Danny Vandervoort has all the traits of a seasoned veteran. Great hands, sharp on his routes and very well spoken in front of the microphones. Yet one of the most impressive things about the 3rd overall pick in last month’s CFL Draft has to be his willingness to learn and be a sponge: the perfect template for any rookie showing his stuff. After a solid three days of mini-camp at Hillside stadium, the McMaster product is proving he has what it takes to stick with the veterans.
“Coming from U Sports to the CFL, it’s a lot faster of a game and the plays are more complex,” said Vandervoort during day 4.
“You just have to learn as quick as you can and it helps when you get in the playbook so you can execute a little faster and get more open.”
The sure-handed receiver attributes his early camp success to playing catch with his father every day between the draft and reporting to Kamloops.
“I was taking part in two a days already,” explained Vandervoort.
“I would work out in the morning and then catch balls in the afternoon. After work, my dad would come home and we would play catch for hours. The hard work has paid off. My Dad coached me until I was in grade 8.”
The next step for Vandervoort is continuing to get better in advance of next Tuesday’s pre-season opener in Calgary.
Another wild card as far as the receiver position goes is the “X” spot. With Chris Williams still not taking part in full practice it has allowed American rookies Corey Jones, Tyler Davis and Maurice Morgan to show their stuff. All have excelled in both one on ones and team play. It should give the coaching staff some decent options for the Stampeders tilt.
Other Standouts On Day 4
The defence came back with a vengeance, one day after Wally Buono praised the work of their offensive counterparts. There is a lot to be excited about when it comes to the secondary. Anthony Thompson had the big hit of the day when he connected shoulder on shoulder with receiver Montario Williams. Matt Bucknor continued to impress, as did Keynan Parker. The battle for that corner position should go down to the wire. On the defensive line, first round pick Junior Luke continues to get better and Mic’hael Brooks seems to have grasped his new role as a leader. Craig Roh and rookie Kenneth Boatright both caused fits for the pass protection in morning drills. The afternoon ended with some goal line practice. Situational football is always fun to watch early in camp. The offence seemed in synch in those short yardage end zone situations.
Hall Of Fame Visit
Oakland Raiders legend and Super Bowl XI MVP Fred Biletnikoff was on hand and addressed the team after Wednesday morning’s practice. The Hall of Fame receiver played with Buono on the 1980 Montreal Alouettes and later coached with him in Calgary. He now spends part of the year at his cabin in nearby Lac Le Jeune. Check BCLions.com tomorrow for a full feature on Biletnikoff’s relationship with Buono and defensive line coach Robin Ross.
Injury Update
Receiver Shaq Johnson hopes to practice by the end of the week as he recovers from a bad hamstring. Chris Williams remains on the non-active list. He will not be rushed after undergoing ACL repair surgery last October. Defensive linemen Dylan Ainsworth (neck), Frank Alexander (foot) and Bryant Turner Jr. (quadricep) took most of the afternoon off. Defensive back Mondo Williams rode the bike in the afternoon as well.
Quotable
“I was impressed with the quarterbacks, how active they were. They made some great throws, which puts a lot of pressure on the defence. The better quarterback play we have, the better defence and offence will be.”- Buono on the play of his signal callers in camp
Thursday Schedule
It’s the first day of June! The big month kicks off with a padded practice from 8:30-10:30 am. The helmet-only afternoon workout goes from 3:30-5: 30 PM at Hillside Stadium.
Matt Baker: mbaker@bclions.com