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“I just want us to be consistent, take care of the ball, connect with our receivers,” he says as he begins first season as starting pivot in Montreal.
Author of the article:
Montreal Gazette
Montreal Gazette
Herb Zurkowsky
Published May 23, 2025 • Last updated 11 minutes ago • 4 minute read
"I want us to win at everything we do," says Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander, throwing a pass during training camp practice in St-Jérôme on May 15, 2025. "The season started at camp, but it really starts (Saturday). It has been six months since we were able to hit someone else in the mouth. I know our guys are fired up. We want to put on a show for the fans."
"I want us to win at everything we do," says Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander, throwing a pass during training camp practice in St-Jérôme on May 15, 2025. "The season started at camp, but it really starts (Saturday). It has been six months since we were able to hit someone else in the mouth. I know our guys are fired up. We want to put on a show for the fans." John Mahoney/Montreal Gazette
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ST-JÉRÔME — It will be a season of new experiences for Davis Alexander.
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It’s his first training camp and season as the Alouettes’ starting quarterback. And Saturday at Molson Stadium, he’s expected to play the first half in Montreal’s opening exhibition game against the Ottawa Redblacks (4 p.m., CFL+, RDS, TSN Radio-690, 98.5 FM).
It might only be an exhibition encounter, but this will be Alexander’s first opportunity to establish continuity with his receivers and offence. It will be his first chance to whet the fans’ appetite and show how things might be different with him — not Cody Fajardo — behind centre.
And while the game doesn’t count in the standings, the competitive Alexander hates to lose at anything. He realizes what’s at stake.
“I want, honestly, to stay the same,” Alexander said Friday, after the team’s walk-through workout at Centre sportif Claude-Beaulieu. “Through practice, we’ve looked pretty good. I just want us to be consistent, take care of the ball, connect with our receivers, connect with our guys, sustain long drives and keep our defence off the field.”
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Alexander burst onto the scene last season, his third with Montreal, initially coming off the bench in the second half against Saskatchewan on July 25, and rallied the Als from a 13-point deficit, completing 15 of 18 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns. The 26-year-old started the next three games — all victories — as well as an October home win against Ottawa.
Management saw enough from the 6-foot, 195-pounder to sign him to a three-year extension in November. The move showed Alexander is the team’s future, and it wasn’t long after that Fajardo was traded to Edmonton for veteran QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson.
Quarterbacks Davis Alexander, left, and McLeod Bethel-Thompson throw passes during Montreal Alouettes training camp practice in St-Jérôme on May 15, 2025.
Bethel-Thompson is expected to play the third quarter against Ottawa, with James Morgan and Université de Montréal draft choice Jonathan Sénécal possibly sharing the final period. Caleb Evans isn’t dressing on Saturday. The same two teams meet again next Friday night in Ottawa.
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“It’ll be cool to start,” Alexander said. “I’m looking at it like a normal regular-season game, with people coming to actually hit you. I want to stay on my pocket presence and not leave the pocket too early. Taking hits, delivering throws. All that type of stuff you don’t get out here wearing the red (non-contact) jersey.
“We’ll be ready for anything. Obviously, the goal is to be productive, protect yourself. I want to win in everything that I do. I want us to win at everything we do. The season started at camp, but it really starts (Saturday). It has been six months since we were able to hit someone else in the mouth. I know our guys are fired up. We want to put on a show for the fans.”
Alexander finished the season by passing for 1,347 yards while completing 69.5 per cent of his throws. He had six touchdowns and was intercepted twice while also proving to be a rushing threat. He ran for 166 yards on 24 carries (6.9-yard average), scoring three times.
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“I want to start by protecting the ball,” he said. “I’m hoping this year we’ll use a little bit more of my athleticism and maybe take more shots down the field. Just always have the defence on their toes. We feel like we can do a lot of things, especially with our receiving corps. We feel like we have weapons everywhere and want to keep the defence on their toes.”
While head coach Jason Maas said there are things he’d like to see his offence work on, the game plan won’t be as established or detailed at this time of the season. But it’s also a time where Maas can think outside the box and be more aggressive — third-down gambles, for example — than during the regular season.
“When it comes down to situational football at the end, you still want to win,” Maas said. “At the end of the game, those critical-thinking moments happen. We might be more aggressive in certain aspects just to see different guys and find out what they’re made of.
“We’d like to see everybody ready to play and be a disciplined team. Keep turnovers to a minimum and take care of the ball while taking the ball away.”
While the starters should play the opening half, there are scores of rookies battling for jobs and they’ll be trying to impress the coaching staff during the second half.
“I told the guys not to look at the depth chart right now,” Maas said. “Try to go out and impress us and we’ll notice it. Nothing has been decided. Win a game, but do your job and do it at an extremely high level.”
Should the game be tied after four quarters, there won’t be overtime.
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