New Alouettes beginning QB Cody Fajardo desirous to make robust first impression

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TROIS-RIVIÈRES — Cody Fajardo realizes, in life and particularly skilled soccer, you solely have one probability to make a primary impression.

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Fajardo, 31, is coming into his seventh CFL season, however will probably be his first because the Alouettes’ beginning quarterback after being signed as a free agent final winter from Saskatchewan to compensate for the departure of Trevor Harris, who signed with the Roughriders.

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Fajardo can start planting that seed, and making a believer of Als followers, Friday evening (7:30 p.m., RDS, TSN Radio-690), when Montreal entertains the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Molson Stadium within the groups’ remaining exhibition sport.

Fajardo wasn’t dressed final Friday within the Als’ victory at Ottawa, and hasn’t performed since being benched late final season, whereas the Riders have been sputtering to a 6-12 document, a lot of the blame directed, as at all times, at a crew’s beginning pivot when success isn’t achieved.

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Fajardo gained’t play wherever near your entire sport in opposition to the Ticats. Montreal nonetheless has three different quarterbacks at camp and the backup position stays undetermined. Fajardo’s time in all probability can be dictated by his play and the Als’ capability to generate first downs, preserving in thoughts the offensive calls stay vanilla at this juncture.

Nonetheless, Fajardo desires to really feel snug together with his new group and teammates when the common season begins June 10, in opposition to Ottawa.

“In skilled sports activities, completely, as a result of the alternatives are so slim and few and much between,” the 6-foot-2, 223-pound Fajardo mentioned following Thursday’s walkthrough at Stade Diablos, signifying the top of coaching camp. “Particularly right here, with a brand new fan base, a brand new crew, new coaches. You need to have the ability to make an amazing impression.

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“I believe Week 1, with that residence opener, is when the true first impression comes. You might have your full offensive playbook in; you’re not working your vanilla stuff. You get to play the entire sport and that’s when it begins counting. There’s lots of issues in pre-season you attempt to see if you will get away with. It’s not at all times fairly. You’re simply attempting to check some belongings you wouldn’t usually do. Go on the market, execute the offence and take a look at to verify we keep on the sector and rating some factors.”

The Als are Fajardo’s fourth crew, following earlier stops in Toronto and B.C. Nevertheless it was on the prairies the place he got here of age, passing for a career-high 4,302 yards — probably the most within the league — and 18 touchdowns in 2019.

However issues turned bitter, shortly, final season whereas Fajardo battled a nagging knee harm. Whereas he handed for 3,360 yards and 16 touchdowns in 15 video games, solely six led to victories. Fajardo additionally was intercepted 13 instances. After being benched for the Riders’ failures, Fajardo questioned whether or not one other crew would come calling.

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The transfer to the Als would possibly present the elixir Fajardo seeks. It additionally reunites him with new Montreal head coach Jason Maas, who was the Riders’ offensive co-ordinator final season earlier than being fired on the finish of the 12 months. Maas, a former head coach at Edmonton, additionally enters the season with issues to show. That ought to function motivation.

“Simply execute the offence,” Maas mentioned of Fajardo. “He’s had an amazing camp and I need to see some carryover from camp to the sport, get his ft moist once more. Simply run the offence sufficiently, take what the defence provides him, make good and fast choices. That’s actually it. He doesn’t need to be Superman (Friday) and he by no means actually must be through the season. Do what he’s able to doing and lead the offence.”

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No matter what transpires in opposition to Hamilton, will probably be a brief evening for the coaches, scouts and normal supervisor Danny Maciocia, all of whom will convene at 6 a.m. Saturday to look at the movie earlier than making the Als’ remaining roster cuts. The mind belief has till 10 p.m. that evening to find out which gamers survive.

“There’s rather a lot in play right here — greater than individuals perceive,” Maciocia admitted. “We’ve spent numerous hours attempting to determine, venture and put these mock rosters up, determining what we’re going to seem like within the subsequent short time. I’m going to say there’s a minimum of 10 to 12 spots actually in play — a mix of starters and backups.”

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