To defeat your opponent, you must know him well. The Alouettes will have to be particularly wary of the most intriguing player in the Canadian Football League (CFL), who will play in Saturday’s Eastern Section semifinal: Tim White.
The Tiger Cats receiver not only dominated the CFL last season with 1,269 passing yards, he also has an exceptional athlete behind him. A graduate of Arizona State University, White first tried to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics in the triple jump. Without training specifically for it, he came even closer to this goal at the last Games in Tokyo, placing fifth at the US team’s Olympic trials with a personal best of 16.59 meters. Impressive, right?
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“He’s made me miss a few tackles in the past, he’s someone who’s quick and agile,” Quebec Marauder Marc-Antoine Dequoy admitted of White. His center of gravity is deep. It’s reminiscent of this new approach we’re seeing more and more in the NFL, where these little receivers try to escape. When you hit them it hurts, but you have to be able to hit them.”
White was entitled to a small vacation last Saturday in Montreal for the final game of the Ti-Cats regular season. Although his team lost to the Alouettes 38-12 in Hamilton on June 3, he also stood out with seven receptions and 143 yards. The 29-year-old athlete was more discreet, as only two passes were caught for a total of 21 yards at the August 5 meet, also in Hamilton.
“He’s hard to play against, I might have to cover him on certain plays and when you know he’s on the field you have to be alert,” Dequoy added. He can fetch balls and create distance with his roofer.
Thorpe vs. Milanovich
Aside from the players, this duel between the Alouettes and the Tiger-Cats is one between coaches Jason Maas and Orlondo Steinauer. The coordinators also include the defensive system of Noel Thorpe against the offensive deployment of Scott Milanovich, who has joined the Ti-Cats since August to direct the offensive plays.
What gets really interesting is that the Tiger-Cats still have the option to use two different quarterbacks: Matthew Shiltz, who is slated to be the starter, as well as veteran Bo Levi Mitchell.
“They might try to mix it up a little bit, and they’re two completely different neighborhoods,” Dequoy analyzed. Bo Levi plays long passes while Shiltz is much more mobile, he will use his feet and get out of the pocket. We will adjust depending on the quarterback that will be on the field. It’s getting interesting.”
Marc-Antoine Dequoy Photo Martin Chevalier
The Alouettes defense might even go so far as to score a touchdown. Dequoy, like Tyrice Beverette, is a good candidate for this. They each have two defensive touchdowns each, out of nine total for the Montreal team this season.
A thought for Elwood
No matter which quarterback is used, it is still Tim White who stands out as the main target. The more we learn about White, the more fascinating he becomes. Beyond his past in athletics, we discover a man who grew up in poverty, primarily in California. This is also where his brother Elwood died when a police officer shot him in the chest. White often thinks about this before jumping onto the field for an important play.
Despite three wins in as many games against the Tiger-Cats in the regular season, the Sparrows should be better prepared for White and his teammates. Among receivers, the Montreal club will undoubtedly be able to rely on Austin Mack to respond against a more porous defense than the Alouettes’.
In summary:
- Quebec’s Pier-Olivier Lestage, who has a leg injury, will not be able to play against the Tiger-Cats. Philippe Gagnon is expected to play a larger role in the attack, while Sean Jamieson returns against all expectations.
- Mike Pringle is one of the former Alouettes players who will be in attendance at Percival Molson Stadium on Saturday, particularly at the pregame tailgate. The game was scheduled to start around 3 p.m.
Main offensive threats to the Alouettes and Tiger-Cats:
Quarters:
MTL – Cody Fajardo
(3,847 yards, 14 touchdowns, 12 interceptions)
HAM- Bo Levi Mitchell (six games played) / Matthew Shiltz (11 pieces)
Recipient:
MTL – Austin Mack (1,154 yards, 5th in the CFL – 4 touchdowns)
HAM- Tim White (1,269 yards, 1st in the CFL – 8 touchdowns)
Austin Mack Photo Martin Chevalier
Running backs:
MTL – William Stanback (800 rushing yards, 241 passing yards, 3 touchdowns)
HAM- James Butler (1116 rushing yards, 527 passing yards, 8 touchdowns)