MONTREAL -- Troy Smith is ready to hear Anthony Calvillos name mentioned every time he lines up at quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes. The Heisman Trophy-winning pivot, who joined the Alouettes midway through last season, will be the clubs first opening-game starter other than Calvillo in 15 years when Montreal plays its first game of the 2014 CFL regular season at Calgary on Saturday. They are massive shoes to fill, with Calvillo having retired in the off-season as the leagues all-time passing leader. "Ill never stop hearing those references," Smith said this week. "I think its great to be mentioned with a great name like that. "I havent done nearly the things he has, and just holding onto his coattails a bit has been fun so far. But as a man, I definitely want to make my own path. Thats why Im here." Smith takes over the key position on a team that was a powerhouse for most of Calvillos time behind centre, but which has been sliding in recent seasons. And even though they remain well-stocked with top talent at many positions, the Alouettes are perceived as a team in decline. Last season was a disaster, with the inexperienced Dan Hawkins fired as head coach only five games into the season, followed shortly by a season-ending, and career-ending, injury to Calvillo. They finished 8-10, tying their worst record since they returned to Montreal after a 10-year gap in 1996, and lost to Hamilton in the East Division semifinal. This season hasnt started well either, with team architect Jim Popps bid to keep the head coaching as well as general managing job turned down. Tom Higgins, who was out of coaching since 2007, was named the new head coach, but the offensive co-ordinator he hired, Rick Worman, was fired midway through training camp. Then the club lost both its pre-season games, including a 26-10 setback at home against expansion Ottawa in which they failed to score a touchdown with new OC Ryan Dinwiddie calling the plays. Smith was not sharp while playing just over half of that game, but neither were backups Tanner Marsh and Alex Brink. All three got starts last season, with Smith emerging as the most promising to take over the top job. Now he has to play well enough to keep it. "I dont look at it as a transition year," said Popp. "That was last year. "Theres going to be a transition, but we were faced with this starting in Game 6, and we played two thirds of the year without Anthony Calvillo, knowing he probably wasnt coming back. "We had four different quarterbacks that won games and the team realized they could win without Anthony. That was a big hurdle. Its a little nerve-wracking, but like with all great players you lose, you just have to march on. Its not so much to replace that guy, but to find someone you can win with. How great theyll be, well find out." There were two main positives to come out of the off-season. One was the return of Larry Taylor, who gives them a kick return threat they havent had in recent seasons. Another was the signing of former NFL star receiver Chad (Ochocinco) Johnson, who so far looks to have a positive influence on and off the field. The 36-year-old Johnson has been out of football for two years, but Popp said he showed up in shape and has been a "great fit." "I think he can do great things for us," Popp said. "Every time we play somebody, their attention is on him, and not on S.J. Green and Duran Carter. So if hes an attention grabber and everyones talking about him, great. Chads used to that. And Chad, with each game and experience he has in this league, is only going to get better as the season goes along." Smith will have an impressive set of receivers with Green, Carter, Johnson, Taylor, Brandon London, Eric Deslauriers and the repatriated Dave Stala. Gone are Jamel Richardson, who had a knee injury and was cut, and veteran Arland Bruce. "Weve got the best receiving corps in the league," said Popp, who is particularly high on Carter, the son of former NFL great Cris Carter, who gained 909 yards in only 12 games after making his CFL debut in August. "All I say is CFL, enjoy what youre watching because youll be watching him in the NFL next season, Hell have the majority of NFL teams after him, and were not talking about as a third or fourth receiver. He can go in and have an impact like Cam Wake. Hes at that level." There is a first-rate running back in Brandon Whitaker and a solid offensive line anchored by left tackle Josh Bourke, despite the retirements of Scott Flory and Andrew Woodruff and the departure of Michael Ola to the NFL. The defence lost starting middle linebacker Shea Emry to Toronto, but should remain among the leagues best under defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe with veterans like rush end John Bowman and linebacker Chip Cox leading the unit. The Alouettes kick teams have been weak for the last three seasons, including when Marc Trestman was head coach and didnt name a full-time special teams co-ordinator. But they looked good both on returns and kick coverage in the pre-season and they may be a key area of improvement. Taylors ability to avoid the first wave to pick up extra yardage should be a bonus. It will likely take some time for the offence to jell. And if it turns out that Smith doesnt have what it takes to be a regular CFL starter, it could be a long season indeed. Starting the campaign against Calgary, followed by a home game against B.C., should give Higgins and idea of what it will take to re-establish Montreals reputation as a Grey Cup contender. "Every indication is that Troy Smiths going to be our guy, but sometimes there are growing pains," said Higgins. "If you look at Anthonys career, at the start it wasnt as stellar as it was at the end. "All that being said, (Smith) comes with good intangibles. Hes from a good program. Hes got the system down. Practices are going good. So lets see him get measured up against the best." Stitched Detroit Lions Jerseys .Shipulin pulled away from Martin Fourcade of France, Simon Eder of Austria and Fredrik Lindstrom of Sweden to finish in 35 minutes 16.8 seconds. Fourcade was 1.2 seconds back in second place to reclaim the overall World Cup lead, with Eder another 0. Custom Lions Jerseys . To be fair, the celebrations are already anything but tame. Nerf ball tricks shots are just the tip of the iceberg for a group that has performed in zero gravity, faced pro-skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and an assembled team on the MTV series "Fantasy Factory", and even hit a basketball trick shot from a passing blimp. http://www.cheaplions.com/. -- Canadian womens amateur golf champion Brooke Henderson is a little less starstruck as she prepares for her second career appearance at an LPGA Tour major event. Cheap Detroit Lions Jerseys Online . -- Wide receiver Sidney Rice should be fully recovered from a torn knee ligament by the time the Seattle Seahawks start defence of their Super Bowl title, general manager John Schneider said Wednesday. Detroit Lions Jerseys Outlet . -- Pelicans coach Monty Williams does not expect guard Eric Gordon to play in any of New Orleans final five games this season.WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Lizette Salas moved into position for her first LPGA Tour victory, playing 25 holes Saturday in 6-under par to take a three-stroke lead in the Kingsmill Championship. The 24-year-old former Southern California player shot a 3-under 68 in the completion of the rain-delayed second round and birdied three of the last five holes in the afternoon for a season-best 65. "I took a different approach this week," Salas said. "I only played the pro-am. Ive seen the course several times. Its my third year here. I didnt want to think too much about the golf course and just hit my targets. Last week, I had a good practice session at home, so I was feeling good coming in." She had a 13-under 200 total on Kingsmill Resorts River Course. South Koreas Hee Young Park, the second-round leader, was second. She bogeyed No. 18 for a 69. "Today, a little bit miss driver off the fairway, so its bit tough to make it close or make birdie chance," Park said. "Tomorrow, a little more focus on the accuracy rather than distance." Second-ranked Stacy Lewis and No. 3 Lydia Ko, both trying to take the top spot in the world from Inbee Park, were five strokes back along with Katherine Kirk. Lewis shot 70, Ko 67, and Kirk 68. Coming off a victory two weeks ago in the North Texas LPGA Shootout, Lewis would jump to No. 1 with a victory or a solo second-place finish, as long as Ko doesnt win. Ko needs a victory to move to No. 1. Inbee Park is skipping the tournament. "Overall, Im really happy," Ko said. "I mean, I guess improving every day is a really good sign." She played 24 holes Saturday. "I started on 13 this morning," Ko said. "Luckily, I birdied that and birdied the next hole. After that, I just kind of went back to my hotel and had some rest." Kraft Nabisco winner Lexi Thompson was 7 under along with Yani Tseng and Pornanong Phatlum. Thompson shot 70, Tseng 68 and Phaatlum 66.dddddddddddd "I have good confidence with my putter and short game today," Phatlum said. "Just try to be relax tomorrow and try my best." Salas began the day with a bogey on the par-5 third -- her 12th hole in the second round -- and closed with a birdie on the par-4 ninth. "I was pretty upset about that one," Salas said about her lone bogey of the day. "I dont like bogeying par 5s, and especially a three-putt. So, that gave me a little bit extra motivation." She had a long wait before starting the third round. "I had about 2 1/2, 3 hours to kill," Salas said. "I went in to the physio trainer got some work done on my lower back, took like a 10-minute nap, and just started my whole routine again. ... Didnt hit a lot of balls on the range today. Just did a couple drills. I just knew it was going to be a long day, so I didnt want to overdo it on the range." She birdied three of the first six holes in the third round to reach 10 under and pulled ahead with birdies on Nos. 14 and 15. She made a 15-foot putt on 14, and a 4-footer on 15. "On 14, that was a putt that I knew was going to go in," Salas said. "I read it correctly. ... That was probably the purest stroke of the day." Salas made an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th and saved par on the par-4 18th with a 4-footer after running her long birdie try past the hole. She has missed some good chances to win in the last two years. Last year, playing alongside winner Inbee Park in the final group of the Kraft Nabisco, the American finished with a 79 to tie for 25th. Two weeks later, Salas lost a playoff to Suzann Pettersen in the LPGA LOTTE in Hawaii. Salas chunked her approach into the water on the first extra hole after closing with a tournament-record 62. This year, Salas tied for third in the season-opening event in the Bahamas and finished second in the Kia Classic in California. 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