You have to look long and hard before finding Avon Cobourne among the Canadian Football League's leaders in rushing yards.
With 173 yards through three games, he trails most teams' starting tailbacks. Cripes, even Buck Pierce, Winnipeg's first-string quarterback - since injured - has 19 more yards than Cobourne.
This isn't to suggest the Alouettes' veteran is unproductive. On the contrary. Simply put, he's been underutilized this season - a scenario that has been known to occur on a team that has Kerry Watkins, Jamel Richardson, Ben Cahoon, Brian Bratton and the burgeoning S.J. Green on its roster.
"I always want the ball, but we've got a lot of weapons. Other teams can't say that," said Cobourne, now in his fifth season with Montreal.
Will any of this change Thursday, when the Als launch their home regular-season against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Molson Stadium (7:30 p.m., TSN, RDS, CJAD Radio-800, CHOM 97.7-FM)? Only head coach Marc Trestman can be certain; he, after all, being the master behind the play-calling.
Cobourne has only 36 carries - an average of 12 per game - this season. That's significantly less than Saskatchewan's Wes Cates, who leads the league with 317 rushing yards; Toronto's Cory Boyd; Edmonton's Arkee Whitlock; and Calgary's Joffrey Reynolds, all with more than 40 carries. Last season, Cobourne exceeded 100 yards in two of his first three games. He also had 54 carries at this juncture.
Cobourne had 10 carries in the season-opener, at Saskatchewan, and 13 in each of the last two games. Against British Columbia last Friday, he had his most productive game, gaining 79 yards, while catching five passes for 43 yards. But it wasn't until the Als' second offensive series that he received his first carry. Cobourne was held to no gain. It was another two possessions before he got a second carry, gaining 15 yards. Following an incomplete pass to Watkins, quarterback Anthony Calvillo was sacked for a loss.
"We've got a (future) Hall of Fame quarterback. It all has to run through him. He's supposed to open it up for everyone else. He's the No.1 option," Cobourne said. "In fact, we've got two (future) Hall of Fame players; one at receiver (Cahoon).
"I definitely want the ball," Cobourne added. "I feel I should have it more than the other guys, as a running back. And no question, I'm the best (tailback) out there doing it."
On most teams, the offence begins and ends with the running game. But on Montreal, everything's predicated on the pass. It seems that when Cobourne's stopped on the ground, the Als stop using him. But when a pass is incomplete, or dropped, this team keeps on passing and Cobourne's primary responsibility is as an extra blocker in the backfield.
Somehow, he could be used more imaginatively, although it's hard to argue with the results the Als have had in their two full seasons under Trestman. We know this: Were Cobourne on any other team, the scenario would be different.
"I don't like my touches, but I like my situation," Cobourne said. "Our offence is more elaborate. We're still growing as a team. Last week was a starting point. My touches are getting there."
With one ball and numerous possibilities, Calvillo admitted there's only so much within his control.
"Cobourne's getting his share, but we have a lot of weapons," Calvillo said. "We're trying to take advantage of his skills. There will be a lot of games where he gets touches, and times when he doesn't. At least he has a great attitude about it."
Trestman and Calvillo, of course, have more pressing issues as they prepare for the Ticats. After exploding for 51 points against the Roughriders, the Als were held to two offensive touchdowns by the Eskimos and failed to find the end zone against the Lions, although they controlled the ball for more than 35 minutes, generating 380 yards' net offence.
"We're certainly not playing at the level we'd like to be playing at," Trestman said. "We're not finishing drives the way we'd expect to. You go through these things over the course of a season. Hopefully, we can improve on that.
"But we had 30 completions (against B.C.). We just need to get more out of those 30 completions."
--montrealgazette.com
With 173 yards through three games, he trails most teams' starting tailbacks. Cripes, even Buck Pierce, Winnipeg's first-string quarterback - since injured - has 19 more yards than Cobourne.
This isn't to suggest the Alouettes' veteran is unproductive. On the contrary. Simply put, he's been underutilized this season - a scenario that has been known to occur on a team that has Kerry Watkins, Jamel Richardson, Ben Cahoon, Brian Bratton and the burgeoning S.J. Green on its roster.
"I always want the ball, but we've got a lot of weapons. Other teams can't say that," said Cobourne, now in his fifth season with Montreal.
Will any of this change Thursday, when the Als launch their home regular-season against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Molson Stadium (7:30 p.m., TSN, RDS, CJAD Radio-800, CHOM 97.7-FM)? Only head coach Marc Trestman can be certain; he, after all, being the master behind the play-calling.
Cobourne has only 36 carries - an average of 12 per game - this season. That's significantly less than Saskatchewan's Wes Cates, who leads the league with 317 rushing yards; Toronto's Cory Boyd; Edmonton's Arkee Whitlock; and Calgary's Joffrey Reynolds, all with more than 40 carries. Last season, Cobourne exceeded 100 yards in two of his first three games. He also had 54 carries at this juncture.
Cobourne had 10 carries in the season-opener, at Saskatchewan, and 13 in each of the last two games. Against British Columbia last Friday, he had his most productive game, gaining 79 yards, while catching five passes for 43 yards. But it wasn't until the Als' second offensive series that he received his first carry. Cobourne was held to no gain. It was another two possessions before he got a second carry, gaining 15 yards. Following an incomplete pass to Watkins, quarterback Anthony Calvillo was sacked for a loss.
"We've got a (future) Hall of Fame quarterback. It all has to run through him. He's supposed to open it up for everyone else. He's the No.1 option," Cobourne said. "In fact, we've got two (future) Hall of Fame players; one at receiver (Cahoon).
"I definitely want the ball," Cobourne added. "I feel I should have it more than the other guys, as a running back. And no question, I'm the best (tailback) out there doing it."
On most teams, the offence begins and ends with the running game. But on Montreal, everything's predicated on the pass. It seems that when Cobourne's stopped on the ground, the Als stop using him. But when a pass is incomplete, or dropped, this team keeps on passing and Cobourne's primary responsibility is as an extra blocker in the backfield.
Somehow, he could be used more imaginatively, although it's hard to argue with the results the Als have had in their two full seasons under Trestman. We know this: Were Cobourne on any other team, the scenario would be different.
"I don't like my touches, but I like my situation," Cobourne said. "Our offence is more elaborate. We're still growing as a team. Last week was a starting point. My touches are getting there."
With one ball and numerous possibilities, Calvillo admitted there's only so much within his control.
"Cobourne's getting his share, but we have a lot of weapons," Calvillo said. "We're trying to take advantage of his skills. There will be a lot of games where he gets touches, and times when he doesn't. At least he has a great attitude about it."
Trestman and Calvillo, of course, have more pressing issues as they prepare for the Ticats. After exploding for 51 points against the Roughriders, the Als were held to two offensive touchdowns by the Eskimos and failed to find the end zone against the Lions, although they controlled the ball for more than 35 minutes, generating 380 yards' net offence.
"We're certainly not playing at the level we'd like to be playing at," Trestman said. "We're not finishing drives the way we'd expect to. You go through these things over the course of a season. Hopefully, we can improve on that.
"But we had 30 completions (against B.C.). We just need to get more out of those 30 completions."
--montrealgazette.com
