Music: {allcanada} 2011 CFL previews: Winnipeg Blue Bombers

When you're last in the league a year ago, presumably there's nowhere to go but up.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers believe they were close in enough games last year to win more than four of 18 -- nine of the defeats were by four points or less. But what happened a year ago shouldn't have any bearing on this season because several key players are gone for one reason or another and there are several new additions.

Still, second-year head coach Paul LaPolice is hoping for better things for his team -- and himself -- this year and will quickly address those "absolutely true but useless" bits of information to his team.

"They were close but they were still losses and that's the first note we have to understand: we're not in this to get close, we're in this to win," LaPolice said. "First and foremost these losses happen as a team: offence, defence, special teams. I hope they learned from their mistakes and learned how to finish some of these situations."

The Bombers are hoping Buck Pierce, acquired in the winter of 2010 as a free agent, will stay healthy. He started off strongly early last season, fashioning two consecutive victories by completing almost 70 per cent of his passes, averaging almost 330 yards per game, throwing five touchdowns and only one interception, rushing for 192 yards and scoring two touchdowns. But it all fell apart after that. In total, he only played in five games thereafter, stopped by a knee suffered in the third game of the season and a season-ending dislocated elbow on Labour Day.

"If any team in the Canadian Football League loses their quarterback there will be an adjustment period, not just us," LaPolice said. "Buck made a commitment in the off-season to live here and get his treatment here. That's the first and foremost thing for him. He's been throwing for months and he looks like he's in the best shape of his career, so we're looking forward to getting an opportunity for him to continue to play in our system."

Steven Jyles, who was also acquired as a free agent last year and became the principal starter last year following Pierce's injuries, was dealt to Toronto for a first-round pick this off-season. There will be competition for the backup job between Joey Elliott and Alex Brink, both of whom received some playing time last year.

Running back Fred Reid continues to show increases in his rushing yardage, highlighted by 1,396 last year in his fourth season. He is also a threat catching passes.

A key aspect of the offensive line is the health of Brendon LaBatte, who started 15 games at guard and also played one game at tackle. He missed the final two games of the season with a shoulder injury. Prior to that, there was significant talk he would receive a good look from the National Football League as a possible signing.

The Bombers unveiled some flashy rookie receivers who bear watching in their sophomore seasons: 6-foot-6 Florida State graduate Greg Carr, who totaled 31 catches, 568 yards and four touchdowns in only seven games; and Terence Jeffers-Harris, who caught 48 passes for 547 yards and four touchdowns. He showed flashes of excitement, catching seven passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns in his second game. But he suffered an ankle injury after the fifth game and returned for the final six games. If these two receivers stay healthy, they give Pierce some interesting targets, along with veteran Terrence Edwards, who finished second in the league in receiving yardage with a career-high 1,372 on 78 catches and 12 touchdowns. He bounced back well from the previous year in which he failed to post his first 1,000-yard season after back-to-back ones, some of that due to an injury and a screwed-up offence under a different regime.

The Bombers have a couple of young Canadian receivers whom they acquired through this year's Canadian draft and the supplemental draft. Jade Etienne is a raw prospect taken fourth overall out of the University of Saskatchewan. It was somewhat of a surprise that the Bombers chose him over more polished prospects such as Nathan Coehoorn (taken fifth overall by Calgary out of the University of Calgary) and Marco Iannuzzi (out of Harvard), but they think he could develop into a quality receiver. When Kito Poblah of the University of Central Michigan became available in the supplemental draft for players who weren't eligible for the Canadian draft because of issues with their status, the Bombers took the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Montreal native, giving up a first-round pick in next year's draft. Had Poblah's status not been an issue at the time of the Canadian draft, the Bombers likely would have changed their whole approach.

With the first pick overall in the Canadian draft, the Bombers selected Henoc Muamba out of St. Francis Xavier. There are many who believe he has the potential at some point to become a starting middle linebacker.

Defensive co-ordinator Kavis Reed was signed as the head coach of Edmonton, so LaPolice recruited Montreal defensive backs coach Tim Burke to fill the void.

Defensive end Philip Hunt, who led the league in sacks last year with 16, signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles. Odell Wilson provides experience at one end, but a slew of signings, including Jason Vega (Northeastern University), Kenny Mainor (Troy) and Bryant Turner (Alabama at Birmingham) will be competing for the vacated spot.

"I don't want to be an early evaluator, but we do think we've brought in some talented kids at the end position that will make for good competition and we'll see what shakes out after training camp," LaPolice said.

The Bombers re-signed interior defensive lineman Dorian Smith, who has 78 tackles and 14 sacks in his first two years. The team is excited about another tackle, Moton Hopkins, who had seven tackles, one sack and one interception in his first season. Veteran Doug Brown returns for his 11th -- and almost certainly final -- season.

The backfield will be bolstered by Jonathan Hefney, who returned to the team in September after a failed tryout with the Detroit Lions, following his exciting rookie season with the Bombers. He is a proverbial ballhawk with five interceptions in less than 1½ seasons and 91 tackles. He is also solid on special teams.

Cornerback Jovon Johnson is one of the team's most important players because of his multi-purpose talents. He has averaged almost 65 tackles in his first three seasons and is also one of the better punt returners. Last year he finished second in the league in punt return yardage with 957 and had two touchdowns.

BLUE BOMBERS KEY FACTS

RECORD LAST YEAR: 4-14 (last in East Division)

PLAYOFF RESULT: Did not qualify

GENERAL MANAGER: Joe Mack

HEAD COACH: Paul LaPolice

PROJECTED STARTING QUARTERBACK: Buck Pierce

KEY PLAYERS OFFENCE: Pierce, SB Terence Jeffers-Harris, RB Fred Reid, SB Terrence Edwards, WR Greg Carr, G Brendon LaBatte, T Andre Douglas, C Ibrahim Khan, G Steve Morley, T Glenn January

KEY PLAYERS DEFENCE: CB Jovon Johnson, DB Alex Suber, DB Jonathan Hefney, S Ian Logan, LB Marcellus Bowman, DE Odell Willis, DB Clint Kent, LB Joe Lobendahn, DE Dorian Smith, DT Doug Brown

KEY PLAYERS SPECIAL TEAMS: P Mike Renaud, P/K Justin Palardy, PR/KR Jovon Johnson

NEW TO THE TEAM: DE Shawn Mayne, WR Liam Mahoney, WR David McKoy, DE Bryant Turner, QB Justin Goltz, WR Timothy Brown, LB Henoc Muamba, WR Kito Poblah, WR Jade Etienne

GONE FROM THE TEAM: DT Phillip Hunt, OT Luke Fritz, CB LaVar Glover, WR Brock Ralph, RB Andre Sadeghian, WR Chris Davis, WR Markus Howell, OL Ryan Donnelly

WHAT THE COACH SAYS: "We felt we had a great draft, but I think we're trying to build our Canadian talent.