 
Clipping of US-CFL Monthly, published on August 7th, 2012

### Four Downs

Published by Jacob Henriksen-Willis

at

Smashwords

Copyright 2013 Jacob Henriksen-Willis

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**Table of Contents**

Division One

Division Two

Division Three

Division Four

Division Five

Division Six

#  Division One

# Texas Gladiators

# Offensive MVP: Owen Hart, HB

# Defensive MVP: Tom Londe, MLB.

# Predictions: 1st in Div. 1

### 12-8

## Can you tell us your reason for picking Texas first in Div 1? What are the keys to a bounce back in your mind?

Texas coach Maurice Weedley was noticeably excited on a press conference after one of the training sessions, and when asked the question of the completely new receiving corps, he talked about rookie WR Adrian Fisher's intelligence, conditioning, and hands, which he said were "already fine-tuned and perfect". Weedley then changed the subject to undrafted free agent tight end Geoff Connor, who apparently "had a wonderful work ethic and power while running". Connor, coming out of Delaware in the NSL, caught just 28 footballs for the WildCats (Delaware), 4 of them being fumbled afterwards. But with the lowly Toronto University Energy, Connor was a force to be reckoned with before a late-season hand injury in his sophomore year ruined his college stint. The defence is still solid, if not better, after changes ran through the depth chart.

## Speaking of the defence, do you think anything big will amount of these little changes to the defensive front?

DE O'Laren Srena is big down the middle and packs a lot of momentum on just his first step. Srena has been ridiculed by skeptics coming into camp, as many believe that he isn't quick enough to keep up with the much quicker blockers and defenders of the US-CFL . CB Dallas Dowell has never found his way with the teams he was taken in by, Dowell has superior vertical leaping ability, but his strength and defensive instincts are something to improve on. These players both have strengths and weaknesses, and a noticeable impact is inevitable, but the question stands: what will the impact bring to the table for Texas?

## QB Havvi White is most definitely growing older, but now can capitalize on young receivers to take under his wing, will there be a big dropoff in production?

Well, White still can scramble like a legend, but he no longer can completely dominate a game with his feet. That may seem like a bad thing, but with new receivers like Diamond and Fisher glowing in the training camps, he isn't relied on to do so. The Gladiators may opt to send White away soon, what with the great new prospects now entering their State League tenures that Texas could capitalize on. White may not be the wise old wizard of the Gladiators' hopes and dreams, but if the receivers can learn from example, they might still be able to thrive in the offence. A problem could rise out of the fact that there are no other experienced wide receivers to teach what White does not know of the bare receiver techniques.

## Age is catching up on the defence, and the signing of Dowell did not improve that factor. Do you believe the coaching staff is doing right or wrong in the free agency?

I'm certainly not as knowledgeable as any coach in the league, so I can't really have much of a legitimate say as to what the Glads are planning. O'Laren Srena is just 25, but I don't think the signing of him was to get younger. Dowell has knowledge as to other team's schemes, since he's been to 4 in 9 years pro. Dowell still has the attributes of a man in his top form at 30. MLB Tom Londe has entered the prime of his prime at 26, but a meaningful dropoff will most likely occur in the next few years, due to the style of his play (fast, streak to the ball anytime, anywhere) limiting his role as he ages and slows. It seems as though ROLB Oz Donnelly has been around the league since the cotton helmet ages, but he shows no signs of not being a factor, despite the fact that his explosive days are long over. CB Jake Carlam's age is a big part of his game, but at 25, that problem is a long way from presenting itself. This may seem like I'm rambling off topic, but it just adds to my point that Texas is still good for this year and maybe even the next one, but will need to patch up the holes that will open sooner or later.

# Kentucky Ice

# Offensive MVP: Darren McQuaid, QB

# Defensive MVP: Dean Kovew, SS

###

### Predictions: 2nd in Div. 1

### 10-10

## QB Darren McQuaid finally got a reasonable running game to back up his passes last season. Will the receivers follow suit and step up their game?

The receivers certainly were a problem last year, but it still brought Kentucky to the playoffs. The GM did make a subtle change in the receiving lineups with the drafting of Keith Bell in the 3rd round, but more changes should occur for the Ice to become a powerhouse in the division. WR Jeremiah France bulked up over the offseason and should be better with holding on after big hits, and may not even be as vulnerable to them anyway. WR Ryan Baxter is showing signs of holding out this offseason, but to be honest, it isn't much of a problem anymore with the progress Bell is making and the new attributes of France. Baxter may just be cut if he continues to complain. McQuaid may reach his full potential at last with these minor improvements, and I know I say that every year, but this could be the year. McQuaid has flashed signs of greatness with remarkable throws and readings that even guys like France and Baxter couldn't help but catch and score.

## The offensive linemen were never an elite team by all means. But the standards that were set coming into the 2012-2013 Season were very high for them. Do you think that they have an opportunity to reach them?

I think they might. Guys like LT Cole Paris and C Rodney Jackson are agile and speedy for their size, and the line evens up with 305+ pound guys like LG Donovan Gordon and RT Johnny Theck. Japanese-born RG Yibin Oshari just came out of nowhere, so it's hard to tell just from training camps what his strengths and weaknesses are. But the coaches seem to like him a lot, so it appears as though Oshari will replace Jim Olsen, who received a bad sports hernia in camp and won't be on the field until Week 13. The linemen were excellent against the run last year, and matching that is now not only a goal, but a priority for the organization. Footwork continues to be a problem for them, though, which-if it isn't fixed over the training camp-will affect the pass blocking greatly.

## Going back to the comment you made in the first question about Darren McQuaid finally achieving his full potential, can you put a larger explanation as to your reasons to predict that?

McQuaid worked with some of Kentucky's quarterback legends like Hall of Famer Allen Hawk from the 70s and early 80s on and off over the offseason, and picked up some throwing tips and ways to read the defences. The game has changed since Hawk's days, but the footballs sure haven't, so expect some better spirals and more accurate passes from him. McQuaid has always been smart, and he has great touch on short throws. McQuaid has even better carrying ability, and the stats show it, with just 3 fumbles last year, one of them being a dropped screen pass. Cole Paris is the only starting lineman with considerably better pass blocking skills than it's counterpart, but Rodney Jackson and Jim Olsen are pretty average at both run and pass blocking, so it's not too unbalanced.

## HB Louis Glass is very clearly displeased with the Ice's decision not to give him a better contract this offseason. If he holds out or starts playing poorly, do you think Kentucky has enough weapons to replace him?

This is a worst-case scenario for sure, but it's good to be prepared for everything. Backup HB Bobby Shrenner actually has considerably better speed than Glass, but he can't hold on to the ball for his life and can't make the quick decisions like Glass is great at. Being an undrafted free agent last year left Glass a little desperate, but he certainly believes he proved himself better than just a $540 K a year contract. If there's one thing the offensive line is good at, it's run blocking. I probably hit that topic out of the park, but they really are. So if Shrenner can just hold on to the ball, he can really make up for the loss of Glass in the offensive scheming with his explosive speed, especially down the middle. Another factor that can come into play with Shrenner is that he doesn't need quick thinking when he's blowing by everybody in the openfield.

# Nevada Blaze

# Offensive MVP: Andy Falls, HB

# Defensive MVP: Riley Rischer, CB

#

### Predictions:3rd in Div. 1

### 10-10

## I see that you picked CB Riley Rischer for the Defensive MVP spot. Not that I disagree, but it is an arguable prediction. Can you justify your decision?

With his time in BC, Rischer has made remarkable improvements and is a much much better player than his former rookie self. Best known for his quick reflexes and good hands, Rischer has put up nice consistent numbers over his career, with over 8 interceptions and 15 passes deflected in every season since he was selected 50th overall in the 2008 Draft. Rischer has only had one practice with Nevada after being shipped from British Columbia for FS Jackson Shells, but head coach Ron Laker stated Rischer already has started to feel at home with the organization, so it appears to be unlikely that any lackluster play from him will present itself. Rischer fits in well with the 4-2-5 scheme that Nevada enjoys playing in, and is a pretty successful shutdown corner.

## Nevada finished of the 2011-2012 Season with a 14-6 record, winning the division. Yet still many fans-including you-take them in third place in the division. Why is that, in your opinion?

A lot of the fans believe the Blaze's offseason moves weren't smart enough long-term and short-term, and think that giving away MLB Justin Hunt was the wrong decision. I can reason with the trading of Hunt, but replacing him with MLB Jim Chapati just doesn't seem right. Chapati has never been a big role in any case, and has never played inside linebacker before, which is a pretty large difference from playing on the outside. Getting Riley Rischer is great anyway you look at it, but losing the rock solid Jackson Shells in the process evens the whole thing out. Trading away their first round pick for some cash was an awful move the way I see it, but as I've said before, I'm not a coach, so who knows what their plan is? The drafting of WR Ronald Edwards in the second round was a stalemate, since it's going to be very hard to fit him in to their scheme on offence, but drafting CB Jacob Renell will help their defence as he slides in well in the 4-2-5 slot corner position.

## Do you expect HB Andy Falls to make his first big step towards being an elite back this year?

Definitely. Falls started out as a last-ditch replacement for A.J Johnston, but came out of the 2011-2012 Season with some better stats than Johnston, the guy who he "couldn't replace" according to the media. Falls showed footwork like you wouldn't believe, and made up for his lack of running power by dominating with his pass blocking. He does need to work on his care for his body, since he tends to lay it all out on the line for every play. Falls barely missed his first 1,500 yard season last year with 1,374 yards. That may not seem like an eye-popping stat, but when you take into play that he had just 278 carries (a 4.9 YPC average), it seems like a bigger number. At 28, Falls may not have much left in the tank, but if he can just improve minor things this offseason, Nevada could probably get around 4 years of dominance from him before he starts to let age get the better of him.

## Going back to MLB Jim Chapati, do you believe he can at least keep his starting job for the year?

To be honest, I doubt it. Like I said, Chapati isn't used to the bright lights, big role stuff that being a MLB offers. Chapati never reached the 85-tackle mark in 5 years, and only forced 4 turnovers in his entire career. Chapati takes the conservative way during plays, which is fine for an outside linebacker, but it's unacceptable for an inside linebacker role, especially in a 4-2-5 set. He also isn't very fast, which hurts his chances of stuffing runs in the backfield, something that Hunt could do to perfection. I shouldn't compare Chapati to Hunt, as one is arguably one of the best linebackers in the league, and the other. as I've said before, has never reached the 85-tackle mark,. Chapati isn't a very hard hitter, which also hurts his chances of staying 1st on the depth chart, since big hits are what force fumbles and make receivers drop the pass coming down the middle of the field.

# Missouri Billionaires

# Offensive MVP: Hakeem Tyler, (Rookie) WR

# Defensive MVP: Justin Hunt, MLB

#

### Predictions:4th in Div. 1

### 8-12

## Trading star HB Lance Trasverdé to PEI was a huge step for Missouri. Will it amount to helping them turn around the organization or just be a letdown?

That's a tough one. Missouri has all of the pieces in place, with the drafting of the skillful young WR Hakeem Tyler and getting MLB Justin Hunt from the Blaze, but sometimes that's just not enough. Colby Howise may actually do a decent job of replacing Trasverdé, what with his nice lateral movement and good size (6'2, 213 lbs.), and teamed with guys like RT Troy LaMark and C Gordie Wilson up front might be able to do great things. Missouri showed potential to get out of this rut that has held them for a long time last season, with a surprising mid-season run that put them in 4th place in the AC by Week 12, but a 3-game losing steak sunk their chances in the tight division. Fans are getting impatient, and are expecting a playoff run soon, after 6-straight years without a berth, so Missouri had better pick it up if they want their attendance to rise back to the top.

## Missouri depends on Justin Hunt on defence, but after a so-so year, he needs to play well for the Billionaires to thrive. Which Justin Hunt do you think will show up this year?

Personally, I don't believe Hunt is the only productive player on defence. I think he might be the best player, but not the only candidate. The Billionaires have reshaped the defence with guys like rookie DE Mitch Hecein and SS Joe Bishop, and can still capitalize on experience with DE Asante Serde and FS Tyrone Brown. They rolled the dice on this season, because if these guys don't fit together, it all blows up in their faces. Asante Serde is still the powerhouse he used to be for Toronto, and at 31, he still has a little gas left in the tank. Tyrone Brown retired 3 years ago at 34, but came back for one more year with Missouri at 37. He certainly is slower than his pre-retirement days with Colorado, but his legs are still strong enough to get some decent leverage out of them. Joe Bishop is a little undersized at 5'10, but that doesn't take away from his hard hits and speedy nature.

## The defensive line problem was fixed with the re-signing of Asante Serde and the drafting of Mitch Hecein, and the next glaring weakness is the secondary. Does solving that require more than just Bishop and Brown?

It depends. If CB Damian Christian can finally revert to his pre-ACL torn self, than maybe not. If he can't, it's a whole other story. CB Kyle Berry's style isn't a press/shut down corner type, but he's very efficient in taking the right angles to block off any passing lanes to his assigned receiver. Christian is also a solid non-shutdown corner, so maybe picking up a lockdown type won't be a bad idea any way Christian plays. Christian works well in zone coverage, which gives him more interceptions as a result, allowing Missouri to be a scoring threat offensively and defensively, something that won't happen without him. Brown provides experience and expertise, which will undoubtedly make up for his lack of speed, and can still can be depended on to wrap guys up for a tackle. Another guy like that is Joe Bishop, who is as reliable as anyone out there to stop big plays in their tracks and make the timely hit.

## How well do you think QB Fleury Donalds will fare with youngsters like rookie WRs Hakeem Tyler and Thornton Wannes?

With his intelligence and experience, Donalds could help Wannes and Tyler develop faster than normal, which is something that the Billionaires need to happen if they want to be a contender in the short-term. Tyler has sure hands, but often will get paranoid coming down the middle and drop the ball, and the same goes for when he returns kicks/punts, which he will probably do for Missouri this year, what with his amazing NSL-record 8 kicks returned for touchdowns with Oregon. Wannes is contently ridiculed for his bad fumbling habit, and that probably is the largest reason for him being on just the 3rd spot on the depth chart, but what they don't realize is that Wannes has every other receiving attribute covered, with average abilities in catching, route running, speed, and catching in traffic, and has outstanding acceleration and a forceful stiff arm any defender has to watch out for. WR Ernie Baker-Roberts has the rest locked down, with consistent play throughout his 3-year tenure with the Billionaires.

# Oklahoma Supermen

# Offensive MVP: Ollan Mackenzie, LT.

# Defensive MVP: Will Cratvers, DE

#

### Predictions:5th in Div. 1

### 4-16

## Both QB Grant Brown and long-time head coach Paul Smittle are on the hot seat this offseason after two-straight bottom feeding years. Do you believe that releasing them is a good move?

In my mind, Smittle has to go for the Supermen to make progress back to where they were in 2010. Brown, on the other hand, has done nothing wrong and hasn't decreased in performance at all since the "glory days" back in 2010. Brown still has that Havvi White-like knack for escaping the pocket, and after being consistently criticized for lack of accuracy, has been working on his throwing, which looks perfect in training camp. But still, Oklahoma is not even comparable to the dominant early 2000s Supermen who went to back-to-back NACs (losing both, on the other hand) and terrorized defences with precise passing and a powerhouse for a rushing attack. The Supermen seem to be in a deep hole dug entirely by themselves, and it seems like starting to rebuild is the only way out, and what better way to do that than sending Smittle (14 years with Oklahoma) out the door.

## HB Noah Brackett was a force last year, but a late knee injury ended his season early. Will the injury harm his ability to thrash defences this year?

Even if it doesn't, Brackett still has consistency issues to manage, without any back-to-back 1,400 yards rushing seasons in his college and professional career. An MCL tear doesn't ruin careers too often, but it is known to take the victim out for a while. Expect some kind of duo thing with Brackett and backup Ken Richards, who has made strides to become a trusty backup. If Brackett can be cautious of his knee while running, this may not be much of a problem, but his personality in itself is to throw caution to the wind, which may lead to a worse injury. That could just be a little paranoia on my part, but things like that happen. Brackett packs a big punch to anyone who attempts to bring him down, but when they go low he doesn't put up much of a fight, which also could lead to an injury.

## I notice that you've selected LT Ollan Mackenzie as the Offensive MVP. It certainly is a bold prediction, what with Grant Brown and Noah Brackett. What compelled you to make that call?

Mackenzie, being on 4 different teams in 6 years, now has a sense of urgency to become a big role in somebody's schemes. Being moved from center to tackle is a hard thing to cope with, but Mackenzie has an edge that most players in this situation don't have, which is experience, since he's been moved from right guard to center once before in the 2007-2008 Season, and he took it in stride and played like he was a guard all his life. Also, Brown is now on the hot seat, as was discussed before, and proved that he doesn't play well when the fans are sceptical of him when he threw for just 2,804 yards in the 2010-2011 Season after fans criticized his throwing accuracy. Brackett is coming off of an MCL tear, and WR Klee Wilde had a so-so year in 2011-2012, gaining only 892 yards off of 83 catches. Mackenzie as a great pass blocker, and has great strength and good vision/awareness on the field, always keeping his eyes open for any linebacker or safety blitzes to pick up.

## Oklahoma found its linebacker for the future in drafting MLB Brian Williams third overall. Williams certainly will affect the defence, but how soon will that boost come?

##

The Supermen may not care as to the timing of Williams' production, as the rebuilding ships are docking as we speak, just so long as he does make a reasonable impact sometime in his career with Oklahoma. The fans, on the other hand, would love him to be perfect right out of the gate. Personally, I believe he'll perform somewhere in the middle of those two expectations. Williams has a good build at 6'3, 238 lbs, and can clog any holes that open up in an instant with near perfect reflexes, great speed, and good awareness and intelligence. Williams' weak suit would be his man-to-man coverage skills. He struggles with focusing on the quarterback and his man at the same time, and is occasionally caught off guard with deep passes and/or quick cuts. Williams is a little injury-prone, and also will need to work on his tackling form to reach the next level of his game.

**Division Two**

# Washington Americans

# Offensive MVP: Rodney Jenkins, WR.

# Defensive MVP: Omar Deluske, CB

#

### Predictions:1st in Div. 2

### 14-6

## You do understand that placing Washington in first place in Div. 2 places them over the Dakota Ballers, whom some have predicted to win the NAC this year, right?

Of course I do. Washington made it to the NAC without any star players, and played well on bare fundamentals. The players fit very well with each other, and will be pushed to win it all this year after a heartbreaking loss in the North American Championship. They don't need to worry about dropoffs in production, as they've worked on placing in very solid backups who are ready at any time to step onto the field and play. They've worked with the 2 QB subs for Troy Baxter (Don Ankan, Owen Alex) to improve their pocket presence, which now makes both of them able to be a starter at whenever they need to be, and with the Americans substitution method, it'll pay off. Baxter was really broken up after he threw the interception that won the game for Ontario, and he put it upon himself to make it up to his teammates by getting back into the NAC, and with that motivation, Baxter may just be able to become an elite QB.

## The Americans were able to both re-sign HB Josh Thornton and acquire David Boone. They plan to achieve the same kind of dual halfback success that Idaho used to have with Allen Stevenson and Carlo Hall. Will it work out or just be a bust?

Only time will really hold the answer to that question, but I'll give it my best shot. The way Washington set this all up does rather resemble the way Idaho did it in 2008, but Boone has awful awareness, which doesn't often come up very often for a power back like him, but it can still take it's toll on an offence's running game. Thornton got scared when Washington signed Boone and didn't extend his contract, but in the end it all worked out with only a little bit of turmoil. I think the problem with this pair is their both too similar to each other. Boone is a little bigger, and does truck more often than Thornton does, but they both are good receivers, they both can't block very well, and they both are injury-prone, which doesn't bode well for a duo. That was the biggest reason Idaho's pair worked: Stevenson and Hall are complete opposites of one another, giving Idaho almost the perfect attribute in one for the right time.

## Washington had a real ho-hum offseason, without any real deals other than getting David Boone and keeping Thornton. Will that matter coming into the 2012-2013 year?

##

I strongly doubt it. I mean, they went to the NAC with these guys, for goodness sake! Aside from that fact, these players are a tight family and fit as well as anybody together. Baxter and company give Washington all the options it needs for a strong passing game, and Thornton can really explode when he wants to. The receivers may need a little more improvement, with no deep threats or big names on the lineup, but drafting the exciting Floyd Greene out of Wisconsin is a solid way to start. This season will prove whether the defence should stay intact or search for better options, as they've gone back and forth in my mind without much consequence, but the fog may finally clear and leave the defence either continuing to produce acceptable production or get burned.

## What makes you say that about the defence? Is there anything specific that you can point out?

##

There is. MLB Damian Porter still has yet to prove that he can be a force in the inside linebacker position, without any especially good talents. The pairing of FS Taylor Knight and SS Omar Deluske is a strong one, but they certainly do have one or two things to work on to stay on the high level that theyère at right now. I don't think anything drastic should occur, and I don't even believe any shifts or changes must be done. Nate Harris has dropped off a little bit from when he was a sure-fire starter in Georgia, but still has burning speed and a knack for ball-hawking. Expect Colin Wigit to break through and emerge as a nice pick for the starting FS, as he has most likely made full recovery from his concussion in 2010, and will probably be hassled this offseason to fix multiple very minor problems in his game, like concealing his eyes better, better tackling techniques, etc. The defensive lineman are a good group and have had success with each other over the years, but Will Davidson is a bad run stopper, without great speed or block-shedding ability, and Thomas Canderbie-Avarke still can't account for screens in the backfield the way the Americans would've wanted him to. The outside linebacker position has always been a strong suit for Washington, but losing John Lexman to Dakota (for David Boone, though, which does amount to a good move) and drafting the mediocre Quinton Ryan doesn't look good for the future.

# Dakota Ballers

# Offensive MVP: Nathan Plaske, WR..

# Defensive MVP: Reggie Mathis, CB

### Predictions: 2nd in Div. 2

### 13-7

## Dakota tried really hard not to fall back down to a middle-class team this offseason, and tried to shake things up with the decision to make Rami Jones their starting QB. Will their plan work? Or will it just makes things worse?

Going with the common thought, I think maybe this could work out. Rami Jones is a tough guy who isn't fazed by heavy pressure, and he's sizable, at 6'3, 218 lbs. His fumble problem has to be addressed, though. With his 2 years starting in BC, he led the league in fumbles with 24 and 26 respectively. But the reason the Preds kept him around was for his unbelievable arm strength and the ability to make something out of nothing whenever possible. Did Dakota go a little too far? Maybe, but not that far. Dakota had a right to worry after they stopped being the force they were the year before and had to fight for a spot in the playoffs for the first time in longer than I can remember. There might be struggles early to get on the same page, since Patrick Hatter and Rami Jones are two incredibly different players. Hatter is more jumpy when he sees the defensive lineman coming at him, and the receivers learned to account for that when they notice man coverage, and Hatter is a lot more accurate than Jones is, but lacks the kind of power Jones has at his disposal.

## Reggie Mathis pretty much single-handedly eliminates passing defence as a problem. But what about stopping the run? Will the lack of prominent run-stoppers be a problem?

##

I think that may present a little problem. Jerome Hart was never a run-stuffing kind of guy, but Dakota used to rely on their outside linebackers and linemen to stop any rushing supremacy, but in drafting Billy Reid and getting John Lexman through Washington, they've lost their better run stoppers. Hart is an intelligent player, and may be able to adjust to the different role, but what if the coaching staff doesn't think of the run and doesn't round Hart out? Once more, I'm being pretty paranoid, but anything can happen in the US-CFL, right? But what makes Reggie Mathis Hall-of-Fame worthy is his complete dominance over the defence, which means he can even stop the run like a solid safety would, which adds another layer to the question.

## Dakota may need an above average rushing attack if Jones can't make passing a first-choice selection. Can rookie Ron Helmuth provide that kind of production?

##

Probably, sooner or later. Helmuth isn't the type of player to erupt on to the scene right away, but the coaches were very pleased with his progression over training camp. He has poor ball carrier vision, but can react to almost anything in an instant, which will get himself out of the red a little bit. Helmuth is a pretty significant contributor on the passing game, whether it's with his blocking or receiving, which is one of the things that make coaches absolutely giddy on offence. Helmuth's main weakness, which assisted the fact that he was drafted just 22nd overall, was his frequent trouble with the law off the field. Helmuth has been arrested 12 times in his life, ranging from things like threatening a police officer to drunken brawls after a bar's closing. If Helmuth could stay clean for a while, Dakota could just have found its halfback for the long run. That may not have been what they were hoping for, with what you said in the 1st question about them desperately trying to still be a force in the short term, but it still has it's benefits for the organization.

## In drafting Joseph Barnes in the 3rd round, the Ballers made their third straight CB2 replacement. Are they just being impatient or is Barnes really the guy they were looking for?

Joseph Barnes has some starter potential, but is bad for over-aggression. I don't think a guy with Harvick Newman's talent and potential would just disappear off the charts and just float around in free agency; Dakota will probably take full advantage of Newman in the slot corner spot, or maybe trade him somewhere else where he can shine as bright as his talents allow him to. Barnes is really happy in Dakota, and should be playing his best football this year. Like I said, Barnes has trouble containing his temptations to just go for the ball whenever, occasionally even without help in behind him, but has a great vertical leap and good hands, which can allow him to do those kinds of things, but only sparingly. Reggie Mathis is, obviously, the starting cornerback, which-with his talents- evens out the passing defence no matter who Dakota has in the 2nd and 3rd slots, but it would be nice for the Ballers to not worry as much about the other receivers.

# Indiana Tigers

# Offensive MVP: Ronnie White

# Defensive MVP: Todd Cleary

### Predictions:3rd in Div. 2.

### 10-10

## The Tigers' most surprising move of many this offseason was having 2 running backs starting in the lineup, rookie D'Mar Aloquois and Rodney O'Donnell. What do they have in mind?

###

D'Mar Aloquois is an explosive, exciting back who can break it all the way anytime he touches the ball. If you look at his highlight reel, you could think he might be one of the best halfbacks in the league someday. But if you've watched him in Great New York or Connecticut, you could see why he fell to the 2nd round. Aloquois doesn't account for his strengths or his weaknesses, and just does whatever he wants to. That may occasionally let him break off 50-60 yard runs, but it also limits him to 3-4 yards a carry, since he will normally get stuffed behind or on the line the scrimmage. Rodney O'Donnell has just 102 carries in his entire 4-year career, but he averaged 4.4 yards a carry, with 449 yards altogether. O'Donnell has never been a starter, not even in the State Leagues, but played 5 games straight as a starter with Toronto in the 2009-2010 Season, when former-starter Maurice Johnson had a concussion. What are they planning? Probably the kind of thing where Aloquois gets the carries in their own endzone or between the opposing team's 30-5 yard line, with his explosiveness, and O'Donnell the rest of the time, with his nice work ethic and consistency.

## Some believe that Patrick Hatter, signed as Indiana's 2nd QB, will get some playing time this year. Truth or rumor?

I wouldn't be surprised if such things did occur, but at the moment I'm calling rumor on it. Hatter serves well as a starter, but Indiana expects a breakthrough from J.J. Smith sooner or later, and are willing to wait. Hatter lacks the talent Indiana desires, he isn't fast or very strong, and he doesn't possess any kind of elusiveness. Hatter may have the advantage in defensive reading ability, but Smith has that knack for losing defenders that gives him the edge in the coach's opinion. Smith led the team to a nice little Playoff Race run, but in the end, the Tigers were eliminated. With the experience and the new talent in the backfield with Aloquois and O'Donnell, Indiana could have a much better shot at the playoffs this season.

## The linebackers had an off year as a unit in the 2011-2012 Season, after 2 straight solid years before that. What will be the story this year?

The Tigers got lucky and were able to snag rookie Vincent Mason in the fourth round. Mason has a great speed and covering abilities, and complements that trait with an immense love for the game. He does have pretty awful footwork, but that is something that he can hope to improve on over time. Combine that with Todd Cleary, who is up there with the best pass rushers at the inside linebacker position, and Noah Zimmerman, who adds the experience and leadership element to the equation, and you have a pretty good excuse for thinking that last year's struggles were but a fluke. Adding to my point is Cleary's ankle healing, as it pulled him down throughout last season, and even forced him to miss 3 games. So the poor performance by the group a year ago may have just been a one-hit wonder, and I expect them to be playing with a real purpose this time around.

## How, in your opinion, will Carson Marsh affect the secondary in the free safety position?

##

Switching from a strong safety to a free safety role (or vice versa) is much, much harder than it looks. Strong safeties normally are the ones to come up to the line and go man-to-man, blitz the quarterback, or cover the running backs in the flats, while free safeties are the guys to go back in zone or sometimes playing a linebacker role. Carson Marsh was a strong safety, and being moved to free safety may result in one or two shaky settling years. But a change in role doesn't affect Marsh's imposing demeanor or excellent hands, and he could still be en route to a 6-7+ interception year this season. Marsh is a good fit for the Tigers, since he can easily make up for aggressive moves from the cornerbacks with his nice instincts and awareness on the field.

# Idaho Warriors

# Offensive MVP: Carlo Hall, HB.

# Defensive MVP: Osa Hohfs, DE

### Predictions:4th in Div. 2

### 10-10

###

## Idaho managed to slip out of the rebuilding shell with multiple well-placed short term actions this offseason. Which of the many were the most important?

##

You made a nice point on the rebuilding, and to answer your question: getting rid of Sam Gretchco, no doubt. Gretchco is the "keep the offence running well enough not to get cut" type of quarterback, which doesn't come in handy with a team that's making a push for short-term success. William Gorgenstrom, on the other hand, slides in perfectly at the role Idaho's looking for. Gorgenstrom isn't the type of guy to win the Offensive MVP, but can be trusted to maintain a steady passing attack through an accurate arm and rarely puts the team in danger with injuries. Gorgenstrom came from Georgia, a struggling squad, so he won't get discouraged if things don't start to fall his way. The media and fans weren't too happy with the loss of Gretchco, as many believed that this "would be his year", but Idaho is tired of rolling the dice, and a guy like Gorgenstrom, who rarely has consistency problems, is their dream come true.

## Giving away Allen Stevenson to Alberta was a tough loss for the Warriors. Did it have to be done?

Stevenson was bringing the team down with two straight seasons with under ten games played. Idaho liked Stevenson a whole lot, and who wouldn't, with his amazing elusiveness and above average speed, but they had trouble adjusting their playbooks and offensive schemes in the middle of the season to make up for his injuries. Remember when I was talking about how Stevenson and Carlo Hall were so different it made them perfect as a unit? Well, when one gets injured, you have to do a whole lot of readjustments to the system. The Warriors had a right to be tired of all that work in mid-season, when the guys have already learned enough over the offseason and are dog tired after their games. Doing that kind of thing is like choosing between two evils, do you wear out the offence and risk a dropoff? Or do you risk a total lapse in communication or play efficiency? So in my opinion, obviously, is think what they did had to be done, one way or another.

## Do you think Osa Hohfs will perform at the level in which he did for Alberta?

##

Osa Hohfs is right on the verge of being an elite defensive end. He's fast, quick, and a real struggle for offensive linemen to contain. Hohfs may have a few games without any real assistance to the defence, but he also has strings of games where he is the absolute opposite of that, seemingly generating sack after sack after sack. If Hohfs fits in well with the D-line, which I'm not too sure he does, he could have some of his best years with the Warriors. Even if he and the rest of the unit don't go together as well as the coaches hoped they would, Hohfs will still be an immense force on the outside, and could still improve his teammates with his great leadership. He may not fit in, though, as Rodney Willman and Darren Freeman are a tight pair, and barely know how Hohfs plays, since they used to be in different conferences, so teaming up and things like that may be a struggle for them with someone they can't tell what he will do.

## Only one question left, so I'll jam the two other moves in this one. How will Tristan Robinson and Nick Batin work out for the defence?

Nick Batin is a hard-nosed kind of guy, and certainly won't shy away from any tackle, which is a nice asset when you're playing punishing HBs like David Boone (Americans), Rodney O'Donnell (Tigers), and Chris Potter (Titans) twice a year. Batin isn't fast so much as aware, as he knows where the ball is going to go more than half of the time. Tristan Robinson does definitely like to play the shutdown corner role, but with Georgia he rarely got the opportunity to, with the Knights' abundant sources of lockdown backs. It's the opposite here in Idaho. With Ian Cherry still hanging tough, they have 4 zone cornerbacks, with just Robinson as a press tight kind of player. Robinson is a great fit for the Warriors, but may just not have enough to fully replace Vince Devrik like the organization hoped he would.

# Kansas Titans

# Offensive MVP: Noah Henderson, WR.

# Defensive MVP: David Lawre, SS

### Predictions:5th in Div. 2

### 7-13

## How could a team be so dominant in the 2009-2010 Season and yet be so nonexistent in the present?

##

The simple changing of a quarterback. After losing the NAC despite a playoff run for the ages, Kansas thought that shaking things up a little would give them the push to go back and win the championship the next year. How wrong they were. Fast forward a few years and here they are with both a new coach and a second QB change that put Henry King at quarterback, bottom feeders of the division. I'm not trying to imply King's starting job should be revoked, but he needs more weapons around him other than the lightning Noah Henderson. The problem is that the Titans are just too average now to really compete with the high-fliers of Division 2. The defence isn't something for opposing offences to gameplan differently around at all, and still are struggling to stop the run. The Titans still have their great road performances, going 6-4 there last year and 7-3 the year before, which is something to build off of.

## Does what Kansas is doing right now count as "rebuilding" yet?

##

Kansas is being very stubborn in that sense. Pretty much over three quarters of their defence from their NAC squad is still standing, despite lackluster play from the group in the past two seasons. Drafting Henry King last year gave fans hope, but no follow through was provided, since that was the only change that was brought. Gale Groeji leaving may seem like another step towards full rebuilding, but that wasn't the Titans' decision, as Groeji wanted cut for a better paycheck someplace else (in the end, nobody signed him, and he's still a free agent to this day). The defence did change a small amount, mostly with the linebackers, but will that be enough to turn the ship around?

## Will this linebacker camp thing actually work or just turn out to be just a publicity stunt?

It probably won't work as well as the coaches think it will, but amounting to just a stunt is very doubtful. There are just 3 players left out of 5, the strong Samuel Tyson, the versatile Louis Robinson, and the speedy Ray Prichel. Coach Rod Murphy was impressed by Samuel Tyson's block shedding ability, as he completely ran all over TE Alex Andrews and frequently stuffed runs in the backfield. Louis Robinson did not shine as bright as Tyson did in any case, and was often shut down by Andrews and couldn't make a lot of tackles. It was hard to tell how Prichel was doing, as he didn't make a whole bunch of stand out plays in camp. I'm placing my money on Tyson making the cut, obviously, but it's still an open competition at this point, and nothing is completely clear yet. It depends on who the Titans pick for the middle linebacker spot as to how it works out in the end, but I was trying to give you a look at how each linebacker could contribute to the organization if they make it.

## You made some good points on the linebackers. What about the secondary? Anything to say on the changes there?

I was waiting for you to ask about that. David Lawre has been up there with the best run stopping safeties in the league, with a sure tackling ability and good footwork, but Kansas brings him in to stop the run maybe a little bit too much, leaving rookie Ryan Thyhen all alone in the (defensive) backfield. When the Titans did that last year, Paul Simmons could handle being the only safety back, but just barely. With a rookie in that same position, it most likely won't happen as fortunately as that. Deionte Knight was a force at the cornerback position, and most definitely left a hole when he was sent away, but Carson Vickers is ready now for an upgrade in his role. Will Shanko, on the other hand, may not be prepared to cover the opposing team's best receiver, without blazing speed or a great bump-and-run technique, but he is rather smart, which gives him an edge over some wide receivers.

**Division Three**

# Arkansas Stars

# Offensive MVP: Antonio Fletcher, WR

# Defensive MVP: William Butcher, DE

#

### Predictions:1st in Div. 3.

### 17-3

## The connection between Connor Ainner and Antonio Fletcher was amazing last year. What are the keys to achieving that once more?

Antonio Fletcher caught 16 touchdowns and gained 1,652 yards when paired with an above average quarterback, rather than 10 touchdowns and 1,008 yards while with a slightly below average QB. So if you go by those numbers, his production relies on Ainner having another elite season. Now that's a good question: Will Ainner fall back to earth this year, or continue playing at this superstar level? He, paired with a suddenly great defence, turned this franchise the opposite direction in a matter of one season, and will now be expected to reach 16+ wins this year. Fletcher must be able to stay healthy, as these last two years were the only times when he played over 12 games. Fletcher has blazing speed, but can be brought to the very top level by improving his blocking skills this offseason.

## The offensive line was completely switched around, with guys going from center to left tackle, guard to center, etc. Normally this doesn't work, but can the Stars pull it off?

I strongly doubt that. It seems as though Davin Lilliko was the center weight of the balance beam, holding it all together, and when he retired, it just all went awry. Paul Ilboara being moved from left guard to right may have just been enough to fix up the patches made last year, but the coaches sure didn't think so. They brought in Joey Telle, who has had consistent knee and foot problems and can't pass block as efficiently than anybody else on Arkansas' front line. They switched Dee Johnson from right guard to right tackle, replacing Asante Grant, who is as solid a tackle as I could imagine. Johnson is also much too small to be a tackle, weighing in at just 291 pounds. Lastly, they signed Fred Dominic to replace Lilliko at center, rather than letting the 2009 first round draft pick C Liam Youngblood, who is just exploding with potential, take the reigns for the first time in his professional career.

## Who do you think will replace Steve Calais, anyone in mind?

##

Arkansas did have their eyes on Kansas' linebacker camp, but New Brunswick seems to be locked on the last cut. But they also let Washington's old linebacker Arden Moss enter camp, and were pretty impressed, from what I heard them talking about in the press conferences. Calais brought so much intelligence to the table, which made it tough to see him retire as a Stars fan myself, but his skill set just kept diminishing with each year he played. It seems like only yesterday when everybody was talking about Michael Oldman, the 2nd overall pick in the 2008 Draft. Oldman spent 2 years in Kentucky, then was cut and never heard from again. Arkansas let him into camp, but haven't said much about him since.

## The 3 sophomores on the defensive line (Slate, Alca and Butcher) played lights-out in their rookie years; But what about this year? Will they continue to be as incredible?

I wouldn't doubt it for a second. Slate combines size and versatility in the nose tackle position, something centers or guards often can't handle, and ranked in 4th place in sacks from the defensive tackle position (with 8.5) as a result. Alca performed under the radar last year, but was trusted with shutting down a fourth to a half of runs that went in his direction, and could throw in a sack or two every couple of games as a add-on. Alca impressed the coaches enough in training camp for them to throw the money his way, and recently signed a hefty 4-year, 4.2 million dollar deal, which could improve his already stellar play. William Butcher had the spotlight shone solely on him in his rookie year, as Stars GM Mitchell Gordon was criticized for "wasting" his number 3 pick on a defensive end, rather than a more glamorous role, like quarterback or middle linebacker. Butcher did Gordon a favor with his awe-inspiring play throughout the season, with eye-popping numbers and skills being on display on the field every game. Butcher lost in the league leaders column for both tackles from a defensive lineman, and sacks by an eyelash (DL tackles: 82.5, 1st: Deion Alexander, 85. Sacks: 16. 1st: Deion Alexander, 16.5).

# Montana Hawks

# Offensive MVP: Adrian Banson, QB

# Defensive MVP: Carter Puilie, MLB

### Predictions:2nd in Div. 3

### 10-10

## Carter Puilie was quarterback's nightmare last year, but lost some value by lacking real run-stopping skills. Can he patch that up and continue to climb the ladder to stardom?

Puilie has a hard time of holding on to the rep he earns, as he likes playing without people expecting anything of him. Look at the 2010-2011 Season-after Puilie ran all over offences and anyone trying to block him-Puilie struggled to reach 85 tackles, and didn't make it over 5 sacks or 3 interceptions, gaining a "one-hit wonder" rep. Puilie brought it together last year, and was a quarterback's nightmare after he worked on his block-shedding attributes, getting 13 sacks on the year. He is fast enough to get back on the run and at least slow the ballcarrier down, and can build off that over the offseason. If the coaches really want Puilie to be a force against the run, they'll need to work on his instincts, switching them from rushing the pass to stopping the run.

## Ken Foster was a beast in Jack Burns University, but struggled to maintain his production with New Hampshire. Which Ken Foster will show up this year?

The latter, I presume. Jack Burns is in a division not known for its defence, and ran all over them in his college years. Then he moved to New Hampshire, where the defence wasn't terrible, and was shut down. The US-CFL's defences can only get better, and the Hawks should've known as much when they drafted him. Foster isn't all that elusive, but he can set up his blockers very well, so he might handle the bright lights pretty well, yet I'm still betting on an Alex Webster-like bust from him. He could prove me wrong, as I've been wrong with halfbacks before, but I just don't see it in him to breakthrough out of the gate. Foster was surrounded by great players in university, with guys like QB Hunter Apo and WR Tommi Hillis, meaning he wasn't relied on to make plays as much as he will in the pros.

## Adrian Banson is growing and developing into a strong and trustworthy quarterback. Will he make the big leap this year, or need another few seasons to fully blossom?

I'm not too sure Banson isn't already "strong and trustworthy", but I am sure that he has a long way to go if he wants to be the cream of the crop in the US-CFL. Montana seems to have faith in the 3-year veteran, and will probably stick with him for most-if not all-of his career. Banson's got some nice power in his throws, but a little touch up in his accuracy could go a long way. J.J Smith could have brought the Hawks into a better era, but Montana chose the path where Adrian Banson held the reigns, and that didn't turn out all so bad. But in the end, we'll never know what the Smith road would've taken the organization. Banson works well with Randy Evans, and the two turned heads with a couple of incredible games, but the connection between him and some other receivers isn't so good, and that can sneak its way into games.

## Rodney Christiansen got a boost in his role last year, improving both touchdown and reception numbers by over 50%. Can he take it even further and be a star on this team?

Christiansen has a lot of work cut out for him if he does want to be in that kind of player. Now weighing in at over 260 pounds, he may need to shave some off to improve his effectiveness in the receiving area. He has blocking locked down, already one of the best blocking tight ends out there today, but is a little too aggressive against defenders, often losing track of the play around him. Becoming a real star is a reasonable possibility for him, when you come right down to it, and taking that chance on him could be a solid move for the Hawks. Christiansen is an expressive player, and that's alright, as long as it's all inside the limits of the game, but does occasionally step over the line a little, which brings the team down.

# Colorado Buckeyes

# Offensive MVP: Cameron Delvarr, QB.

# Defensive MVP: Martin Eaves, DE

#

### Predictions:3rd in Div. 3

### 7-13

## There is some talk from the US-CFL about relocating the Buckeyes to Cancun, Mexico, as there is a rapid increase of interest in football around that area. Could that light a fire under the team, who enjoy playing here in Colorado?

Even if the project is cleared to go right now, the team won't hit a Cancun field for about 2-5 years, but just the thought of something like that could motivate Colorado. Another advantage for the Bucks is Cameron Delvarr's first taste of the playoffs, which could carry over to 2012-2013, but may not do too much, as Colorado didn't go far. The relocation would turn the NAC into the real North American Championship, as there would be a team in every country of the continent in the league, with the exception of the tiny ones in Central America. This shows how football appreciation is spreading from just Canada and the US from close borders, like Mexico, to places all the way in Europe, with fans from Great Britain, Germany, and Russia. One last fact is that if all this actually happens, it will be the first name change or relocation of a franchise that has happened in 38 years, which is the entire modern era!

## You were bouncing around off topic that question, so to clarify, what else does Colorado need to get back into the playoffs?

If Cameron Delvarr and his receivers can continue to be amazing, it's improving the defence that is the key to redemption. Nate Akers is a consistent contributor to the pass protection, and will normally take the opposing tight end out of the gameplan, but Joe Peters has significant holes to patch up. Peters is a little less aware as many hoped him to be. He tries too hard to shut down his guy in the man-to-man coverage system, and often falls for draws or play action passes. Placing the rookie duo in the secondary is a real crap shoot, but the risk/reward ratio favors the Buckeyes just by a bit. The safeties make some big plays, but they make the same amount of mistakes, which displeases most coaches.

## What happened to Liam Spark, Colorado's first round pick of 2011?

I know, right? Spark was one of the only non-quarterbacks ever to be chosen to be selected 1st overall by Pro Football Insiders, yet dropped to the 10th pick to everyone's bewilderment. Spark got the coaches mad then promptly tore his ACL in the third preseason game for Colorado. He was out for the entire 2011-2012 Season, and was placed in the 3rd wide receiver spot for this year. Spark's ACL hasn't fully healed just yet, the coaches told the interested questioners, but he's making strides to come close to fulfilling the high expectations that were laid out for him. Spark does drop the odd easy pass, but the things he does after the catch are exceptional. He will probably not rise up out of the 3rd spot to be a bigger role, but he could be a better fit in that place than Boris Neil, the previous slot WR.

## What more can you say about the Buckeyes' decision to put 2 rookie cornerbacks in the starting spots?

It's creative, I'll give it that. Colorado seems to be rolling the dice on the defence, which may not be the right choice, as that sounds like rebuilding to me, despite the fact that this team had recent success. But that could be jumping to conclusions, as both Paul Rodgers and George Hall are stock loaded with talent mentally and physically. Rodgers can really fly out on the field, and is a beast on cornerback blitzes, getting 7 sacks in his State League year with Texas. Hall is a little undersized at 5'9, and will undoubtedly struggle with playing giants like Joe Franklin (6'6, Ohio), Conal Coulton (6'5, Montana), and Randy Evans (6'3, Montana) twice a season, but can get back and recover pretty well, and isn't too conservative nor too aggressive.

# Ohio Bees

# Offensive MVP: Avolo Martinez, QB

# Defensive MVP: Daverus Coldreiz, CB

#

### Predictions:4th in Div. 3.

### 5-15

## Most believe Avolo Martinez could change Ohio and lead them in another direction, yet you still pick them going 5-15. Can you explain?

##

Martinez was dynamite with Derek Williams-Martch and Oz Bryant, but any QB can do well with those guys; When the going gets tough, the tough gets going, but that was not the case with Martinez, as he couldn't find any success with anyone other than Bryant. Even worse is that Ohio has no superstars whatsoever, and who knows what kind of withdrawal Martinez will have? A case could be made that he just lost a lot of confidence in his throws without two players who were sure to catch almost anything, but bad play is bad play, so Ohio won't be satisfied with a quarterback who lacks confidence. Martinez may be a heck of a lot better than Liam Anaver (I never was an Anaver fan myself), but a complete turnaround could be out of reach just yet.

## Daverus Coldreiz is now an experienced veteran, but still keeps improving. What's next on his checklist?

Daverus Coldreiz is constantly overlooked by football specialists, but is a aggressive, tough caliber player who can shut down his man, or, if the matchup is tilting way towards Coldreiz, he uses a Reggie Mathis type doubling technique to also take the other receiver out of the game. Coldreiz does get a little jumpy when doing that, and occasionally doesn't make sure his wideout is bad enough to do the double. He does get pass interference from time to time, but that comes with his style. Coldreiz doesn't have the immense talent of Jake Carlam, or the insane intelligence of Yahnston Bocher, and may not combine them as well is Reggie Mathis, but when he gets hot, he gets really hot. Remember when Coldreiz took out three receivers on his side in one play, then picked the pass off and returned it for the game-winning touchdown in overtime in front of 96,000 fans in the 2010-2011Season? That was just an example. So Coldriez could practice his doubling strategy, or play a little less aggressive, but what he brings to the table for Ohio brings him entirely out of the red for the Bees.

## A complete change in the linebacking corps shook the defence up, undoubtedly, but will it actually improve the production of the below average defensive squad?

Mario Pottenham will probably do just fine in the LOLB position rather than his normal MLB spot, as he can go from 0 to 60 in seconds, and with decent strength accompanying the acceleration. I struggle to be as excited as most are with rookie Geoff Armstrong moving into the inside linebacker position. Armstrong does not have the smarts to really be a force in the middle, but accounts for that loss with impressive muscle tone and a nice vertical leap. Yet still, keeping Pottenham around gives Ohio options if Armstrong doesn't live up to the expectations, which is a better decision than giving him away for some cash. Cam Greene was a nice and solid outside linebacker for Ohio before Ronald Sidney came along, so if he can shake off the rust of not playing a game since 2010, he won't be a problem to the defence.

## Nenè Bantomo's big role will definitely diminish with the acquiring of Ben Venstason from Montana. Will he keep performing at the top level, or will we see a dropoff?

Ohio may not need Bantomo as badly as they did in the past, but I doubt anything disastrous will become of that. Getting Venstason was not a bad move any way you look at it, and it may be true that Bantomo probably won't put up the near eye-popping numbers we're used to, but when the dust clears, it's probably a win for the Bees. Ohio took a chance on Ventason, as he's had problems with eye injuries over the years, but the risk/reward ratio is in the Bees' favor. Bantomo is speedy, and a lesser role won't change that, but his mental drive could be altered for the worst, as he does seem like that kind of person. Venstason has a nice build, with 238 pounds to his frame, but that doesn't compare to Bantomo's strong 253 pound body, which he uses like a battering ram to anyone who intends to stop him.

# Georgia Knights

# Offensive MVP: Damius Skinner, HB.

# Defensive MVP: D.D Erikson, SS

#

### Predictions:5th in Div. 3

### 3-17

## Tom Dauter was probably the best player in the draft, and Georgia got away with one when PEI drafted Jordie Angersson instead. Will they get even luckier and have Dauter turn the ship around?

Dauter has no glaring weaknesses or many great talents to emphasize, but does have a work ethic of a role model. Dauter actually reminds me of Hall-of-Famer Dallas Harwick of the 1940s and 50s, the mid-to-late-cotton helmet ages. Harwick wasn't afraid to tuck the ball down and run, despite that he doesn't have the speed to really be forceful, and rarely if ever gives up on a play. If he can work well with the Adam Armageddon (Adam Jackson, Adam Campbell, Adam Bowes), the Knights could take another try at a playoff run. Dauter broke 3 passing records with his time in Epen Youth College, one for touchdowns in a season, one for yards in a game, and one for touchdowns in a 4-year career, which adds to his resume coming into Georgia.

## The Adam Armageddon, as it's called,

played well in its 2nd year of existence. Now paired with Dauter, will there increase or decrease of performance by the unit?

I personally can't see a reason for anything less than a dramatic increase, to be honest. Dauter won't be as prone to relying on the receivers to come to the rescue when the play breaks down, which gives the AA some room to breathe. Adam Jackson is clearly possesses the most talent in the group, but it is a tough call to see whether Bowes or Campbell have the best skill-sets. That doesn't matter anywhere other than the Fantasy Football leagues, but could spark a good debate. Bowes and Dauter could set the world ablaze if everything goes right, with Dauter's big arm and Bowes impressive straightaway speed, big plays are inevitable. Campbell has flown under the radar for most of his career, but thrives when he's covered man-to-man, with nice cut speed and good lateral movement, but has "butter fingers" when it comes to clutch situations.

## Garth Vorning was an interesting addition for Georgia, as the move was too spontaneous even for the insiders to be aware of anything brewing beforehand. Will he be the solid building block that Georgia has really needed on defence?

It could be that Vorning was just the best bet of the possible available offers for William Gorgenstrom, but either way, he will probably be a good bet to play better than Newt Redding did a year ago. Vorning will need every second of training camp, as the Idaho defensive playbook and the Georgia playbook are two very different styles. I have some faith in him, though, as he's come into this season hoping to prove that he can be a star on defence, as many have doubted his big-play ability. Vorning is certainly one or two levels up from Georgia's previous option, Newt Redding, but still, don't expect much of a boost from the switch. Vorning now has some reasonable assistance from the outside linebackers for once, as Derrick Carter-Thomas and Frank Jones are marginally more helpful than Daniel Curies and C.J Timalea were, judging by the 2011-2012 Season.

## Damius Skinner was noticeably less explosive last year, and failed to reach the 1,500

## yard mark for the first time in his career. How will that affect Georgia this season?

I wouldn't say he was less explosive, but it was just that he seemed to be not as nimble and light on his feet as he used to be. But I wouldn't worry, as late in the season Skinner shook off the dust and came into the zone late in the year, with 6 straight 100+ yard games spanning from Week 12 to Week 18. Skinner failed to reach one 200 yard game, which has also occurred for the first time in his career, but came close twice, with a 186 yard game in Week 5, and a 190 yard game in Week 16. The Knights now have the looks of a average or above caliber passing attack for the first time in a long while, which lifts some of the weight off of Skinner's shoulders, but he is still relied on to perform at his highest day in and day out, which could certainly bring an athlete down, as it did.

**Division Four**

# Alberta Bald Eagles

# Offensive MVP: Shane Dea, QB.

# Defensive MVP: Daniel Freeley, SS

### Predictions:1st in Div. 4

### 12-8

## This is Allen Stevenson's first year being put in a starting role in the pros. Will he prove that he can still be a 1st tier halfback even without anyone to cover up his mistakes?

##

Stevenson must work harder this offseason than he ever has to prepare for the extra carries and to round out his game. Stevenson does not impress in crunch time and struggles with injuries, but will unquestionably improve Alberta's running game. Owen Horton was flashy, but wasn't consistent enough week-by-week to really secure a starting job, and now is one of the best backups in the league at the moment. Stevenson needs to push himself, as he took a laid-back approach most games with Idaho and their two backs, and switching mindsets will require some time. Stevenson definitely will come out of the gate a much better running back than he was but a year ago, but will that give the Bald Eagles enough of a boost to improve their playoff performance?

## Speaking of the playoffs, Shane Dea did not show up in the Country Championship much. Can he be the captain that Alberta really desires to bring them to that elusive NAC?

That is the boiling hot topic of the offseason. With 5 trips to the Country Championship since 2000, the Bald Eagles won just 1, in their NAC-winning 2003-2004 Season, and nothing changed last year, losing to Ontario 24-20 in overtime in this year's semi finals. The blame was thrown unfairly to Dea, who didn't do anything perfect in the playoffs yet in his career, but nothing bad, on the other hand. Just the thing that is so excruciating to a fan. Dea showed no ups or downs under the spotlight of the playoffs, which is a relief to the coaches, but may just not be enough to really catch the NAC the organization has came so close to over the years. There have been too many changes to really be positive that Alberta will reach the Country Championship again this year, but it seems highly likely that a playoff run is imminent, so Dea is still under the spotlight when that time comes.

## Daniel Freeley is now at a near elite point and can now really disrupt offensive production. How long will this last, and how well will Alberta take advantage of this?

To answer your first question, this could be a lasting era for Freeley and the Bald Eagles. Freeley isn't the kind of guy to really throw all of his chips on the table for every hit, not like I'm trying to denounce his courage, but it just doesn't come with his style of play, so the odds for a real heartbreaking injury are pretty low. Freeley will always have those Velcro hands of his, but the age of awe-inspiring returns is drawing to a close. Alberta already has harnessed Freeley's talent incredibly, giving him a significant role in most of the plays run. US-CFL Monthly has bashed Freeley countless times for over-aggression and bad tackling form, but he has completely erased any doubt from our (or most other critic's) minds that he is up there with the best free safeties in the US-CFL today.

## Losing Osa Hohfs will leave a mark on the defence, especially the pass rushing. Can Willis Thea reduce the gap enough to regain some of the line's past form?

Thea stood out in New Brunswick, but that's not that hard of a task, with the Wolves' last ranked defence, but it isn't nothing. If Thea could bulk up a little bit from 226 pounds to help with stuffing the run, Alberta could be in fine shape coming out of the preseason. Being placed at right end for the first time in his professional and collegiate career, Thea will have a total new change of scenery, which could come into the mix for his performance. David Liss probably still won't have the big role that he chased in his entire 5-year career with the Bald Eagles, but has taken a few big steps since he was 3rd in the lineup behind Aaron Parker in the 2010-2011 Season. Liss has some great strength and good speed, and brings it all together with above average intelligence, but is too inconsistent on a game-to-game basis to really be a star on the team.

# NWT Seawolves

# Offensive MVP: Quinn Kiose, HB

# Defensive MVP: Russell Peters, MLB

#

### Predictions:2nd in Div. 4.

### 12-8

## Quinn Kiose lost a bit of publicity after a mediocre season last year, but still shows no signs of slowing down. Can Kiose still be the center point of this offence?

A drop in production won't be a the worst problem for Kiose and the Seawolves. Kiose is aging rapidly, and now at 29, his legs probably can't take much more of these ferocious low hits nearly all of the defenders take on him every play he touches the ball. Kiose will need to lower his body to protect the legs, instead of him just powering through the defenders at his knees like they were just tall grass. Expect another big recognition fall, as Kiose won't be the terminator he used to be against the defenders. Can he still be the offensive center-point? There are a lot of runner-ups in that category for once, like now veteran Matt Grey and David Harbanerez, but Kiose is still the Offensive MVP in my mind.

## After Eric Sanders left the Seawolves, NWT no longer has a forceful tight end that can change a game. How bad will that affect the organization?

##

NWT ended a long streak of amazing tight ends in their lineup, which started in 1984 with Riley Diner, then continued on when Diner retired in 1996 with the trading for Toby Chalner, then, after Chalner called it quits, the Seawolves got Ernest Smith in 2003, then when they cut Smith, drafted Sanders in 2008. All of those ends broke the 1,300 yard mark at least twice in their careers. Will the lack of stardom in that position ruin the season? Of course not! It could present a feeling out period between the coaches and undrafted free agent Bennedict Stone, seeing what he can do and can't do, realizing what they need to adjust to, but that won't take long, and won't be much of a hurdle. And who knows? Anything is possible in the US-CFL, so Stone could keep the streak alive with a couple great seasons. Probably not, but I'm sure it's in the back of the mind of some fans.

## NWT drafted Jeff Garnett 5 years ago when they thought Will Sazein was going to retire. Fast forward five years, and Sazein has finally retired at 45. Has Garnett gone too long without any playing time?

Garnett had some potential, but at 26, he only has a few years to fulfill it. Sazein took a huge drop in performance last year, so if you compare Garnett now to Sazein now, Garnett is the better option. Either way, the Seawolves still went to their first playoffs in a while with Sazein at the helm of the O-line, so they could go even farther with Garnett. He (Garnett) has impressive size for a center, at 6'4 and with 288 pounds of sheer muscle, rather than some linemen who get their weight from blubber and useless pounds. If he can captain the line at least in the vicinity of Sazein used to, then he and the Seawolves could go a long way together, or as long as Garnett personally prefers to.

## Do the Seawolves have enough weapons to become a contender to compete for the NAC just yet?

##

Maybe not at the moment, but expect to see NWT in the Country Championship/NAC very, very soon. If Matt Grey could just unlock one more level out of him, and if things start going right with Kiose and his legs, I can't find any reasons for the Seawolves to go anywhere but up. The defence isn't based on Russell Peters anymore, with the addition of Vick Liri last year and drafting Nick Jackson to round out the linebackers, so the future looks bright. Luck shifted to NWT just to the delight of the crazy fanbase, as Toronto finally slipped off of the top 2 spots of the division, and the Seawolves are now able to fend them off for a playoff spot. Building off that, NWT would be over the hump and, if they can get hot at the right time, could go far in the postseason.

# Ottawa Fighters

# Offensive MVP: James McCee, QB

# Defensive MVP: Plari Billings, DE

### Predictions:3rd in Div. 4.

### 9-11

## The Fighters struck gold in the draft for what seems like the millionth time, with highly prospected CB Rodney Clarence and great RT Orlando Jones. Will the bit of luck help them reach the postseason in the 2012-2013 Season?

##

The sudden drop of Toronto's dominance really did blow the lid off of this entire division, didn't it? Now even Ottawa could have a taste of the playoffs! Anyway, Orlando Jones is one of the most hyped offensive lineman I've seen in decades, and he doesn't have any real weaknesses. He barely even has any blocking attributes that are average or below, with the exception of his core strength. Jones is a real basic pound 'em down type of tackle, but brings a new element into that style with awe-inspiring footwork and speed. Rodney Clarence is the definition of a lockdown cornerback. He's strong, he occasionally even holds the receiver up at the line for a while with incredible press coverage, and he has the speed to catch up if he's blown off the line. Even 4th round steal Cam Lishon is a great fit in the DT spot. So the Fighter community has a lot to be excited about for the upcoming season, and if Ottawa can follow through, they can have a franchise year.

## James McCee has entered a sort of second prime at 30. Will that be just a short-term thing, or can McCee keep it up until his retirement?

I can't see a reason why he won't, but there isn't much motivation leading to a yes, either. McCee's drive doesn't come from playing to win, as he isn't that kind of guy, and playing just for money isn't his style, but he gets his push from the fans. That's perfect for Ottawa right now, as the attendance is going up and up and up, with the extreme potential the Fighters are showing, so as long as the supporters keep coming in, McCee will get a little boost in his performance. McCee has great targets left right and center, with Chris Ramsey's good hands in the flats, and Mark Plaque and Scott Ariss' pure talent going deep and abilities after the catch. As they now have Aaron Thompson at tight end, they'll have a noticeable drop in run blocking, but another weapon in the passing game, with Thompson's above average speed and good hands.

## John Mackinaw isn't an elite linebacker, but pleased both fans and coaches alike with pretty solid play in his rookie year. Can he be Ottawa's linebacker for a while?

The Fighters have jumped from linebacker to linebacker over the years, and gave away multiple guys who later became superstars, like Ike Gold and even Russell Peters. They finally got one to stick, I'll presume, with Mackinaw. They've said nothing but good things about him in the press conferences, and rightly so, as he put up 8.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 108 tackles in his rookie debut last season. If he puts up numbers like those for the next one or two years or so, Ottawa would be complete buffoons not to keep him. Keep your eyes peeled in the practices that are televised and the preseason games on Mackinaw, to see whether any improvements occurred and how he's doing.

## The Fighters now have a powerful defensive line to accommodate the defence. Will that be a huge factor?

It wasn't in 2011-2012, but that could be tied to Jordan Korda's hip injury in Week 9. Plari Billings took a lot of heat this offseason, more than he ever has before, with his sudden drop in tackling ability and speed, and we'll just have to see how he can take it. Billings isn't on the hot seat just yet, but it's not absolutely out of the question. Rick Davis hasn't performed well at all in the DT position, though replacing him should've been a few seasons away, but I believe that when Ottawa saw Cam Lishon was still in the draft, they made the right move to take him while they can. Lishon was prospected by many to go out in the 2nd or even 1st round, yet all 30 teams passed on him three times-some even four times-until Ottawa took him with the 97th pick of the draft. Lishon is very smart, which isn't as much of an advantage for a DT than with a QB or FS or something, but all in all it's a good asset.

# Toronto Mad Men

# Offensive MVP: Oz Bryant, WR.

# Defensive MVP: Tyreke Willington, FS

### Predictions:4th in Div. 4

### 9-11

## Holy cow! 5 draft picks in 2 rounds and 7 offseason transactions is a very high statistic. Toronto showed its willingness to change this year, but will it work?

The Mad Men might have made one too many changes to the lineup this time, and I could easily foresee it all crashing and burning this season. Dasher Covell has flimsy pocket presence at best, but does have impressive physical talent. I bet Toronto wished that it could be possible to have two quarterbacks on the field at once, as Covell isn't great at any angle under the limelight, and would love to share it with frequent sub Calvin Mann. High expectations are inevitable for Martin O'Connelly, as he was dominant with State University, not so much with Washington in the NSL, but still an easy 1st round draft choice. Santosh Thistman is used to a very large role, especially for a linebacker on the outside, but as the weight is now thrown on O'Connelly's shoulders, Thistman could see a very significant drop in usage.

## More on Dasher Covell and Calvin Mann's partnership, Mann is yet to prove that he is ready to come back after two straight foot surgeries. Will the addition of Covell as a trusty substitution help a little?

Undoubtedly. Mann was a good, solid quarterback who can win you a lot of games provided a decent running game with the Titans back in the 2008-2009 Season, but hasn't taken a snap since his awful ankle injury in the 2009-2010 offseason. Mann has average intelligence, and if he makes a full recovery, has well above average speed for a QB and can completely fool defences with his ability to execute wonderful play fakes and draws. Covell spreads the field well and can fit the ball in tight spaces, but still will probably see less snaps than Mann will, despite his starter status at the moment. It really all comes down to Mann's ankle, one of the smallest parts of the body, to determine whether Toronto's quarterback situation lives or dies.

## I know this is incredibly tacky, but it is the question on everyone's mind, it seems. After Derek Williams-Martch was traded to Manitoba and nearly broke a record, who is the better WR all-around, Williams-Martch or Oz Bryant?

Over a career, it's Bryant all the way, who has multiple records to his name. At the moment, it's one of the toughest questions I've come across in all of my sports journalism career. Oz Bryant couldn't be that much different than that incredible wideout who made plays and shredded defences like nobody has ever seen before that he was in the playoffs of 2011, nearly single-handedly leading the Mad Men to the NAC, which they did lose on the last play, unfortunately. Derek Williams-Martch still put up eye-popping numbers even in his years as a Mad Man under Bryant's shadow, then showed what he was fully capable of with the Eskimos, breaking through and leading the league in pretty much all of the receiving categories. While his former teammate was basking in the glory of greatness, Bryant spent his season desperately trying to completely turn his team around himself, with poor play by Avolo Martinez and a below average running game, and yet somehow gave Toronto a very big chance at reaching the playoffs again. Both of these athlete's feats are amazing, and it is impossible to choose between the two, so this season should be the tiebraking round that'll answer your question.

## Did Toronto really need to get rid of Avolo Martinez to still be a factor in the short-term?

They took a real gamble with the replacements, whereas Martinez would've probably been a lock to perform at the level he always has. This move showed Toronto's other side, one we haven't seen in a while, and only time will tell how it will end up. I don't think they really had to get rid of Martinez, but it was a good decision either way. He really did crack without Williams-Martch, which tells you something about him, since he still had one of the largest weapons at the WR spot in history in Oz Bryant at his side. If you combine Mann and Covell's talents together, you can easily think that they'll replace Martinez perfectly, but it isn't as simple as that, as Mann's injury and Covell's lack of pocket presence throws in another layer of depth into the situation.

# Newfoundland Attack

# Offensive MVP: A.J Johnston, HB.

# Defensive MVP: Vince Devrik, CB

#

### Predictions:5th in Div. 4

### 2-18

## After years of rioting from the fans, Ron Tinns finally got fired from the head coaching job. Can Jack Domeny be a little silver lining or turn out much the same as Tinns?

Domeny has a whopping 24 years of football experience, but only 3 of those years were with the US-CFL (with Toronto from 1989-1992), which leaves 15 years with AUC, and 6 years with Florida. The State League and NCAA football games are a lot different than the pros, and the US-CFL in the early 90s was a bit different than modern day gridiron itself. In the end, though, football is football, so Newfoundland isn't going headlong into Domeny blindfolded. Even if they were, there's a high chance he'll still be a better option than Tinns, who was pretty much awful for 5 years, and still the organization was stubborn enough to keep him until this offseason. Domeny had a 34-26 record with the Mad Men, but a 0-2 record in the playoffs (though I don't think the Attack are going to the playoffs anytime soon), so that's something Newfoundland could build off of.

## Newfoundland snagged Vince Devrik late in the free agency period, making it seem like destiny that Devrik would turn the Attack around. Would he help harden the defence that got pushed around so often last year?

Leroy Rochester was a good cornerback, but really was humiliated by receivers like Derek Williams-Martch, Noah Henderson, and Oz Bryant, all whom he had to cover in 2011-2012. Devrik is used to those kind of guys, and won't completely take them out of the gameplan every time, but will stop them from getting the huge numbers that Rochester would allow. Devrik gives you a variety of options for turnovers, as he just seems to force a turnover whenever he's near the ball. The stats back that up, with 9 interceptions, 9 fumbles forced, 3 of them coming from tipped passes behind the line, and 12 fumbles recovered. Devrik may explode from time to time, but he doesn't take over a game and won't single-handedly take out an offence, which some fans expect him to do for the 2012-2013 Season.

## When A.J Johnston was in Nevada, he was probably the top pick in the fantasy leagues, but now his stats have dropped and he isn't what the Attack bargained for. Can he pick up the pace or continue to play this way until he's traded?

##

I won't believe for a second that A.J Johnston has been playing poorly enough to be traded or cut, but it's plain to see that he isn't one of the best halfbacks in the league anymore. Most would think it's just a feeling in period for Johnston as last year was his first in Newfoundland, but his last couple of years for the Blaze left much to be desired as well. Johnston turns 29 later this month, and has few seasons left to reach the 1,500 yard mark again, after a 3 year drought of that title. Last year, Johnston barely reached 1,300 yards, while in his best years (2005-2009) he consistently fought his way to 1,600 yards or more. Johnston is still up in the top 15 halfbacks in the league, so if the Attack could be able to look past his droppage in statistics, he could still be a real force in the goal line like he used to be.

## If Kyle Martin can stay healthy, he would be a steal for the Attack, who only gave away Willis Vann and their 2nd DE to acquire. But if he can't, much the opposite could occur. The Attack are rolling the dice here, will it land in their favor?

Martin played his first full season in his entire 6 year career with Nunavut last year, and finally showed what he could do, with 109 tackles, 12 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles on the year, which was easily the best yet for him. Martin tore his Achilles tendon in his right knee which took him out for the last 9 games in his 2005-2006 rookie year, then tore it again in the 2008-2009 Season, clocking him out for 17 games. Martin played 18 straight games in 2009-2010, then a hip injury sidelined him until the Tiebraking Round game, and then was healthy enough to play all the way to the NAC, which he won. Willis Vann was a smart player, but it was only a matter of time until the Attack gave him away as his production slipped dramatically as he aged. If Martin can stay healthy and improve his readings a bit, he could be the solid, strong linebacker of the Attack's dreams, stopping the run while Devrik and company shut down the passing game.

**Division Five**

# Ontario Destroyers

# Offensive MVP: Steve Jelevintine, QB

# Defensive MVP: Eagle Kervers, MLB

### Predictions:1st in Div. 5.

### 16-4

## Ontario spent most of the Jelevintine era being dominant in the regular season just to hit a slump in the postseason. They broke out of their shell last year, though, winning the NAC. What do they need to do to keep it up?

##

Jelevintine had a season that would blow future US-CFL historians' socks off, with a shocking 72 percent completion percentage, 51 touchdowns, and he even beat his own passing yardage record with a monster 5,945 yards. Top that off with a NAC ring and medal, and you have a nice argument that Jelevintine surpasses both LaMar Davis and Grant Louis to be the best quarterback of all time. With Archie Awries back in the lineup after missing most of the NAC-winning year with a torn MCL, expect much more records falling at the hands of Mean #13. The defence had a fire lit under them with the career years for Barry Webb and Davis Greene, which took the heavy weight off of Eagle Kervers' shoulders. Greene really flew under the radar most of the season, not drawing much attention despite steady, trustworthy play, but the blanket was lifted off of him with his amazing play in the NAC, also winning the game with a last-minute interception.

## The biggest question of Ontario's training camp was if Archie Awries was fit to play. After a few weeks of camp, is the answer a little clearer or is it still a mystery?

Tearing an MCL is pretty hard to come back from, but Awries hates every moment in which he isn't on the field, so he'll jump at any chance to get back out there. His career probably won't take a turn for the worst as he is only 26, but it'll take a chunk off this season to recover completely. He hasn't missed any practices so far, which is a good sign, and he's made a bunch of top-notch plays even against guys like Barry Webb and Art Simpson. It'll be interesting to see how much time Ontario will put him on the field in the preseason, as both sitting him most of the time or giving him significant minutes in the game have their up sides and down sides. The question is still a long way from being answered, but us impatient types can cling to a few hints that could lead us to a good guess.

## After his brother (Star Kervers) was forced to retire with terrible concussion issues, will Eagle Kervers come out of the gate a better player with more purpose?

##

That's the hottest gossip going around in the US-CFL right now, and it's one of those questions that are pretty much impossible to fully answer. It's an awful sight to see someone get battered so badly in their head, especially your relative. It all comes down to who Eagle Kervers really is. It's hard to do any better or be any more motivated than where Kervers already is, so anyway the wind blows would do just fine for the Destroyers. Some people are reading too far into the Star Kervers issue, as it's a big possibility that he could come out of retirement in a couple of years' time. You have to remember that Ontario's defence no longer lives or dies from Kerver's play, with great depth in the lineup all of a sudden, but improved play can really be an asset to the organization, absolutely.

## There was a surprising number of moves this offseason for Ontario-especially that 5-slot trade with Nunavut-a rarity for defending NAC champions. What are they trying to do?

I doubt anything special. It seems as though they've noticed a couple of rough spots in the lineup and just thought to go big or go home. Eddie Smith played impressively in the playoffs, but he was almost nonexistent in the preseason and regular season. Jake McDonald seemed fine to me, but I suppose the Destroyers found a couple flaws in camp, or maybe wanted the outside linebackers to be a force in the gameplan. If the latter was correct, McDonald was certainly not their guy, as he only racked up 67 tackles, 2 sacks, and not one interception. Yet, rookie Michael Jones probably won't be that fit either, without much speed or block shedding ability. People are making a big deal over Ontario's acquisition of Amare Stecks in that 5-slot trade you mentioned, as Zach Levran is a real fan favorite, despite a few awful seasons, and still, they may plan to use him well in the slot corner position.

# BC Predators

# Offensive MVP: Owen Slach, QB.

# Defensive MVP: Carson McTylo, MLB

### Predictions:2nd in Div. 5

### 15-5

## Last season, BC struggled to keep up an impressive 4-game win streak out of the gate, falling to 12-8 and missing the playoffs for the first time in a long while. How can you reason with picking them for 2nd in the division at 15-5?

##

Have you seen the offensive lineup? They have the mighty Owen Slach, who now has something to prove for once after a rather porous (by his standards) 2011-2012 campaign. They have the rookie Keith Westbrook, whom I have very high hopes for, as he has blazing speed, especially for a bruising, 6'2, 228 pound monster like him. They have Andy Macklen, who has shown many times how well he can dominate a game with great hands and even better elusiveness. Even the 3rd string wide receiver Jason Rodgers has plenty of up sides. The defence isn't awful either, with the captaining of Carson McTylo and the strange but effective defensive line substitutions, so BC's 2011-2012 year is showing to be but a fluke.

## Speaking of Keith Westbrook, PEI possibly had even higher hopes than you have for him when they traded up to draft him 55th overall. But even they couldn't resist the 10 million dollars BC offered for him. Will he be worth all that money?

Westbrook is a natural powerhouse at 228 lbs, but has impressive speed, running a 4.38 in the forty yard dash. $10 million could be a little over the top, but the Preds really had their hopes set on him, and that's what it took to pry him out of the Deceivers' hands. In a perfect world, BC would've drafted him earlier, instead of just hoping that he'll fall to the 3rd round in a miracle, maybe getting him with that pick they got from Georgia, using the 10 million for some better run blockers. Westbrook is a good pass blocker himself, and can get free in the flats pretty well, so he could still be a force on any type of play. With his size, BC is actually planning to put Westbrook on defensive special teams, making his talents branch out almost anywhere. If that isn't worth $10 million dollars (plus his contract), I don't know much that is.

## BC turned heads with their subs on the defensive line, and now drafted 2 new DEs to make even more subs. Did they go a little too far on this one?

Not really. This draft was a defensive end gold mine, including Roger Wilson, Mickey Roberts and Derrick Town, so the Preds took advantage and replaced the cut Tam Buckley with 2 rookies, James Morre and Ty Brailen. Even the insiders were surprised when BC stated that they'll use Morre and Brailen in the starting four, rather than the much more solid Preston Carter and 2nd year Nick Los-Marcus. It's reasonable, though, as the label "starter" may not mean much when it comes to the Predators defensive ends, but it says something on the amount of faith the coaches have in the youngsters. Training camp is coming to a close, and Morre has been very impressive, still showing the speed and strength he had in college, but he has improved on his balance and conditioning, both things he lacked coming into draft day. Brailen wasn't shining very bright, but he wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, as he still could occasionally hold up two or three blockers, giving open space for the tackles.

## Owen Slach does come into this season with something to prove, as you said, but will it be enough to recover the "old" Slach?

##

Those numbers he put up are going to be tough to recreate, with two straight 5,450+ yard seasons (2007-2008, 2008-2009), both with under 15 interceptions is the stuff of legends. The 2010-2012 Owen Slach is nowhere near a legend. For the first time, Slach threw for under 35 touchdowns, and over 20 interceptions, bashing his reputation for great ball control. You could blame it on Slach's hand injury I suppose with the 2010-2011 Season, but there were no excuses for the even worse 2011-2012 campaign, where his passing yardage went from 3rd in the league 2 seasons before, to 23rd in the present, with 3,109. That, even though it pains me to say it, might have been the sole reason that BC didn't make the playoffs. Slach will certainly be better this time around, and may reach the 4,000+ mark again, which should be enough to hold up his end of the deal to propel this team into the playoffs once more.

# Saskatchewan Kings

# Offensive MVP: Ariel Jacklin, HB.

# Defensive MVP: Russell Barker, DE

#

### Predictions:3rd in Div. 5

### 10-10

## This offseason was a little bland from an offensive standpoint, not changing anything other than trading for Liam Bay. Can they keep up in the tight division?

The Kings, along with many others, including Kentucky, NWT, Manitoba and Ottawa, took advantage off of a sudden drop in depth of their divisions. They can allow a lazy offseason for once, but the fans certainly think otherwise. A flurry of angry website posts, comments and TV broadcasts slammed Saskatchewan for their offseason actions, as they laid back while teams like BC flew ahead and made themselves a much better team. Could the Kings manage to scrape by with a postseason spot? Not very likely. To be fair, Saskatchewan didn't have a lot of room to make changes, despite a mediocre offence, as they already have placed youngsters last year that need time to develop, like Cory Dekanich and Terry Waters.

## Ariel Jacklin took a few scary hits that knocked him out of a drive or two, but otherwise had a healthy season full of productivity. Will his good fortune ride on to this year?

If it does, the Kings will have immensely greater chances at a playoff spot than if it does not. Some underestimate just how much weight Jacklin carries on his shoulders, despite the fact that his number of carries (21.2 a game in 2011-2012) should reflect that. Jacklin barely missed his third straight 2,000 yard season, as his occasional drive ending injury bugged his stats enough to make him miss the milestone by just 45 yards. Jacklin's great luck won't be far from coming to a close, though, as his speed along with his trucking ability will surely come back to haunt him sooner or later. The Kings pride themselves on a big offensive line that's one of the best in the league, with Toby "The Whale" Wilch, the biggest man in the league (384 pounds!), Ed Stear manning the middle, and the young talent of Terry Waters, which will come in handy with protecting Jacklin.

## Tanner Buck's stats jumped last year along with his role after his trade from Texas. There were some real issues, though, with his ability to switch mindsets with the changes at QB. Will his stats continue to rise despite the fact?

##

Buck, the "One Eyed Wonder", is pretty fast and can adjust to the coverage, so there isn't much you can do to stop him from getting another 1,000 yards this year. But the next level is that switch he has to make for either Darrel Smith or Cory Dekanich. I hate to say it, but the fact that Buck must line up on the left side of the line (due to the lost eye on the left) takes away some of his value to this offence. He erases that disadvantage, however, with much above average blocking skills, something he always had, and always will have that is a big asset to Saskatchewan. Buck has to learn the Kings' trick plays soon, as he's messed one or two up that lost 2-5 yards, and Saskatchewan will only use them more and more as time goes on.

## 2011-2012 was the first season of Darrel Smith and Cory Dekanich's partnership. How did it go, and how well do you think it'll go this time around?

I think it went well enough to try it again, but dominance from the two is a long way ahead. Smith seemed a little less confident with knowing that any mistake he makes will take him out of the game for awhile, and he always likes to be able to change a game. Dekanich wasn't bad, especially with the Kings fans going for his throat day in and day out, and despite a couple of pretty darn bad games early in the season, he could be a starter elsewhere if he wanted out. A nice stat to look at is Saskatchewan's 5,002 yards with the combo, good enough for 10th in the league. If that's not worthy enough for some more attention from the media and less hassle, I don't know what Smith and Dekanich must do to finally win over the supporters.

# Quebec Lions

# Offensive MVP: Justin Porsman, WR

# Defensive MVP: Chris Love, Rookie SS

### Predictions:4th in Div. 5.

### 8-12

## Getting rid of Samm Colcers may not have been the right choice, but drafting Hunter Apo to replace him certainly was. Will Apo be a bust? Or if he isn't, how far can he take the Quebec organization?

Colcers shouldn't have been kicked out the door, but I can reason with the decision, as his $8.0 million a year for 5 years contract was really weighing the Lions down, and without much performance from Colcers to match the money, Quebec thought they had to find someone new. Apo was a real steal in the draft, as a top 10 pick should have been locked for him, but he somehow slid to 26th. Apo played lights out in Jack Burns alongside Ken Foster (for more on that combo, go to US-CFL.com/Story Vaults), but the difference between him and his partner is that he played even better with Wyoming. I like Apo so much because he can always seem to make something out of nothing, sometimes with his feet, but most of the time with some sort of hidden greatness that lets him fit the ball into any hole that opens up.

## There's a lot to talk about on the defensive side of the ball this year. What's your take on this group?

##

I'm anxious to see how rookie Chris Love performs, and sort of took a chance on picking him for the Defensive MVP, but it's hard to argue with that much talent. Speed, size, catching ability, and zone coverage are all Love's strong spots. Champ Eaves is old as the hills, but still has something left in the tank at 34. Remember, the Lions still have Reid Odom for when Eaves decides to call it quits, so it's not a bad idea to bring him in from Colorado. I'm really excited to see the CB combo of Captain Jackson and Paul McMakul, as they have both been highly praised in the offseason press conferences, and both had a nice season in their 2011-2012 campaign. Rodney Nonaj will pair well with Love, with no weak spots or real strong spots, so that Love could still have a big role and doesn't need to worry about covering for Nonaj's struggles. I'm ecstatic about Quebec's chances at a playoff run this year, and if the gears start turning for the offence, they have a real chance to do something with 2012-2013.

## Chris Love may see some speed bumps in his big leap from FS to SS, but still seems to me like a sturdy replacement for the retired Rudi Pierce. Do you think the same?

Love is smart enough to make the switch without much turbulence, so that hassle is out of the way, but can he be a force at safety altogether? Once again, only time can reveal the answer. It's hard to really look back on Pierce's final season as fondly as most do, as he wasn't any better than your average strong safety, but the big name helps, and that is an example. Love doesn't qualify as a "snag", taken with the 50th pick, but Quebec got a little lucky when Missouri passed on him with their 41st selection for Mitch Hecein, as they had their sights on him just as much as the Lions did. Love makes a lot of brilliant tackles, but needs to be more alert when it comes to the deep press, as he often gets sloppy, leaves the box, and gets called for the pass interference. His interception numbers in the SSL (Georgia) weren't eye popping, with only 5 in the 16 game season, but knows when to get them, as 3 of those were in the last 2 minutes of the game.

## So you said the two starting corners, Captain Jackson and Paul McMakul have impressed over camp. What more can you provide on that topic?

##

McMakul was the one who suffered the horrible looking, seemingly career ending knee injury in the CC Tiebraking Round 3 years ago in the 2008-2009 Season. He missed all of Quebec's 2009-2010 tenure in rehab, making great strides to recovery, then was cleared to play with everyone rooting for him last year. Despite the Lions' lack of success, McMakul performed better than most people's realistic expectations. Captain is the perfect name for Captain Jackson, as that's exactly what he did when he was needed in the loss of McMakul. Jackson stepped up to the plate, and led his defence mentally and in numbers, passes intercepted (8), passes deflected (17) and defensive touchdowns (4). Jackson stepped right back down when McMakul came back, like a true leader, showing selflessness and sportsmanship. Both of these guys have a story, and both made some great plays in camp this time around, so look for these two to be great contributors to the Lions' defence, and to both put up big numbers for the first time in 2012-2013.

# Nunavut Polar Bears

# Offensive MVP: Ryan Clarke, QB

# Defensive MVP: Deionte Knight, CB

### Predictions:5th in Div. 5.

### 6-14

## Nunavut started a surprising number of 3rd to 5th round draft picks, which turned a lot of heads. What does it say about what they're trying to do?

Well, the defence certainly was not up to par with the league ever since the 2010 NAC victory, and Nunavut acted accordingly, shifting the reigns to some younger players like Willis Vann, whom they've recently acquired from Newfoundland. Tossing Marvin Falls out the door was definitely not for Tyler Prenegra to come in, but nevertheless he fits as the replacement. Prenegra is by far the youngest player in the league right now, at 20 years and 8 months of age, and the lack of experience showed in camp so far. The defensive line is now completely redesigned, with 3rd year Martin Polley sharing the RE spot with 4th year Don Carpenter, and highly prospected rookie LE Troy Cobb leading the group. I personally am very excited about DT Brandon Keith, who frequently dominates a game by taking out the inside runs and quarterback bootlegs.

## It's incredible that both Nunavut and Kansas, the two contenders for the Star Cup in 2010, both hit a slump after the game and both have been chosen to lose their divisions by many. What happened with Nunavut?

##

The defence encountered a monumental collapse, especially with the run stopping. Saskatchewan, BC, and Ontario's running backs literally ran all over them twice a year, which really hurt the Polar Bears' chances. It doesn't seem as though anything will change in 2012-2013, with Willis Vann taking over at MLB with barely any real tackling skills, but great sacking and pass defending attributes, something that Nunavut barely needs. Thus, more pressure was laid onto Ryan Clarke, who had only Nolan Noshe as a real weapon to throw to, to have another epic year and to lead the Polar Bears to a playoff run. The former was provided, whereas the latter fell short. Nunavut may go a little farther if Damian Carter could put up some better stats than Nolan Christopher did, but Carter doesn't have enough of a well rounded game to fit that role.

## Nolan Noshe, who recently turned 31, started dropping a lot of easy completions last year all of a sudden. How badly will that affect Nunavut's success through the air?

Ryan Clarke really can whip a ball into the hands of a receiver, which obviously doesn't go hand in hand with a guy who can't hold on to it. My reasoning is that when Noshe was the speedy youngster he was in the 2000s, he didn't have to focus on evading the corners and making good cuts, and so he could insert more energy into catching the football, but now as he no longer can breeze through double coverage, he has to be smart to escape, so he isn't thinking towards catching than he is with route running. Nunavut abandoned their vain hopes for Nolan Christopher at just the right moment, as now Noshe isn't going to be as tightly covered with the rookie Damian Carter, who wasn't all that impressive in the State Leagues, but dominated the rookie camp, giving a glimmer of hope for the WR2 spot. All in all, I think Clarke and the offence can adjust soon enough, and the worst thing that could possibly happen is that Nunavut relies on Duncan Manning some more and has to look for different options in the air.

## Speaking of Duncan Manning, do you think he could follow through if he is needed to, which is fairly likely to happen?

##

Manning was drafted to be just another target for the then-thriving passing game, with his great pass blocking skills and good hands in the flats, so many expected him not to reach his full HB potential in his career if he sticks with Nunavut. Manning kept at it, and after 6 full years, is finally getting paid back, as he will be getting the perfect amount of carries in 2012-2013 if everything falls his way. Manning is built low to the ground, at 5'11, 216 lbs, which makes him a force on inside carries. He has decent speed most of the time, but finds a secret gear when he's in the open, where he just blows by everybody. Manning is not your third down running back, but he doesn't have the recently retired Lawrence Nelson to fill that role anymore, which adds some pressure on him.

**Division Six**

# Yukon Ravens

# Offensive MVP: Chris Vaughe, HB

# Defensive MVP: Frank Este, LOLB

### Predictions:1st in Div. 6

### 13-7

## Yukon was 1st in the league in penalties with nearly 6 a game. Most of the real contributors to that stat have been either traded or demoted, but will that really eliminate the nagging problem?

##

If you get 116 penalties in a season, there couldn't be just one or two guys who were drawing all the flags, obviously. The fundamentals are what's killing Yukon right now, and I strongly believe that the staff should stop the silly changes to the depth chart and just work with who they have. None of the guys that were demoted were actually in the top 10 in penalties, and most of them put up solid numbers the past few years. Yukon does have some great 2nd strings, though, so the disciplinary struggles could just be an excuse to try them out on the field. To be honest, I am a fan of the new LCB Pau Rengrent, who looks like he is set for a great rookie season, as he already understands a lot of offensive reading that he'll need to know later, and knows where to go and when to go there more than half the time. Rengrent doesn't have the physical talents to cover the 1st receivers, without great tackling ability or speed, but should do well enough to secure the 2nd CB spot by the end of the preseason.

## Frank Este did get a lot more recognition from fans and media alike last year, but the Defensive MVP? Are you sure?

The Ravens are members of a dying breed of squads that have outside linebackers captain their defence. Back in the 70s through mid-90s, 22-25 teams used OLB as the primary pawn in the defensive scheming, now, the middle linebackers are the cream of the crop. Este fits right in, with 4 CC Player of the Week awards and a craving for dumping the quarterback. Este is unstoppable when it comes to pass defence, with good hands and reflexes, great hand-eye coordination, and the highest vertical leap I have ever seen from a linebacker. Quarterbacks have to account for Este every passing down, as he is a huge threat both in the pass rushing and in the pass defending. He also has above average speed, which Yukon puts to use in QB spy-blitz plays.

## So Dean Matthews performed pretty well last season, and more than held up his end of the deal on the offence. Is he the missing link between the Ravens and the Star Cup?

Matthews is by far the better option than Sean Carter was, (Yukon signed Carter in the 2011 offseason just in case Matthews crashed and burned), and 4, 208 yards certainly isn't too shabby. The Ravens should be an interesting team this year, and NAC-title like success really relies on the defence to get over the hump once and for all, which seems right around the corner, provided the right personnel changes. A subtle but helpful addition is rookie Gordie Jonson out of New Hampshire, who's 6'5 frame shaves off some of the risk of interceptions in the red zone, which is one of Matthews biggest issues to work on for his sophomore year. Matthews takes his time during his reads, which means he takes a lot of hits, but that's a small price to pay compared to all those rookies/sophomores that make every throw a crap shoot due to panicking in the pocket.

## Shane Harvey was very trustworthy in crunch time last year, but made a notable amount of mistakes in the first 3 quarters. Can Yukon still rely on him to hold up his share?

Harvey is a good fit for his role, as he isn't leaned on to be great like most other inside linebackers are, but getting paid $3.7 million just for that is pretty unacceptable. Harvey needs to round out his game sooner or later anyways, as Este has just come off his 7th season and won't be able to make up for his mistakes as often in the future, but for now, the Ravens are just fine with his production, even if it comes with a hefty price tag. Don't forget, Tom Lnellon isn't horrible either, so Yukon isn't in desperate need of another big time linebacker. Yukon played the most overtime games of any team last season, with a whopping 6 matches needing more time, so you'd be surprised at how much a guy like Harvey would come in handy if over a quarter of your games went to OT.

# Nova Scotia Gators

# Offensive MVP: Jake Hershey, Rookie QB

# Defensive MVP: Amare Stecks, CB

### Predictions:2nd in Div. 6

### 12-8

## So, it seems apparent what your take is on the hottest topic of the offseason (whether Nova Scotia or Manitoba will take the second or even first in the division). Why Nova Scotia?

Jake Hershey seems like an important factor in this equation, and if he performs the way I expect him to, he should hold up much better than needed to in the Gators' quest for the playoffs. Personally, Floyd Adams coming back from a ACL tear that ruined his 2011-2012 season isn't huge. The injury looked awful from the TV's perspective, and being sidelined from practice means he isn't as accustomed to the Nova Scotia playbook. A rather weak schedule is one of the primary reasons to my decision, as their 2 AC teams they play are Georgia and Oklahoma, and both of them are smack dab in the middle of the Playoff Race, which means Nova Scotia will probably pick up two crucial wins in that period.

## So, about what you said early on in that last question, what do you expect of Jake Hershey?

Many fans deeply believe that Hershey could lead Nova Scotia into a LaMar Davis like era, which is high hopes, but it may be possible. Hershey is a massive gamble as a starter, since injury and inconsistent passing accuracy has hampered him throughout his currently short career, which is the reason he dropped to the 14th pick rather than the 2nd, 3rd, or maybe even 1st selection. That means that if you see a couple horrible throws in his first season, don't get discouraged as you would with a normal rookie. Hershey is pretty much the opposite of a rookie quarterback anyway, as he has shown significant signs of being a football genius, and has shown scouts of great talents in negotiating contracts. That may seem silly now, but means there's a good chance he'll stick with the Gators for his career, which is obviously something to be said for the long term.

## The Gators lost the veteran asset of Hillman Wells, but made an interesting move by picking up Jacob Ervers afterwards, can that improve their 26th ranked running game?

Wells was just too inconsistent to really stick around with Nova Scotia. Every year they always have vain hopes for him to explode like he does now and then, but then in the middle of the season they have to redesign their gameplan due to Wells not performing like they expected him to. That explains why they took Ervers, who led Quebec's 25th ranked rushing attack, to replace Wells, who, as you said, was 26th. Ervers is elusive when he wants to be, but doesn't set up blockers the way that the Gators would have wanted. Ervers is a huge threat in the passing game, though, which is something that is constantly overlooked by football experts. Ervers can stop any defensive end 30-40% of the time when they escape their blockers, and it's a rare sight to see if a corner gets past him on a CB blitz. His elusiveness is great for the open field moves that are needed to be made for long gains on HB screens, and he doesn't often jeopardize the team with backfield drops. I expect some bigger things from Ervers than his 3 years in Quebec, and Nova Scotia could have found itself a classic super sleeper in the making.

## So you said Floyd Adams won't live up to the hype that was given to him. The Gators have a lot riding on him achieving that, though, so do you expect somebody to step up, or have the defence crumble without the main man in the schemes?

I expect many surprising names to become known this year. I certainly wouldn't have picked them beating out the powerhouse that is Manitoba if I didn't. The number one captain prospect is LOLB Shane Damon. Damon is a huge hitter, but for most of his 6-year career, that's all he was. New Brunswick, Georgia, and Colorado all passed on him after a few years, but Nova Scotia recently resigned him to a 4-year, 3.8 million dollar deal, which is definitely a sign of hope. Damon has decent covering ability, and does best in zone coverage. He doesn't accelerate to top speed very quickly at all, but can still get around pretty easily. Tam Buckley is an excellent pick up. He can switch from right to left end or even to tackle, and is a demon stopping the run. It's always nice to have a Plan B, especially with an injury like Adams', so Nova Scotia should be set and prepared for anything in 2012-2013.

# Manitoba Eskimos

# Offensive MVP: Derek Williams-Martch, WR

# Defensive MVP: Jack Landry, CB

#

### Predictions:3rd in Div. 6

### 12-8

## How can you pick the Eskis missing the playoffs with weapons like Williams-Martch and Landry?

##

I'm not jumping on the Troy Boone bandwagon just yet. In his 2010-2011 rookie year, Boone threw for just 2,730 yards paired with Terrell Brown and the now retired Millwell Correll, and he had an awful 43 interceptions with 38 touchdowns. But somehow no one remembers that after his career year with Williams-Martch where he threw 44 touchdowns, yet still 37 picks. The run stopping game has gotten worse than ever with the loss of Joe Vackens, but I may be surprised with Bradley Barber, his replacement, as he has the strength, smarts and definitely speed to be reliable. Don't count them out, though, Williams-Martch is phenomenal, and the secondary is still by far the best in the league, so be prepared to be entertained by this rivalry between Nova Scotia and Manitoba this year.

## If anything, the Eskimos secondary got even better in 2011-2012. Can you break them down a little?

##

For years now, the Manitoba secondary has terrorized quarterbacks week in and week out, and they show no signs of stopping the attack, as neither age or offseason pressure has caused any problems. Fred Mackenzie is one of my favorite players in the league, as he has revolutionized the cornerback position with his size and strength. Weighing in at 6'3, 223 pounds, Mackenzie looks and plays like a linebacker in a CB spot, but has surprising speed and agility to keep up with the second best receivers. Jack Landry is purely legendary. He doesn't get the recognition he deserves since he is just another part of a brilliant secondary, but it seems as though whenever the ball comes his way, highlights are formed. Landry is always explosive, but his contributions where it gets dirty are what makes him so valuable. Landry is always the first to get in on the goalline and 3rd and short plays, and doesn't back down against big linemen or fullbacks to get to the ball carrier. The signing of Tony Wilthenhower last year came as a shock, not only because they wanted him as a free safety rather than his natural cornerback role, but also since they already had a solid FS in Craig Jenkins, but Manitoba knew what they got into, and Wilthenhower had a better year than Jenkins ever had, even without putting into account the change in position.

## Christian Gourdou is an interesting factor in the Eskimos 2012-2013 season. He looked good last year, but will he pick up where he left off and continue to improve?

Gourdou has a tremendous work ethic and love for the game that is hard to match, and he undoubtedly fought for every inch of his 1,333 yards in 2011-2012. Gourdou has very powerful legs, which make defenders have to tackle him higher, where he can take care of them with his great spin moves. Gourdou has limited carries, but nevertheless, giving up but 1 fumble last year as a nice achievement. He seemed to have squashed the injury bug for now, with his nagging elbow injuries that plagued him all through his rookie year and sophomore tenure, as he's taken some tough hits last year, and got up and brushed himself off every time. Gourdou lines up as a receiver pretty often, and even against cornerbacks and safeties, he can break the odd completion for 40-50 yards when nobody expects it.

## No one pays much attention to the run stopping game for Manitoba, but it actually isn't that bad. What, or who, are the keys to achieving better success this time around?

Bradley Barber has the speed of a corner, and can definitely get in the backfield really quickly, but it seems like he's almost too fast for a linebacker. Sure, he can catch up if he's beat in man coverage, but he often runs so hard that even the smallest of jukes sends him flying. The defensive line is inconsistent game-to-game, but they can really scare an offence's running game when they get going. Darrel Hightop has a knack for knocking the ball down behind the line, which is one of the best ways to get momentum to swing your way, but Hightop isn't a big sack guy, and only gets about 3-5 sacks a year. Harry Pukanii is really fast and strong, and stuffs a lot of runs in the backfield, but is too gullible when it comes to head fakes, counters and pump fakes. This defence needs to come together and understand the strengths and weaknesses of their teammates so that they could milk dry every advantage they have in the huddle.

# New Brunswick Wolves

# Offensive MVP: Adrian Fox, HB

# Defensive MVP: Simon Eloy, SS

#

### Predictions:4th in Div. 6

### 5-15

###

## Probably the biggest concern for the Wolves this season is Cam Llandsberry and his worrisome neck injury. How would you handle this if you were in the coach's shoes?

##

A serious injury was the worst thing that could have happened when New Brunswick drafted Llandsberry, as Llandsberry didn't need to perform well quickly like other rookies, like Dean Matthews and maybe Henry King, the reason why the Wolves picked up Brady Optho for the short-term. Things happen, and now the organization is forced to make some tough decisions throughout this season. Personally, I'd try him out for about a quarter of the snaps Week 1, see how he does, and make my decision based on the results, leaning towards playing him, as New Brunswick is making great strides to be a contender for the playoffs again.

## New Brunswick's defence was renowned for being horrific for many seasons now, but with talented youngsters being inserted into the lineup, are brighter days on the horizon?

Well, after these past few years, I'm pretty positive that the Wolves can go nowhere but up. The defensive line certainly wasn't doing much to stop the run or really get sacks, with giant rookie busts in Willis Thea and George Mathia, but it's looking like recently signed James Wilcox and Roger Hills won't go down the same road as their formers. Both Wilcox and Hills are small guys, both being under 230 pounds, but they take advantage of that when getting around the bigger and less mobile tackles with Wilcox' crafty outside moves and Hills' surprising strength to get to the half back. The secondary has always been the only average point in the defence, and led by the quick and hard-hitting Simon Eloy, they are looking more and more like a trustworthy and actually good unit as they mature.

## Adrian Fox has proven that he can be a top tier back when he's healthy, but how much of a boost can he give the Wolves this year if he stays off the sidelines?

You have to keep in mind that some injuries aren't simple; they don't just send a player out for a handful of weeks, then he comes back perfectly healthy. Fox's injuries looked bad and were bad, so as he ages, they definitely can come back to haunt him. That being said, Fox is only 28, so if you're talking about this season, then he surely can be a major role. Fox always makes defenders guess on what he's going to do in the open field, since he frequently spins, jukes, trucks, or stiff arms the cautious defender, which makes him one of the best open-field backs in the league, both statisticly and visually. Fox is very fast, but that's a thing that could diminish in the near future with his injuries, though for now it's still a strong suit for bursting up holes and into the secondary, where he can work his open-field magic. Fox can block pretty well, too, and although he's a bit conservative on the defensive end pick ups, and linebacker or safety blitzes are shut down most of the time.

## So the linebackers were nonexistent last year, barely ever making the plays that were needed. How will Liam-Michael Holmes and the loss of Carson Chambers fix that up?

New Brunswick was pretty lazy with the whole MLB decsision, as they're just waiting for Kansas to do all the work, so that they can get the second-best from Kansas' eyes. Carson Chambers is the type of player who gets fans frustrated, with occasional lack of effort and frequent miscues, so he didn't gain a lot of respect, leading to everyone's releif when he was cut weeks ago. Liam-Michael Holmes has a lot of up-sides, he's quick, big, and has good hands, and improves every week. Preston Iller doesn't get on to the field much in the Wolves' 5-2 set up, and about a quarter of the time was in as the 5th defensive lineman, due to his size (6'4, 235 lbs.), but with the 6th round rookie moving in, expect to see more of him.

# PEI Deceivers

# Offensive MVP: Lance Trasverdé, HB

# Defensive MVP: Kyle Chaser, CB

### Predictions:5th in Div. 6

### 3-17

## PEI certainly a different team now then they were in 2010-2011, but how far can they go with this group?

Jordie Angersson doesn't need to be perfect for the team to do well. The Deceivers showed their switch to a run-based team with the acquiry of Lance Trasverdé, so Angersson can play like a rookie-throw stupid interceptions, make some mental errors-but not too much like a rookie, and PEI still can have short-term hopes. The offence is fine enough, but the defence needs some work. Lyle Macrina is nonexistent against the run, and is rarely really a force on the pass, either, and on the other side,Tam McMillan is very penalty prone and gets his fair share of suspentions. The linebackers are a real situation. Marco Jackson does fine, but doesn't communicate or lead his unit well enough at all, and sure enough, the linebackers struggle with blown coverages and sloppy play. The Mike and Sam guys look pretty awful, even with the rookie Jack Froutter coming in. Froutter isn't nearly fast or strong enough to be consistently dependable, even for an outside linebacker and it's deteriorating role, and Nate Robinson's much the same. Hopefully, the defence can get itself together come the regular season November 1st, but for now, it's really the only thing that's pulling PEI back.

## Seeing Lance Trasverdé in a PEI uniform sure will be a strange sight, but will he provide enough of a boost to the offence?

Trasverdé got on Missouri's nerves last offseason, with constant whining and trade threats, and last year's lack of performance really put the staff over the edge. But he comes in to PEI with a fresh slate here, and though his career highs would be tough to duplicate, he should have a great season in his Deceivers debut. Trasverdé's fast, and we all know that, but he doesn't burst through holes at top speed; normally, he takes it slow through there like he's indecisive as to if it was the right decision. PEI's offensive line isn't nearly as good as Missouri's, so the wide open holes won't appear as often, so he has to patch that little problem up quickly. Trasverdé is a real triple threat, he can run, he can catch (not only the dinky screens, but outs, ins, streaks, etc), and he's trouble on special teams, with three kickoffs returned for touchdowns last year, which is a new asset for PEI.

## What about the secondary? If the unit can escape the injuries that have plagued them for the past few seasons, sure, they should do well, but can they really be a factor?

##

A lot of people forget that Kyle Chaser had 9 interceptions last year. I don't see why that can't happen again, with Chaser's combination of smarts, speed and a touch of catching ability, don't be surprised to see him at the top of the charts once more next year. Dallas Heinracker is a one of the few corners who really gets in on the run, Heinracker's always in the mix on pitch plays, draws (if there's enough of a delay), and counters, and coaches normally don't account for that, making Heinracker-if he can shake the hip problems-a big asset to the run defence. The two safeties aren't supposed to be real factors to the defence, and most of the time, they just go deep zone, but they deliver when they're needed. Not only in making touchdown-saving tackles, but in the odd time both or one of them are sent on a blitz, they are always around the ball carrier, whether it be the quarterback, or the wide receiver or running back.

## You haven't talked much about Jordie Angersson and his super young receivers. What do you see happening there?

Chris Kane is the only one of the bunch that we can fall back on past US-CFL evidence to make a prediction, and we only have a year cut short by injury to do that. Jordie Angersson is worth the $16.5 million PEI coughed up to Newfoundland to get him, with beautiful deep passes, a knack for escaping incoming defenders with smarts rather than skill, and will almost definitely settle in just fine with his main target from college, Rowan Dasher, out there on the field with him. Rowan Dasher is a great vertical threat (goes well with Angersson's deep passes, coincidence?), with a 6'4, 213 pound frame and a 38.3 inch vertical. Dasher has very crafty footwork, helping him blow by man coverage and get some yards afterwards. Chris Kane really carried the offence throughout last season, and finally got backup this time around. Don't be misled by his WR2 role, with his combination of smarts, quickness, strength and hands, and the odd highlight-reel catch, Kane should get just as much, if not more, action come 2012-2013.
