Couture, Speller compete for starting spot

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This article was published 23/05/2019 (1799 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are to be true Grey Cup contenders in 2019, one of the personnel decisions vital to their aspirations will be choosing a successor to all-star centre Matthias Goossen.

Goossen, 26, retired in the prime of his CFL career to pursue an career in law enforcement.

The contest to replace him has come down to a battle between fourth-year man Michael Couture and Cody Speller, who’s beginning his second full season in the league and his third training camp in Winnipeg. Both are Canadians. Both are hungry to establish themselves as starters.

Couture, who has played in 54 games and started twice since being selected 10th overall in the 2016 draft, appears to have the upper hand, based mainly on his experience. But he’s taking nothing for granted, something he learned while apprenticing all along the Winnipeg O-line as a backup earlier in his career.

“Right now, this is an open competition,” the 25-year-old Burnaby, B.C., product said following a Day 6 workout at Blue Bombers training camp at IG Field on Friday. “For me, I’ve really enjoyed this camp, being able to take all my reps at one spot.

“For the first couple of years, there was not a lot of change in our starting five, and for me it was getting reps in where I could, at centre, guard and tackle. I tried to get my reps everywhere, and so now to be able to hone in on the centre spot has skyrocketed my confidence level with my call-making, managing the huddle. I’ve really enjoyed that.”

Experience is crucial here. Centres are the eyes and ears of the unit.

“When we got him in here, he was a guy that could play all the way across the offensive line,” Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said. “One of the… things a centre has to do is have vision, be able to communicate what they see and get all the offensive linemen on the same page. That involves seeing the big picture, processing it very quickly and applying the right call to it.

“He’s smart; all centres have to be smart. They have to have that vision, they have to put in that work to be able to see all the pictures you’re going to see from different defences. Besides the physical attributes he has, we believe he could play tackle, play tight end (and) he’s played guard and centre.”

Couture is used to the routine and the expectation is he’ll be able to fill in wherever he is needed.

At Simon Fraser University, he played guard, tackle and centre. Coincidentally, he was SFU’s left guard when Goossen, then in his junior season, slotted in at left tackle. A year later, Goossen spent his senior year at centre while Couture shifted to right tackle.

Since graduating from university as a 285-pounder, the 6-4 Couture has morphed into a bigger, more athletic pro. How did he get there?

“Dedication and diet,” said Couture, who currently tips the scales at303 pounds. “Eating as much as I can — quality stuff — and putting the time in the gym to put on that good weight.”

Fitness and weight-room activities are a constant.

“I know what I need to do,” Couture said. “I’m at that level now, where I feel physically like I can’t be messed with. And mentally, I know what I need to know, so there’s no worries there.”

Speller’s chief disadvantage in the competition for the starter’s job may be his lack of development time. After signing as a free agent out of McMaster University in 2017, he returned to school for another year before earning a CFL paycheque in 2018, dressing for two games.

The 25-year-old from Caistor Centre, Ont., arrived with 285 pounds on his 6-4 frame. Pro-style training and eating have him up to his current weight, a trim 299 pounds.

“Honestly, it’s enjoyable,” Speller said of his fitness regime.

“It’s part of the job and part of what I get to do as an offensive lineman. It’s a fun thing — you get to eat 24/7. You’ve gotta make sure you eat the right stuff, the healthy stuff — a lot of chicken, a lot of rice, veggies.”

Is Speller driven by his status as an undrafted player hoping to prove his doubters wrong?

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“Not really, no,” Speller said. “With the Blue Bomber organization, I’m honestly just thankful for the opportunity. I knew if I got the opportunity, no matter where I was, I was going to show up and be one of the hardest workers in the room.

“That’s what I’ve done here. I tried to show up and work my butt off to earn a spot on this roster.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14

Mike Sawatzky
Reporter

Mike has been working on the Free Press sports desk since 2003.

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