Thirty minutes of exquisite football might not make Davis Alexander a legend, but Alouettes general manager Danny Maciocia was waxing poetically about Davis Alexander following his dramatic debut against Saskatchewan.
“Do you want me to call him Alexander the Great?” Maciocia quipped Monday morning, during a telephone interview with The Gazette. “Obviously I’m happy for him, happy for the team that we were able to pull it off.
“On a personal note, I’m happy that a guy we identified a few years ago — we invested in him and he invested in himself and that investment is coming to fruition. We need to be careful. We understand the talent’s there. It’s raw. Here’s a guy that has worked on playing the position in the CFL and understands all the intricacies that come with playing quarterback. He’s come a long way and has some great mentors around him. He’s going to continue growing. He’s young. There’s no question in my mind he’s going to make a name for himself in this league.”
Alexander, only 25 but in his third season with the Als, replaced Caleb Evans to begin the second half against the Roughriders last Thursday. Evans received the start in place of veteran Cody Fajardo, who suffered a hamstring injury July 11 against Toronto and is on the six-game injured list.
Evans struggled against Saskatchewan, just as he did against the Argonauts. With the Als trailing 16-3 at halftime, and with Evans limited to 91 yards passing, head coach Jason Maas had no choice but to make the switch to Alexander. Under Evans, Montreal generated only five first downs and 74 yards of net offence.
“We made the adjustment and talked about doing it,” Maas said after the game. “Obviously, Davis was ready to play and provided the spark. It’s not always on the quarterback. Sometimes you do need a spark. That time, we clearly needed it. It was provided.
“Davis just made some plays.”
Alexander completed his first 12 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns — both to Reggie White Jr. — before the third quarter ended, erasing the 13-point deficit. He got the Als out of a second down and 13 hole with a 30-yard pass to Tyson Philpot on Montreal’s opening drive of the half. On the next possession, Alexander directed the team on an eight-play, 96-yard drive, culminating in a 31-yard scoring strike to White. But Alexander also found Philpot for a 24-yard gain during the series.
“We needed a spark and we got it,” Maas said. “Some things weren’t entirely on Caleb. Other things I know he can do better. I know it’s not ever always on the quarterback. It’s really difficult to pull a quarterback, but it’s a team game. Sometimes it’s a spark that needs to be provided.
“Caleb was very understanding of the decision.”
The Als (6-1) are first in the East Division and began preparing Monday for their next game, Friday night in Hamilton. After last week’s game, Maas suggested Alexander has earned the opportunity to start against the Tiger-Cats. During Monday’s practice, Alexander took first-team reps.
Alexander has received little playing time with Montreal, limited to exhibition games or season-ending matches that didn’t affect the final standings. Thursday marked the first time he displayed his mettle in a significant contest and was full measure for the Als’ 20-16 victory.
“He throws the ball with conviction,” Maciocia said. “He gets the ball out and knows where to go. The way he dissects his pre-snap reads … he knows where to go with the ball. He sticks the ball into some tight windows. He trusts his arm strength and his decision-making. The thing that gets overlooked with him, he can go when he gets out of the pocket. He can make things happen on the perimeter. When he gets flushed out, he’s not going to be a guy that’s going to stumble downfield for a four- or five-yard gain.
“I’m intrigued by the way he handles himself outside the pocket.”
Not only did Alexander’s teammates rally around him, they appeared genuinely happy for him.
“We have all the confidence in Davis,” White said. “He was well prepared for this moment. We see him every day at practice. It was no surprise to us when he came in and did what he did. He just needed an opportunity. I’m glad he finally had the chance. It’s well deserved.”