Tag: Montreal Alouettes

James Letcher Jr. returns missed FG 128 yards for Alouettes touchdown

James Letcher returned a missed field goal 128 yards for a Montreal TD

This return of a missed field goal might have gone through different area codes. James Letcher Jr. of the Montreal Alouettes caught a Brett Lauther field goal attempt in the back of the end zone on Friday night.

The third of four missed field goals by Saskatchewan’s kicker proved incredibly costly. Rather than concede a rouge — one point — Letcher got on his horse and never stopped in the fourth quarter.

One hundred and twenty-eight yards later, Letcher had given the Alouettes the lead. After the PAT, it was 20-17 for Montreal, which went on to win the game, 27-24.

The return didn’t set a team record. Trent Guy returned a missed field goal 129 yards in a 2012 win over the Toronto Argonauts.

And there is video proof:

Montreal Alouettes win Grey Cup on late touchdown pass

The Montreal Alouettes won the Grey Cup over Winnipeg

The Grey Cup was a thriller on Sunday in Hamilton and the Montreal Alouettes came away with their first CFL championship since 2010.

The Alouettes toppled the favored Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 28-24, when Cody Fajardo found Tyson Philpot with a 19-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds left.

The Alouettes, who ended their season with eight straight wins, went 83 yards on their championship-winning march.

Fajardo was named the Grey Cup MVP. He threw for 290 yards and 3 touchdowns while completing 21 of 26 passes.

Per the Montreal Gazette:

A team that was without an owner until March and saw numerous free agents depart because of the franchise’s uncertainty, won its last eight games following a narrow mid-September defeat to Toronto. In the process, the Alouettes beat the best team in the East Division — the Argonauts in last weekend’s division final on the road — then stunned the Bombers, first in the West Division with a 14-4 record.

Those were Montreal’s only two victories against teams with winning records.

 

Montreal Alouettes execute perfect onside punt

The old onside punt worked for the Montreal Alouettes

The Montreal Alouettes were looking at second-and-extra — consider it second-and-long — on Saturday against Hamilton.

Time to go into the bag of tricks and bring out the onside punt.

The pass has be thrown forward, the receiver catches the football and makes sure his “kick” goes beyond the original line of scrimmage.

And when it works, it works, giving Montreal a first down.

Credit Cole Spieker with the perfect onside punt.

Former Ohio State football star nominated for CFL award

Former Ohio State football star, Austin Mack nominated for @CFL Most Outstanding Player Award #GoBucks #CFL

Ohio State football is always well-represented up north in the Canadian Football League, but this year a former Buckeye really shined. The Montreal Alouettes nominated former Ohio State receiver Austin Mack for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player of the Year award.

Every team in the CFL nominates one player from its squad for the award and the winner is announced on Nov. 16. Mack is in his first season in the CFL after spending time with the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers in the NFL.

Typically players making the transition from the American game to the CFL need time to adjust, but Mack wasted no time. He leads Montreal with 78 receptions for 1,154 yards. Most Buckeye fans will remember Mack from his days in Columbus.

Mack was a former four-star recruit who started to see the field regularly as a true sophomore, but his career was always limited due to injuries. The former standout left Ohio State with 79 career receptions for 1,050 yards and six touchdowns.

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Montreal Alouettes’ James Letcher Jr. returns missed field goal 125 yards for TD

James Letcher Jr. with a spectacular TD return of a missed field goal for Montreal against Edmonton

James Letcher Jr. collected a missed field goal in the CFL game on Saturday in the game between his Montreal Alouettes and the Edmonton Elks and was off and running.

He finished the play 125 yards later, tumbling into the end zone.

Yes, the CFL, where you can see a 125-yard return of a missed field goal.

Letcher played college ball at Washburn — nicknamed the Ichabods. He was an eight-time All-American selection and had a trio of kickoff return TDs in college.

None will be as memorable as this play for sure.

It wasn’t close to the longest missed field goal return in CFL history:

131 – Boyd Carter/Dave Mann (1958) (Carter for 15 yards, then lateral to Mann for 116 yards and TD)
130 – Ken Hinton (1977)
129 – Bashir Levingston (2007)
129 – Dominique Dorsey (2009)
129 – Tristan Jackson (2012)
129 – Trent Guy (2012)

Montreal Alouettes pull off the onside punt against Ottawa Redblacks

The Montreal Alouettes pulled off an onside punt in CFL play

This is one you will only see North of the border. And it will be rare even in Canada.

The Montreal Alouettes faced a second-and-18. They threw a swing pass and the receiver delivered a dribble kick type of punt.

The football went across the original line of scrimmage and was recovered by the player who kicked the football.

In Canada, that’s an onside punt and Montreal kept the ball, earning a new set of downs.

Jeshrun Antwi kicked and then recovered the football. The Montreal line couldn’t be more than one yard downfield when he kicked it (Rule 5, Article 9), and only he or other onside players (behind the ball when kicked) could recover it without having to worry about a no yards penalty.

If you are confused the CFL rulebook is here to clear things up.

 

Former Buckeye shines in CFL debut

Former Buckeye shines in CFL debut #GoBucks #CFL

The Ohio State football program has a decent history of providing playmaking wide receivers to the Canadian Football League, whether it be former CFL All-Stars, Duron Carter and Ken-Yon Rambo or former Grey Cup MVP, DeVier Posey.

The CFL appears to have another future star in former Buckeye, Austin Mack. It is not surprising that Mack shined in his debut up North and I would bet that this continues for the rest of the season. Mack was a former four-star recruit who started in 28 games during his career in Columbus and snagged 79 receptions for 1,050 yards and six touchdowns in his four seasons.

Mack would have likely accomplished more but was hampered by injuries throughout his college career. He went undrafted in 2020 and spent the season with the New York Giants and spent 2021 with the Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers. After being released by San Francisco Mack took a chance up North.

In his CFL debut, Mack snagged four receptions for 120 yards in a big season-opening win for Montreal over the Ottawa Redblacks, 19-12.

For his efforts, the former Buckeye was also named player of the game.

Former Ohio State football players in the CFL for 2023

Former Ohio State football players in the CFL for 2023 #GoBucks #CFL

The Canadian Football League has started training camp. Four former Ohio State football players were on opening-day rosters in 2022, but that number has decreased. Only three are on rosters as the 2023 season gets underway. Two of the names on this list have been in the CFL for a decent amount of time and were a part of all the fun north of the border last year. One is a bit surprising — and even exciting.

One interesting name not on this list is Duron Carter, the son of former Ohio State great, Cris Carter. The younger Carter had some off-field issues at Ohio State before transferring to Alabama and Florida Atlantic, but he has been a cornerstone in the CFL for almost a decade. I expect him to join a roster possibly midseason, so stay tuned.

Let’s dive into the former Buckeyes in the CFL.

Former Tiger inks with new pro team

A former Clemson running back has inked with a new professional team. The Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League announced this week they have signed former Tiger and NFL running back Tavien Feaster. Feaster (6-0, 221) won two national …

A former Clemson running back has inked with a new professional team.

The Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League announced this week they have signed former Tiger and NFL running back Tavien Feaster.

Feaster (6-0, 221) won two national championships (2016 and 2018) with Clemson. In three seasons with the Tigers, the 24-year-old amassed 1,330 yards on 222 carries, scoring 15 touchdowns in 38 games. He also caught 23 passes for 183 yards and one touchdown. The native of Spartanburg, S.C., ranked second in Clemson history for yards per carry (5.99).

After transferring to South Carolina for his final collegiate season, he recorded 672 yards on 124 runs, crossing the goal line five times with the Gamecocks. He added 87 yards on 17 receptions, and one touchdown.

He then went on to be a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Giants and the Detroit Lions. Last season, he played three games with the Arizona Cardinals.

“Tavien is a real tank that is without fear when he runs with the ball,” said Danny Maciocia, General Manager of the Alouettes. “His strength, combined to his speed add a lot of depth to our team.”

–Press release courtesy of the Montreal Alouettes

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WATCH: BJ Cunningham catches a hail mary pass in CFL action

WATCH: BJ Cunningham catches a hail mary pass in CFL action

BJ Cunningham was one of the most productive wide receivers in Michigan State football history. Now, he’s using those gifts to give defenders headaches in the Canadian Football League with the Montreal Alouettes.

Below, watch as Cunningham catches a hail mary pass from his quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.:

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