Construit pour cela : Cyrille Hogan-Saindon présenté par Vodkow

The Ottawa REDBLACKS’ offensive line houses some of the biggest names in the league at the position, many of whom are veterans, but between them stands sophomore centre, Cyrille Hogan-Saindon.

His collegiate career with the University of Laval was filled with success – as most Rouge et Or alumni can say – winning the Vanier Cup in 2018, making the RESQ All-Star squad in 2021, and twice being named an Academic All-Canadian. He earned high praise ahead of the 2022 CFL Draft, with 3 Down Nation calling him “among the draft’s strongest players.”

At six-foot-five and about 300 pounds, Hogan-Saindon was – and still is – a difficult player to miss on the field, and when the REDBLACKS came around to their second pick in last season’s draft, General Manager Shawn Burke made the call to the Quebec native, setting in motion a path of progression that would see him filling the starting centre role in 2023.

Last season, Hogan-Saindon seldom found himself in an opportunity to get on the field during game day, with the veterans soaking up the chance, but in the few tastes he did get, along with sitting in film study and on the practice field, he learned a whole lot of important lessons.

“I learned what it means to be a professional,” Hogan-Saindon said. “You play a long season – 18 games – so you have to take care of your body throughout the year. You’re going to the gym more often than when you’re in college. I learned new techniques, new ways of blocking guys, and a lot of it came from the veterans. I’m still learning from them.”

Heading into the offseason with a starting job there for the taking, Hogan-Saindon buckled down, isolating the most important things to work on, and hitting them hard.

“I needed to work on identifying the fronts quicker,” he said. “I have to call the protection the right way. I also needed to work on my feet, get them moving faster.”

Many of those adjustments may not have been as obvious if it wasn’t for the experience around him. Whether it was Jacob Ruby, Hunter Steward, or Dino Boyd, there was always someone with years worth of professional work he could turn to if ever he needed something, or had a question.

Their relationship only grew stronger as more players in the offensive line room showed their willingness to learn some French, which was comforting to Hogan-Saindon, who was still working on improving his English. This year, he feels like he’s capable of being more influential when required.

“Jacob Ruby has been the natural leader there,” Hogan-Saindon said. “He talks a lot, and he’s very positive with his thinking, and that really helps the group. But when we’re on the field, I don’t have a choice, I have to be a leader. I’m calling the protections, I’m the one calling who we’re blocking, so I have to be the guy who unites the right and left side of the line.”

At his position, communication has been key, not only with the left and right side, but also with his quarterback. That, of course, has been a bumpy ride for the REDBLACKS, with four different pivots receiving the snaps. Much has been made of the emergence of Duston Crum, but there has been virtually no mention of issues between centre and quarterback, and that’s because they have done the behind the scenes workn to get on the same page.

“I wouldn’t say it’s hard, but it takes time to get comfortable with each quarterback,” Hogan-Saindon said. “After two or three days of practicer, we’re all good, but on that first day, we have to take our time to put everything together. It’s an adaptation, but it hasn’t been hard.”

The unit has been brought that much closer by the recent spark in the run game, as Crum, DeVonte Williams, Ante Milanovich-Litre, and Jackson Bennett have hit all of the holes. It allows the offensive line to get on the front foot, and be the initiators in the contact.

“It’s exciting, that’s what we like the most,” Hogan-Saindon said. “We can get guys on their heels and punch them in the mouth, and when we do pass, they are less aggressive, and that’s the kind of gameplan we like the most.”