Football: Lack of Execution Plagues the Voltigeurs – L’Express

Football: Execution Falters for the Voltigeurs

By Louis-Philippe Samson

September 10, 2023 | 14:21 | Reading Time: 4 min 30 s

FOOTBALL. The Voltigeurs of Cégep de Drummondville suffered their second defeat in as many games on Saturday night, losing to the Triades of Cégep régional de Lanaudière by a score of 38-10. According to coach Francis Lapointe, the game unfolded in two parts. With two minutes remaining in the first half, the Voltigeurs were leading 10-0 against the home team. However, two costly mistakes allowed the Triades to tie the game at 10-all before halftime.

Missed Opportunities

“The execution was very good on both sides of the ball at the beginning of the game. We were aggressive and gave ourselves a chance to gain momentum before halftime. But after the mistakes, we went into the locker room with a morale Low. The Triades executed two explosive plays, but we had the chance to regain control in the second half,” commented Lapointe.

Unfortunately, the Voltigeurs‘ train derailed from there. Execution problems undermined the team’s chances. In the third quarter, the offensive unit didn’t step onto the field for a single play. Lanaudière took control of the game with a short punt and capitalized on a fumble by the visitors on a punt return. Coach Francis Lapointe commented, “Those Lanaudière plays broke our legs. We lacked execution. We missed easy passes that we make during practice. Defensively, coverages that we did well in the first half were not executed properly. The roles reversed with Lanaudière in the second half. We probably played beyond our actual abilities at the beginning of the game, and it seems to have caught up with us. We couldn’t maintain our high level of execution.”

A Glimpse of Improvement

With an exhausted defensive unit and a considerable point deficit, the offense was unable to spark any momentum in the fourth and final quarter. Despite the mistakes dampening the team’s morale, some veterans continued to push their teammates not to give up. Lapointe described, “The defense faced nearly 30 plays in the third quarter alone. By the fourth quarter, the players’ faces were already long. It was difficult to build with the energy we had left in an already physically demanding game. We let ourselves be affected by the mistakes. Xavier Blanchette was a positive factor during the game with his play on the field. He even scored a touchdown. On the defensive front, Thomas Côté also had a strong game.”

Despite the disappointing result, Francis Lapointe sees signs of improvement in his team. He says the process started since the end of last season will take time, but the Voltigeurs are heading in the right direction. “When we look at what we did against Victoriaville and Lanaudière in 2022 compared to 2023, those were one-sided games where our team showed no signs of life. Now, we are showing signs. We are disappointed, we haven’t reached where we want to be yet, but I consider it an indicator of progress. We are moving in the right direction, but it will still take time,” shared the coach.

Looking Ahead

Next Saturday, the Voltigeurs will host the Griffons of Cégep de l’Outaouais at 1 p.m. The coach expects a good week of training and studying the opponents’ strategies. “We always show up to win. The guys will be ready. We will have a clear game plan. If we come with a good mindset and confidence, we have a good chance of performing well,” concluded Francis Lapointe.

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Keywords: Football, lack of execution, Voltigeurs, L’Express