The Laval University Rouge et Or will be able to count on the return to play of star linebacker Justin Cloutier for the Dunsmore Cup game.
Injured a hamstring in the first quarter of the last game of the regular schedule in Sherbrooke against the Vert & Or while he was on the heels of quarterback Samuel Goulet-Ménard, Cloutier did not face the Concordia Stingers in the semi-final , last Saturday.
He resumed training with his teammates on Tuesday, and he is ready to do battle with the Blues. “I got the green light from the medical team,” he said. I would have liked to play against Concordia and I was close to doing so, but it was the sacrifice to face Montreal. We have talent at the linebacker position and I’m happy to have seen my friends Étienne Delisle and Antoine Guay-Tanguay play.
Lessons from the game against McGill
Cloutier believes that the Rouge et Or defense learned lessons from the game against McGill, where a very mobile quarterback named Éloa Latendresse-Regimbald gave them a miserable afternoon with gains of 187 yards in 22 races.
Jonathan Sénécal is also very mobile. “There were many corrections on the return on Monday, but we learned from this match,” he said. We improved as a unit. I don’t think I’ll be used as a spy on their quarterback. It’s going to be a team effort and not just one player. When the quarterback runs, we all have to go after him.”
In a 23-22 defeat on September 7 at PEPS, the Carabins had a lot of success on the ground. Lucas Dembele Bertet notably scored a touchdown on a 61-yard run. The ground attack had gained 180 yards.
“Montreal has a very good offensive line and it will be up to us to prevent them from running,” Cloutier said. We will have to limit big plays. I anticipate a fairly defensive match as we like them.
The RSEQ rookie par excellence last year, Cloutier has become a leader for the Rouge et Or this year, a role he has assumed wherever he has been before. “My role has clearly increased at the leadership level. My teammates have confidence in me and I want to live up to it.”
“It’s going to be my first Dunsmore Cup at home in front of our crowd,” added the Limoilou Titans product. This is going to be completely sick. The stadium will shaker when we are going to make our entrance under the fireworks.”
