Lionbackers.com

Lions: Trestin George set to supplant veteran DB LaVar Glover

BY LOWELL ULLRICH, THE PROVINCE

There is a ruthless side to Wally Buono that was demonstrated with his offseason roster overhaul of the Lions. There also is a stealth-like quality to the manner in which the coach/GM of the CFL team changes personnel.

And if Buono retraces his own path there's a strong chance that wide-side cornerback LaVar Glover could soon be the recipient of some bad news. The three-year starter is already on the verge of losing his place to practice roster rookie Trestin George for Friday's game against the Calgary Stampeders.

Rewind the tape. Three weeks into the 2006 season, Buono had seen enough of wide-side corner Sam Young and spent the week leading up to the Lions' fourth game acting coy about a possible change.

Young didn't start that week and was released a few days later. The guy who took Young's place didn't have to be reminded about the sequence of events which allowed him to make his three-down debut exactly three years ago.

It was Glover.

Buono began the current practice week by ordering his players to wear their practice uniforms inside-out. Someone looking an awful lot like George, however, has been receiving helpings of defensive reps in addition to return work on special teams.

The only thing that should be inside-out is Glover's stomach. He was victimized on two plays cited by Lions coaches and his body language suggests he's unsure if he'll ever get another chance.

"I should have made both plays, and maybe I wouldn't be in this situation. I don't know what else to say," said the predictably dour 30-year-old.

One play came during garbage time during last week's win over Edmonton. Another was a 39-yard pass completion by Hamilton's Airese Currie on second-and-15 when Glover was caught peeking at quarterback Quinton Porter in the Lions' 31-28 home loss to the Ticats.

"You can be great for 63 plays, but it's two plays that can be critical," defensive co-ordinator Mike Benevides said. "What you want out of someone at that position is an ability to focus the entire play." Buono was evasive about his long-term intentions but was direct when asked for an assessment this season of Glover, a 2007 divisional all-star.

"It hasn't been of all-star calibre," he said.

George, however, is about to undertake a baptism against Calgary that could determine the fate of more than just one player.

And if the Lions end up making the switch, it will be a change in more ways than one. Glover's ebullience has been cathartic for the Lions up until this season, when the mood on the club got serious in the wake of Buono's housecleaning.

George has taken to quoting American rights activist Harry Edwards when asked how he has focussed this week on a possible starting assignment.

"[Edwards] said a long time ago that to be a professional athlete on a high level you have to neglect personal issues," said George, who will go from two seasons in the bumper-pool existence of the Arena League to the wide expanse of a CFL secondary.

"When you take things personal in this business you must neglect those feelings because it will take your focus away from what you're trying to do with game plans." Forget game plans. B.C. needs name tags. When the Lions line up Friday, no fewer than 12 starters will have changed since last year's division final against Calgary, and the switch involving Glover is the fourth major move (counting injury) for the Lions in as many weeks.

"This is a cutthroat business," said George. "Here today, gone tomorrow." It could prove to be a prophetic remark.

SammyGreene wrote:
Little bit of a surprise here but Wally was counting big time on his veteran secondary to step it up this year — with no room for inconsistency. Lamar had a horrible game against the Ti-Cats with the blown coverage in a key situation, as LU mentions, and also dropping an easy INT earlier in the game.
This is either a huge wake-up call for Lamar or he is a step closer to being released. Unless George has a horrendous game, I'm betting on the latter based on Wally's track record with these situations.

The Glove fan club in Section 10 is going to be pissed.

CartWheelFan wrote:

SammyGreene wrote:
Little bit of a surprise here but Wally was counting big time on his veteran secondary to step it up this year — with no room for inconsistency. Lamar had a horrible game against the Ti-Cats with the blown coverage in a key situation, as LU mentions, and also dropping an easy INT earlier in the game.
This is either a huge wake-up call for Lamar or he is a step closer to being released. Unless George has a horrendous game, I'm betting on the latter based on Wally's track record with these situations.

The Glove fan club in Section 10 is going to be pissed.

That would be a good chunk of Section 11 as well, and yes, we is going to be pissed! Also, it's Lavar, not Lamar.

CartWheelFan wrote:

SammyGreene wrote:
Little bit of a surprise here but Wally was counting big time on his veteran secondary to step it up this year — with no room for inconsistency. Lamar had a horrible game against the Ti-Cats with the blown coverage in a key situation, as LU mentions, and also dropping an easy INT earlier in the game.
This is either a huge wake-up call for Lamar or he is a step closer to being released. Unless George has a horrendous game, I'm betting on the latter based on Wally's track record with these situations.

The Glove fan club in Section 10 is going to be pissed.

That would be a good chunk of Section 11 as well, and yes, we is going to be pissed! Also, it's Lavar, not Lamar.

LFITQ wrote:It is said that a secondary needs time to gel, to get to know the guys beside you. Much like working on the O-line.

That being said, a move like this could possibly make the other members of "Lockdown U" play that much smarter and tighter in their coverage. Which may be what Wally is going for. The flip side of course, is that it could make the secondary have to "think" more and thus affect their play negatively as they won't be going on so much instinct.

It's a gamble, like many things in football. We shall see if it pays off. Wally has been right about these things more often than wrong, so that must be taken into consideration.

PigSkin_53 wrote:Someone want to explain how Buono can have such short patience with one dog of a game Glover played against Hamilton, but Glatt can get away with being repeatedly caught out of position, bouncing off offenders attempting wimpy shoulder tackles almost every other play, and is never made to ride the pine even once?

Rammer wrote:

PigSkin_53 wrote:Someone want to explain how Buono can have such short patience with one dog of a game Glover played against Hamilton, but Glatt can get away with being repeatedly caught out of position, bouncing off offenders attempting wimpy shoulder tackles almost every other play, and is never made to ride the pine even once?

We have an import CB (George) replacement for the import CB (Glover), we don't have a suitable NI replacement LB for the NI LB (Glatt). Since we don't know the schemes on D, Glatt may not be as out of position as he constantly looks. I do know one thing, using an import in the middle would be the way to go.

PigSkin_53 wrote:

Rammer wrote:

PigSkin_53 wrote:Someone want to explain how Buono can have such short patience with one dog of a game Glover played against Hamilton, but Glatt can get away with being repeatedly caught out of position, bouncing off offenders attempting wimpy shoulder tackles almost every other play, and is never made to ride the pine even once?

We have an import CB (George) replacement for the import CB (Glover), we don't have a suitable NI replacement LB for the NI LB (Glatt). Since we don't know the schemes on D, Glatt may not be as out of position as he constantly looks. I do know one thing, using an import in the middle would be the way to go.

You’re comparing an unknown quantity in first-year import cornerback George behind Glover, with a known non-import in a third-year Arakgi behind Glatt, but if you insist on an import at MBL the horse has already left the barn on that score, or maybe I should say Wally purposely left the barn door open.

What happens when smiling Hank singles out Trestin George for the new rookie cornerback he is at the wide side position Wally has so generously offered up to the defending GC Champ?

What happens if he is burned repeatedly and it costs us the game? Who takes the responsibility then?