strides forward.
“Women’s hockey is growing. We have the chance to grow the size of our arenas as well,” said Poulin, who was held pointless. “Hopefully fans will come to watch us. That’s what we want. That’s what we hope for. That’s what we want to grow for the next generation. For us, seeing little girls in the stands, that’s why we play.”
After playing three games at the end of last season, without earning a point, forward Hilary Knight recorded her first point with Montreal, an assist. She said she wasn’t thinking too much about getting her first point in her new colours. “It doesn’t matter. As long as we win […] The expectation is to win,” Knight said. “I wouldn’t expect anything less with this team.”
Knight joked she had only ever seen road signs to Laval, but so far the team’s stay in the city and at the arena has been positive. “I love [Laval]. Place Bell is great,” Knight added. “The energy is great. Les Canadiennes always have a great crowd. We want more fans to come and embrace us as the city’s team.”
Les Canadiennes will also play at the Complexe sportif Bell and Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard this season. Photo by Matthew Coyte.
With the (partial) move to the 10,000 seat arena, Les Canadiennes are one of the first Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) teams to make the jump to a larger rink. Place Bell is officially the second-largest CWHL arena, after the Shenzhen Dayun Arena in China, which can seat a whopping 18,000 for the Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays.
The Canadiennes are scheduled to play five more games at Place Bell this season, four at the Bell Sports Complex in the South Shore, and two at Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard in Ahuntsic-Cartierville.
The Concordia Stingers trailed for 56 minutes against the Vert et Or, but still won. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.
Concordia scored 17 points in final six minutes to complete comeback win
The Concordia Stingers football team were trailing for 56 minutes of their home-opener against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or on Sept. 8 at the Concordia Stadium. A touchdown catch by wide receiver James Tyrrell gave the Stingers a 22-20 win as time expired, and helped improve their record to 1-1.
Heading into the second half down 9-0, the Stingers’s chances of beating the Vert et Or didn’t look good. They had been held to mostly ineffective plays, and any time they gained some momentum, it was quickly negated by penalties and turnovers.
Stingers quarterback Adam Vance said that the team just kept shooting themselves in the foot during the first half. Head coach Brad Collinson was not impressed with how his team came out in the first part of the game.
“I told them they had to look themselves in the mirror,” said Collinson about his halftime locker room talk with the team. “They had to make a decision coming out to that second half if they wanted to play or not.”
The Stingers needed a last-second field goal to beat the Vert et Or last season. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.
Stingers air attack key in second half
The Stingers came out strong to start the second half. Vance was finally able to get his rhythm going and found chemistry with his receivers. Despite a slow first half, the air attack was deadly for the Stingers. Vance finished the game 20/34 for 441 yards and one touchdown pass. Wide receiver Jarryd Taylor had eight receptions for 258 yards, averaging over 35 yards per catch.
“Our whole offence [was clicking],” Taylor said. “We have the best receiving corps in all of Canada and we showed it today. I went into the locker at half with [one] catch. I’m the type of player who wants the ball in my hands every play.”
Sherbrooke made sure to vary their coverages to throw off the Stingers offence, but Vance was able to adjust and connect with his receivers.
“Second half, we definitely came out with some anger behind us,” Tyrrell said, who finished the game with 78 yards and that game-winning touchdown catch.
Sherbrooke didn’t rack up as many yards in the game, but they made sure to take advantage of any opportunity. Quarterback Joé Hudon finished with 108 passing yards and a touchdown, and running back Gabriel Polan had 55 rushing yards. Sherbrooke’s play-action wreaked havoc for most of the game, and often left the Stingers’s defenders losing sight of the ball.
Despite playing better in the second half, the Stingers still found themselves in trouble. They were only able to score a single touchdown and get one field goal in the red zone all game. The Stingers were frustrated when they were in prime scoring position on the two-yard line late in the fourth quarter, down eight points. Stingers running back Widler Exilus took the handoff from Vance, but contact at the line of scrimmage made him drop the ball. That fumble was recovered by Vert et Or defensive back, Anthony Chagnon, who took it 108 yards to extend the Vert et Or lead to 20-5.
The Stingers seemed out of touch, especially after such a potentially demoralizing play. But a touchdown run and two safeties later, and the score was suddenly 20-16 with less than two minutes left in the game.
This was Brad Collinson’s first win as head coach of the Stingers. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.
The Comeback
With 15 seconds left in the game and the Stingers in their own half, Vance used his arm to find Taylor. It was a 50-yard catch-and-run play that placed the Stingers on Sherbrooke’s 25-yard line.
With six seconds left on the clock, Vance snapped the ball, and Sherbrooke had four defenders deep in the endzone. The quarterback was forced out of the pocket, took a couple of steps forward, and tossed a high ball to the back corner of the endzone towards Tyrrell.
“I knew from the snap that I was going to him,” Vance said. “His vertical is crazy.”
Tyrrell leaped up, showcasing his vertical against two Sherbrooke defenders, and managed to bring the catch down for a touchdown as time expired.
The packed crowd exploded, as both fans and the entire Stingers team rushed onto the field to celebrate.
“I used to jump up and play ‘Jackpot’ when I was little, so it just came down to that,” Tyrrell said. “This is the stuff you dream of. It’s just you and the ball, you don’t hear anything else, you just have to catch it.”
For Stingers offensive guard Kenny Johnson, this was about as good of a return to the home field as he could have hoped. Johnson missed the last three seasons recovering from a serious knee injury which he suffered in 2015, during his rookie season. After three surgeries, he is finally back on the field as a fifth-year player. This was his first game back at the Concordia Stadium, where he suffered his injury. For him, the win meant a lot. “It’s amazing,” Johnson said. “I came back to a team filled with my brothers. I had my friends come out [to the game], my girlfriend come out. The crowd was with us the whole time.”
The Stingers will take on the McGill Redmen at McGill on Sept. 15.
The Stingers came back from a 20-5 deficit with six minutes left to win in their home-opener. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.
James Tyrrell hauls down game-winning touchdown as time expires
The Concordia Stingers football team managed to pull off a massive comeback as they beat the Sherbrooke Vert et Or 22-20, thanks to a game-winning touchdown catch by wide receiver James Tyrrell.
Heading into the second half down 9-0, the Stingers’s chances of beating the Vert et Or didn’t look good. They had been held to mostly ineffective plays, and any time momentum got moving their way, it was quickly negated by penalties and turnovers.
Stingers quarterback Adam Vance said that the team just kept shooting themselves in the foot during the first half. Head coach Brad Collinson was not impressed with how his team came out in the first half.
“I told them they had to look themselves in the mirror,” said Collinson about his halftime locker room talk with the team. “They had to make a decision coming out to that second half if they wanted to play or not.”
The Stingers came out strong in the beginning of the second half. Vance was finally able to get his rhythm going, and found chemistry with his receivers. Despite a slow first half, the air attack was deadly for the Stingers in the second half. Vance finished the game 20/34 passing for 441 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Jarryd Taylor had eight receptions for 258 yards.
“Our whole offence [was clicking],” Taylor said. “We have the best receiving corps in all of Canada and we showed it today. I went into the locker at half with [one] catch. I’m the type of player who wants the ball in my hands every play.”
Concordia needed a rushing TD to kick-start their comeback in the fourth quarter. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.
Sherbrooke made sure to vary their coverages in order to throw off the Stingers offence, but Vance was able to adjust and connect with his receivers. “Second half, we definitely came out with some anger behind us,” Tyrell said, who finished the game with 78 yards and the game-winning touchdown catch.
Sherbrooke didn’t rack up as many yards in the game, but they made sure to take advantage of their chances. Quarterback Joé Hudon finished with 108 passing yards and a touchdown, and running back Gabriel Polan had 55 rushing yards. Sherbrooke’s play-action wreaked havoc for most of the game, and often left Stingers defenders losing sight of the ball.
The red zone was not a friendly place for the Stingers, as they were able to convert only a field goal and touchdown throughout the whole game. This frustration came to a point when the Stingers found themselves on the one-yard line in the fourth quarter, but fumbled the ball. That fumble was recovered by Vert et Or defensive back Anthony Chagnon, who took it the length of the field to score, extending their lead to 20-5 with six minutes left.
The Stingers seemed out of touch, especially after such a potentially demoralizing play. But a touchdown run, and two safeties later, the score was suddenly 20-16 with about 1:30 left in the game.
With six seconds left on the clock, Vance snapped the ball, and Sherbrooke had four defenders deep in the endzone. The quarterback was forced out of the pocket, took a couple of steps forward, and tossed a high ball to the back corner of the endzone towards Tyrrell.
“I knew from the snap that I was going to him. His vertical is crazy,” Vance said. Tyrrell leaped up with two Sherbrooke defenders, and somehow managed to bring the ball down as time expired.
The packed crowd exploded, as both fans and the entire Stingers team rushed onto the field to celebrate.
“I used to jump up and play ‘Jackpot’ when I was little, so it just came down to that,” Tyrrell. “This is the stuff you dream of. It’s just you and the ball, you don’t hear anything else, you just have to catch it.”
The Stingers will take on the McGill Redmen at McGill on Sept. 15 in their next game.
Kenny Johnson needed three surgeries to repair his torn knee. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.
Three seasons after tearing his ACL, MCL and meniscus, Kenny Johnson is making his comeback
Kenny Johnson hasn’t played in a U Sports football game for the Concordia Stingers since 2015. Three years and three surgeries later, Johnson is finally healthy and set to return to the field to play in his last year of eligibility.
On Sept. 4, 2015, the offensive guard tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and meniscus in his left knee, an injury also known as “the unhappy triad.”
It was the home opener for the Stingers, and they were playing the Sherbrooke Vert et Or. It was Johnson’s second year with Concordia.
Kenny Johnson (#64, in background) injured his left knee in a game against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or in September 2015. Archive photo by Andrej Ivanov.
“Our kicker missed the field goal,” Johnson said. “The receiver for Sherbrooke caught it, so he was running down the field. I went running downfield to make the tackle, and a defender was coming at me. I didn’t see him. He blindsided me, and my knee just twisted and I buckled. I collapsed, slapping the ground […] The athletic trainers asked me to get up, and I couldn’t. It was too painful.”
“I wouldn’t wish this on anybody,” he added.
The Stingers lost that game 37-0.
It took a couple of days before the swelling from the initial injury went down. After getting an MRI scan, team doctors broke the news to Johnson that he had blown out his left knee.
“I was still in denial,” Johnson said. “Right in front of the doctor, I started crying. I straightened myself out, I called my mother—that was the first person I could call. I explained to her what happened. I was crying on the phone with her, saying ‘my football career is done.’”
ACL injuries are common for football players. A study in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine found that 213 players in the National Football League (NFL) had ACL injuries between 2010 and 2013. The same study found that offensive guards, like Johnson, have a significantly higher chance of suffering knee injuries than other positions.
Serge Savoie and Victoria Robinson-Mozejko are two athletic therapy instructors at the PERFORM Centre, a private research facility at Concordia’s Loyola campus. They said the average wait time to receive surgery for torn knee ligaments ranges from a week to a month after the incident, depending on the surgeon. Some surgeons will want to operate right away to reduce the chance of significant muscle loss. Others would rather make sure the athlete is building strength pre-surgery to better prepare for post-surgery rehabilitation.
It took Johnson six months to receive his first surgery. Since he is from Texas, Johnson said he had trouble working through the bureaucracy to get the surgery, which is why it took so long. Once he underwent his operation in March 2016, Johnson said the results were not encouraging. The swelling never went away. He watched as the team prepared for the next season, while he was unable to properly rehabilitate his knee.
Johnson had a lot of confidence going into that 2015 season, and had set high expectations for himself. Once he got injured, Johnson said he lost that confidence. Even though the rest of the team never made him feel like an outsider, that’s how he felt.
“At one point during the recovery, I was really depressed,” Johnson said. “I felt like I didn’t have anyone to talk to […] Anyone who goes through what I went through should have someone they can go to and ask questions to—somebody they can trust. It’s such a difficult thing to go through; you can’t do it by yourself.”
Savoie said watching the team start the season while still being injured is the most difficult aspect of the mental recovery for athletes.
“That season starts, and they see all their teammates going and winning and losing, and they’re on the sideline,” Savoie said. “They get a taste of what it’s like to get back [on the field].”
“The injury is all mental,” Johnson added. “There’s a physical aspect to it, but the mental part is so draining.”
Three months after his first surgery, Johnson went back under anesthesia so doctors could try to manipulate the area surrounding his knee to deal with the excessive swelling and scar tissue. Again, he came out of the surgery not seeing any progress. Johnson still walked with a bad limp and was unable to get back to training or performing the way he had before his injury. It took another six months of frustrating rehabilitation following his second surgery before imaging technology showed Johnson still had large amounts of scar tissue left in his knee. He went back for a third surgery in December 2016 and immediately felt a difference.
“As soon as I was out of surgery, I was able to walk out of the hospital. It wasn’t a perfect walk, but I was able to walk,” Johnson said. “An hour after the surgery, I got on the [exercise] bike for like 30 minutes. I didn’t go hard, I just took it easy, but I knew right away: ‘Okay, this is the surgery that did its job.’ I gained my confidence right back, just like that.”
The comeback began after that third surgery. It has been a long process for Johnson, and the injury caused him to doubt his future in football. He said he thought about quitting, going back home to Texas, and finishing his studies close to his family. But he said that would be “too easy.” As the preparation and training for the 2018 season continues this summer, Johnson has his confidence back and is eager to finally rejoin the team on the field. As a second-year at the time of his injury, Johnson felt ready to fill a leadership role. Now, he’s just hoping to fill whatever role the team needs.
“A lot of people know I can play the game at a high level; I’ve studied the game for a very long time,” Johnson said. “I just want to come in and be a team player first before I adopt that leadership role. If it comes, I’m going to take it, but for me it’s about what I can do to help the team win.”
