Hogan: Two Argos Step Into the Spotlight - Toronto Argonauts (original) (raw)

You may not recognize the names, in fact you may mispronounce one of them, but Richie Sindani and Albert Awachie will be given a chance to shine for the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night.

Sindani is the more familiar of the pair. The receiver spent over four years with Calgary and Hamilton before joining the Argos last October. He got into 3 games, making 8 catches for 90 yards.

He was thought of as depth at Canadian receiver when he joined the Argos, an insurance policy for the injured Kurleigh Gittens Jr., an experienced player ready to fill in if Dave Ungerer III, Dejon Brissett, or Tommy Nield couldn’t play.

That was probably the role many had for him when training camp opened. Gittens had been traded in the off-season, but the team added Kevin Mital with the fifth-overall selection in this year’s CFL draft.

With Brissett and Mital out of Friday’s lineup with injuries, Sindani will have a tremendous opportunity to shine when the Alouettes visit BMO Field for a key early season game.

“For me, playing time is just whatever presents itself,” Sindani told Argonauts.ca. “You always want to compete, but I came in here with the idea of making sure I’m a good role player when things go south, that I can step in and be that veteran presence, a guy that’s been in the league that I think can help this offensive group. Coming in here I didn’t really expect to be a starter, but I do expect to have a heavy role as far as being in the group.”

What should make Sindani even more visible is that the Argos offence isn’t heavily reliant upon one receiver. Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie wants his quarterback to get the ball to the open man, not force it to the primary receiver on any given play.

“The thing with RD’s system is that we take what the defence gives us, then we take a little bit more,” Sindani explained. “Depending on which guy is in the position to go in execute that, depending on defensive back, or scheme, or they’re in a bracket or whatnot, it’s kind of any man is up. When you’re out there, any single route or play that’s called, you need to dial it in that the ball can make its way over to you, especially with Cam (Dukes) throwing it the way he is. I love the system in the sense that the ball gets distributed according to what the defence is doing.”

If Sindani is a low-profile player in this market, Awachie (pronounced ah-wah-SHAY) has experienced an almost invisible career to date.

A fullback/tight end by trade, he spent six seasons with Saskatchewan, catching just nine passes without a carry. His signing didn’t cause even a ripple of excitement among fans when he signed, but both the player and team were excited to finally connect.

After all, Awachie is a Toronto guy through and through. He was born here and spent summers in Toronto with his father, spending the school year from Grade One on with his mom in Colorado. He played for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, splitting his time there between receiver and defensive back.

Now playing at 6’3”, 262 pounds, he’s an imposing figure as a fullback and not out of place at the end of the offensive line.

Awachie agreed to terms with the Argos during the CFL’s negotiation window, a few days before he could officially put pen to paper with the team.

“I’m excited,” Awachie said. “I’m definitely excited, that started as soon as I signed here. But really, I’m more about trying to keep an even keel and a calm demeanor; to not get too excited or get too down. As excited as I am, I always work against that, so I’m focused and able to do my tasks.”

His return home wasn’t his first Argo experience, he was in the stands as a fan the last game the Boatmen played at Rogers Centre in 2015. When he started looking at the heights and weights of the players, he started to think that maybe he could play in the league someday.

Now he’s here and he couldn’t be happier.

“It’s been a long time coming to come here. I’ve wanted it. I tried out (for the Argos) way back in 2012 with Coach (Chris) Jones down in Bradenton, Florida, trying to make the roster. It’s a long story, but right now I’m focused on this year and doing whatever I can for the city.”

Like Sindani, Awachie is a fan of the Dinwiddie system and is still learning how his role fits within the big offensive picture.

Both veterans will have the chance to thrive in that system when the Argos host the Alouettes Friday night at 7:30 at BMO Field.