Team: Montreal Alouettes
Number/Position: #80 / WR
Date of Birth: Feb. 19, 1977
It's not often that a player can switch positions and
end up being even better at his new spot. Not an easy
transition. But consider Jeremaine Copeland for a second.
A quarterback at Tennessee, Copeland made the move to
wide receiver and hasn't looked back - literally. But
the change helped. We'll let Jeremaine tell it. "The
switch from QB to receiver was easier because of timing,"
Copeland explained. "It's much easier for me to
read defenses and adapt to the coverage."
2003 has been all about reading coverage this year
for Copeland. He caught 18 passes for 352 yards and
4 touchdowns in the 2002 season. But it was in the post
season that Copeland made his mark. He caught 2 passes
in the East final against Toronto but really stepped
up in the Grey Cup where he nabbed 3 passes for 101
yards and a touchdown. But it is this year that Jeremaine
can truly call his own. Following the game against Edmonton
on October 5, Copeland led all CFL receivers with 81
catches for 1,513 yards and 13 touchdowns. Not bad for
a guy on a team that keeps improving every time out.
Copeland likes this Montreal club and feels it is an
even better unit than the one that triumphed in last
year's Grey Cup." We have more playmakers than
last year and the players are even more focused this
season," he added.
Montreal has opened its arms to the Canadian Football
League and the fans there are among the very best. Copeland
is the first to acknowledge that fact. "Montreal
is the best place to play in the CFL and the fans are
the best in the League. They are also the loudest."
And Copeland is also the first to share kudos with
a receiving corps that has been tearing up the CFL this
year. Many in Montreal are on the way to career years.
Copeland offers: "My job is made much easier by
playing with the other wideouts that I play with. The
fact that they can make the plays helps me and takes
some of the pressure of."
The Als ended a 25-year Grey Cup drought with their
victory in Edmonton last year. But that hasn't taken
away any drive to repeat for Copeland and company. It
would be a first for the Als franchise to win back-to-back
titles. "Winning the Grey Cup is our only goal
and we need to stay focused," he continued. "We're
confident we are going to get there."
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