Coté de Alouettes puts boots on skeptics with strong start to season

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There were many questions, but few answers, surrounding the Alouettes heading into a new season, especially after the 2020 CFL campaign was canceled.

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The kicking game had to be near the top of that list following the departure of Boris Bede in a trade to the Toronto Argonauts. While Bede handled punts and spot kicks for the Als, the native of France was considered an import. David Côté, Montreal’s rookie kicker, is Québécois, while Australian punter Joseph Zema qualifies as a global player (each team must use at least one non-North American this season).

There is no doubt that Côté has arrived, and has erased any lingering doubts, after kicking six field goals, including a 49-yard goal, the best of the season, on Saturday against BC The 24-year-old scored all the points. of the Als when tying a team. record shared by Terry Baker, Damon Duval and Colt David.

Côté could have gone to bed Saturday night with a clear head, but he would have preferred to kick converts rather than field goals.

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“From a personal point of view, it was a great game,” the Quebec City native said Wednesday. “Every time they called me by my name to go out on the field, I scored the field goals. I couldn’t ask for more. But he would have scored a few fewer field goals and the victory. “

Over five games, Côté has made 13 of 17 attempts (76.5 percent). Two of his misses can be attributed to errant plays that were mishandled by Zema, who was replaced as the starter by backup quarterback Matthew Shiltz.

Côté scored 24 field goals in 2019 while at Université Laval, the second highest total in conference history behind Chris Milo’s 25 in 2008. Côté was subsequently invited to last winter’s Hula Bowl, one of the few players eligible for the NCAA NFL draft to participate.

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He was named a 2019 first-team conference star before being selected in the fifth round (45 overall) this year by Montreal. General manager Danny Maciocia wisely signed Côté for three years.

“I don’t know if there was any question,” said the 6-foot-4, 215-pound player, who won the kicking competition in training camp despite having a year of college eligibility left. “Maybe because I’m new and a rookie. But even if there were doubts, and they are no longer there, I think that as a kicker and as a stuntman, we must prove ourselves every day, in practice and in games.

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“It doesn’t matter if it was 100 percent last week. If I miss them all this week, they won’t think about six out of six. “

The Als and Argos meet at BMO Field on Friday, giving Côté an opportunity to discuss pregame strategy with Bede.

As Côté enjoyed his starting game last weekend, Als head coach Khari Jones, confined to his apartment after testing positive for COVID-19 a week earlier, enjoyed every kick.

“I thought it was outstanding, and it’s been really good for us all year,” said Jones, who returned to the team Tuesday. “I feel comfortable with him there. He’s still a young kid and we knew there would be some bumps early on. To do all the kicks, including the long one, it was solid. We needed him quite a bit in that game. Came as advertised.

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“You never know with new guys. I felt good about his leaving the camp and he has been outstanding to us. “

Côté has a strong work ethic and demonstrated his athleticism on the Rouge et Or evaluation field, prior to the CFL draft, where he was the best in four of the six evaluation tests.

“I’m a calm guy, no matter the situation, and I don’t push myself too much,” he explained. “I am strong mentally.”

Côté has a strong leg and believes a 55-yard field goal would be within his range.

“That’s what you want as a coach,” Jones said. “If he feels good about it and I see it in his eyes, he will probably accept it.”

Meanwhile, wide receiver Dante Absher has a hip injury and will likely be replaced this week by Quan Bray, who was inactive the last two games.

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