Mark Black enters his third year as a quarterback with the Westshore Rebels and admits there is an entirely different feel to the 2013 season, which kicks off tonight at 7 at Westhills Stadium against arch-rivals the Vancouver Island Raiders.
The offence, in particular, is younger and entirely revamped under the tutelage of co-ordinator Silvio Martel and new interim head coach Tim Kearse.
鈥淲e鈥檙e real young, way more rookies than returning, but there鈥檚 lots of talent out here,鈥� said Black, who hails from High River, Alta. 鈥淲e鈥檙e short a couple of players still, but we鈥檙e all optimistic.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fresh start for us. We鈥檙e looking forward to the season ahead, the challenges that await and we鈥檙e ready to go win some ball games.鈥�
The Rebels are still without veteran offensive linemen Kyle Daechsel and Mel Big Stony, who were expected to arrive Friday, leaving their status as questionable. Also gone are runningbacks Greg Morris and Niles Goguen. Morris headed off to junior college and Goguen injured his knee last year and his status is also questionable.
As for the 鈥渨in some ball games鈥� 鈥� that could be a tall order for the Rebels, who have never defeated their Nanaimo rivals since that team departed Victoria. Their schedule is also a huge challenge, facing the defending champion Langley Rams twice and the Okanagan Sun all in the first four weeks.
鈥淭hey have a bunch of new players, too,鈥� Black said of the Raiders. 鈥淚t鈥檚 basically two new teams going against each other. There was bad blood there with [Raiders quarterback Jordan] Yantz there. It was almost like there was too much bad blood, they all wanted to kill Yantz. He鈥檚 gone now, so it鈥檚 like, 鈥楢ll right, let鈥檚 just go play football.鈥� 鈥�
Growing pains are expected as the coaching staff changed, the board of directors has reshuffled, and original head coach Scott Mennie stepped down for personal reasons, which bumped Kearse up from defensive co-ordinator.
In Kearse, the Rebels are in good hands with the experience of being a Canadian Football League assistant for more than 10 seasons in Saskatchewan, Montreal and Hamilton.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to seeing this team grow,鈥� said Kearse. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to see the community embrace this team and we鈥檒l let the chips fall where they may, as far as lining up on the field. I think we鈥檙e going to put a good product on the field.鈥�
Defensively, the linebacking crew might be a little thin and the Rebels will be without Mike Barry and Justin Perrie, who have four-game suspensions carried over from last year鈥檚 playoff loss in Langley.
Also gone is kicker Quinn Van Gylswyk. Receiver Mike Peverelle is expected to handle those duties.
The offence welcomes new runningbacks Juma Emanuel and Terry Houngbo-Gody, to go with veteran receivers Eric Eggleston and Vinny Cannata.
鈥淭hey have good heads on their shoulders,鈥� Black said of the runningbacks. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e out here because they want to play football and that鈥檚 what they鈥檙e focused on. They are incredibly hard working and shifty little guys.鈥�
And tonight fans will see if they have some early chemistry.
鈥淚 love this offence,鈥� said Eggleston. 鈥淚 have complete faith in it.鈥�
