Rookie Camp Comments and Discussion

[Jockitch]

Really was a nice day to sit in on Rookie Camp
As was said, there are so many bodies and they used the full space
My eyes, before I sat down, saw Agudosi and I grinned and cheered in my head

Some very good observations posted earlier
#54 Wade for sure and perhaps I would throw in #45 Dixon and a sleek looking #81 Harrison at Receiver

Only negative that caught my eye is that #97 Kornelson perhaps didn't do much work on the bike

[bunker]

Thanks to those posting their rookie camp observations. Hope to get to main camp Sunday. Excited for the season to start!

[ModAdmin]

Quick Hits | Rookie Camp - Day 1

THE O'SHEAS: Officially, Michael O'Shea is listed as #76 - one of fresh-faced receivers who was busy running routes and pulling in passes on the first day of Blue Bombers training camp.

Except Michael O'Shea, who goes by 'Michael' or 'Mike', is the son of the head coach, Mike O'Shea.

"It's crazy to be back in Winnipeg for awhile," said O'Shea, junior, after playing the last two seasons with the Okanagan Sun where was an All-Canadian receiver and kick returner. "It's definitely cool.

"Everyone takes a different path to the league sometimes and mine was all over. I'm just glad I got the opportunity to play in the CFL. Obviously, there?s something special there (trying out for a team coached by his father), but for right now I'm just focussing on trying to make the team and not worrying about that part.

"I'm exactly like every other player right now. He's 'Coach', not 'Dad.'"

O'Shea wasn't selected in the recent CFL Draft, but was added due to his credentials with the Sun, which included helping the team to a CJFL championship last year.

Asked what it was like to see his son out there, the head coach offered this:

"There's two ways to think. One, as a dad, is it's cool to see him. I've always liked seeing my kids, all my kids, compete. I don't spend a lot of time staring at him. I stick to my normal routine of wandering around looking at all the groups. Nothing's going to change about that."

O'Shea said he spoke to some of the current Blue Bombers and coaches - especially receivers coach Kevin Bourgoin - about the idea of bringing his son to camp and the potential awkward situation that might create. And "to a man they were all, 'He's a good player, bring him in.'"

One more from Coach O'Shea, when asked what it was like to see his son so passionate about something he himself has been so passionate about for most of his adult life.

"If he would have been passionate about something else I would have been just as excited for him," he said. "If your kids find something they are passionate about then I think as a parent you just enjoy watching that unfold, whatever it is... as long as it's legal."

LET THE KICKING GAMES BEGIN: Veteran incumbent kicker Marc Liegghio and Sergio Castillo, signed last week after his surprising release from Edmonton, won't be on the field until the opening of main training camp on Sunday.

That said, there were still five kickers working on Wednesday in placekickers Chandler Staton and Marc Orozco and punters Chris MacLean, Karl Schmitz and Devin Anctil.
O'Shea outlined the best way for the kickers to stand out during camp.

"The consistency over time, doing what we ask them to do over a couple week period - thats what it's going to take," he said. "Somebody's going to have to continue to execute each kick the way we ask them to execute it and do it at an extremely high level, because there's a pretty high standard here. We'll see. Everybody is excited to compete. Nothing is being handed to anybody."

O'Shea said he spoke with Liegghio at the end of the season about what would unfold heading into this camp.

"He knew there would be competition," he said. "The message is the same as it is everybody. We want to win football games and we want to be the best at every phase we can be and nobody should be afraid of that.

"They're pro football players. Nobody should be afraid of that. They want to compete, they want to win the job."

THE AGELESS ONE: Schmitz, selected by the Blue Bombers in the recent Global Draft, is the 36-year-old Bermuda product still chasing his pro football dream.

"I think over the course of time you guys have asked me age questions before," O'Shea said. "I don't ever think like that and how many miles does a guy have on his football body. It's different for kickers than it is for linemen or linebackers - guys who played defence and special teams. Those guys add a pile of games on to their career very quickly just by the number of games they are playing if they're playing on special teams and defence. There's a lot of evidence to say kickers go into their 40s quite easily so I don't know if age has anything to do with it. I mean, we're in a profession where you've got to win and so if a guy can help you, he can help you. What are you worried about how old he is?

"Plus, he's in great shape He's just in fantastic shape. I certainly didn't look like that at 36."

FYI: The Blue Bombers added Canadian LB Robbie Lowes to the retired list on Wednesday. He was attempting a comeback with the club after suffering an Achilles injury in training camp last year. The University of Regina product played two games with the Blue Bombers in 2021 after being selected in the fourth round, 34th overall, in the 2021 CFL Draft.

The club made three other transactions on the first day of rookie camp, adding OL Desmond Bessent (6-7, 305, University of Buffalo), WR Dominick Fiscelli (5-9, 180 Northern State University) and running back Vance Barnes (5-8, 190, Northern State University), while releasing receiver Otis Lanier.

[pjrocksmb]

Too bad about Lowes

[TBURGESS]

Thanks to everyone who is giving camp reports. Keep 'em coming.

[ModAdmin]

"You just ask him, and he'll line up and do it. He's a tough dude. He's mature."

..."Going from an 18-year-old that was quiet and just doing things for himself to being forced to do things for your team and making that part of the doctrine for your life, that definitely helped me."

(Damian)Jackson was a 'Lead Breacher' with his SEALs platoon, specializing in obstruction removal and explosives. In short, he was the man responsible for knocking down a door or wall or blowing off a door. He's not particularly talkative about his days in the military saying, "My story is kinda out there now. Some people ask me about it. I won't bring it up myself. I just stick to the football. But my story is out there and so I do get asked about it."

The worst moments?

"On my first deployment I lost a buddy," he said. "And I've known some other guys (who have lost their lives), too.".....

https://www.bluebombers.com/2023/05/10/you-just-ask-him-and-hell-line-up-and-do-it-hes-a-tough-dude-hes-mature/

[Waffler]

(Damian)Jackson

He stood out because of his red shorts but he looked solid. An amazing story. Thanks for posting.

[DM83]

What a great story.

Great philosophy.

Just persevere.

What a character guy
Winnipeg has great writers.

[Blue In BC]

He stood out because of his red shorts but he looked solid. An amazing story. Thanks for posting.

Good story but he has to win a spot as a DI. Being able to LS is an advantage but he has to show better than the other rookies looking to win a spot.

I wonder if he gets any work LS and on ST's. He's not the norm for a guy to run downfield on punt coverage, but he may be able to perform.

[M.O.A.B.]

If he can be a utility guy and can be used on the DL, on ST, possibly FB and at LS,  I think he'll beat Benson.
But then, we need another Canadian somewhere possibly at secondary.

[kkc60]

I hope they actually give him work at DE. Seems they might only be having him long snap, which is unfortunate. He put up good numbers at a good Nebraska program

[pdirks67]

Rookie Camp Day 2 - things that stood out to me today:

1. Punters: The punters got a chance to show their stuff today. All were inconsistent, at best. Schmitz had the only real boomer - a 55-yard beauty with lots of height. But he also had a couple that were below average.

2. Kickers: Hoping that someone else can chime in because I couldn't really tell if their attempts were making it through. I think both of them missed at least one wide, although they had no issues with distance. As I was leaving, I asked Jeff Hamilton if he caught how many they put through and his answer was "Not many".

3. Quarterbacks: Not much separation between the newbies yet. No one looked obviously out of place, but more than one underthrew the receiver on go routes. Cooper Callis (#18) threw a beautiful long strike to Agudosi.

4. Michael O'Shea (WR#76): Day 2, and he still looks like he belongs. He came up with a contested catch, showed good hands, and generally ran his @ss off out there in drills.

5. Jaivon Heiligh (WR#87) made a really nice over-the-shoulder catch in close coverage on a bomb thrown in the end zone by Collaros. And by the way, Collaros shook off all the rust yesterday - he looked good when he participated in a drill today.

6. Souleymane Karamoko (DB#42): He moves so fluidly and he just looks like an athletic stud. I tried to keep a close eye on him in drills, and he seemed to always be providing tight coverage. He had a pick on a deflected pass, so he looks like he's also got some ball skills.

7. Dominick Fiscelli (WR#22): I'm just assuming that #22 was Fiscelli because he's the new guy and I didn't have a WR#22 on my sheet. He's a short receiver, but he showed off some sharp route running. Very quick, didn't drop a ball.

8. Gavin Garner (WR#77): I saw him drop at least two balls. He's a big dude (6'5", 220lbs), but he's built different than Agudosi (doesn't seem to have the big wing span). I can see him getting cut before main camp.

9. Carlton Agudosi (WR#86): He had one pass behind him that I'd call a drop. But he looked real good out there again today.

10. Barrington Wade (LB#54): Stood out to me again today. He always seemed to be the guy pushing 110% in the drills and stood out athletically.


Looking forward to what others saw out there!

[Blue In BC]

Karamoko sounds like he has some skills. With his size he could be a DB, SAM and ST player. IMO that still means he has to beat our Maruo but if he's more versatile that could be an option for our 2nd global player choice on the AR.

Aside from the choice for a global player, it might influence how we choose to use the ratio. IE: Does he add more value as a DB/SAM choice than an actual import DI. Do we lose or gain something in our choices for DI's overall. Maruo is a good ST player and was getting reps on defence. Can Karamoko take those reps in some other role?

Day 2 of camp is done. I'd expect a few more players being released tonight.

[Zach Schnitzer]

Awesome breakdown!

[theaardvark]

Karamoko sounds like he has some skills. With his size he could be a DB, SAM and ST player. IMO that still means he has to beat our Maruo but if he's more versatile that could be an option for our 2nd global player choice on the AR.

Aside from the choice for a global player, it might influence how we choose to use the ratio. IE: Does he add more value as a DB/SAM choice than an actual import DI. Do we lose or gain something in our choices for DI's overall. Maruo is a good ST player and was getting reps on defence. Can Karamoko take those reps in some other role?

Day 2 of camp is done. I'd expect a few more players being released tonight.

Wondering why the CFL hsn't amended the GLB initiative in regards to players that are now on above ELC contracts.  If the idea is to develop GLB talent, once they have been developed and become basically INT players/starters, shouldn't there be development roster spots?  With Hansen taking 50% of the GLB Ar spots... you will have to decide between Mauro, Karamoko or a punter to "develop".