TSN and SportsCage analyst Glen Suitor believes A.J. Ouellette's body transformation can change his style on the field for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
"He knows how to handle it,”Suitor told The SportsCage. “Losing that weight is going to make him quicker on his feet. Flat-out running speed may change, may improve not necessarily because of the weight but because of more power."
According to Ouellette, he started at 225 pounds and cut down to 200 pounds. The physical runner enters his sixth year in the CFL in 2025. Suitor wonders how the fan favourite will maintain his body going forward.
"Because he's got less body fat, he's going to have to keep himself hydrated all the time," Suitor said. "He's got to make sure he doesn't get cramps in games and he wants to make sure that you've got that balance of nutrition."
Technology has helped improve nutrition compared to when Suitor was playing in the CFL from 1984 through 1994.
"Back in the day, we used to try and figure this out through other players saying: 'Hey, you know, you should be running banks or watching those videos of guys working out,'" Suitor explained. "We didn't have trainers and nutritionists, things like that to train us. He'll have lots of advice on how to handle his new body."
On another note, the Green and White recently signed defensive back Mark Webb, who spent time in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers.
"When you get the NFL experience, you've got a chance, the guy knows how to be a pro. The only question that you have with guys that have the NFL background: 'Are they going to be all in and committed?' Sometimes, it's subconscious, they're not even thinking that they're doing it, but they show up and I've seen it many times," Suitor said.
"I've seen it while watching and covering the game where a guy who is a Pro Bowler down south comes up and they think by showing up it's enough -- and it's not enough. They have to give us their best like they did down there and if they don't, they will be cut."
