MONTREAL — CFL rushing leader Avon Cobourne is expected to sit out this weekend with a sore right ankle.
The Montreal Alouettes running back tested the ankle briefly during a drill on Friday and spent the rest of practice on the sidelines.
Coach Marc Trestman said he is all-but certain that Mike Imoh will be in Cobourne's spot at tailback when the Alouettes play host to the Toronto Argonauts on Sunday (TSN, 1 p.m. ET).
"I thought he looked tentative," said Trestman. "Other than a miracle, you would think that Mike Imoh will be up and Avon will be down.
"You've got to leave the one per cent rule, but it looks that way."
Cobourne was injured late in a 30-25 win over British Columbia last week when he got tangled up with teammate Jamel Richardson on a pass route.
Tests showed nothing torn or broken and it is uncertain how long he will be out of action. Trestman would rather sit Cobourne out for one game now than see him aggravate the injury in a game and lose him for the long term.
Cobourne said the ankle has improved each day and that he hopes to play.
"If I feel I can go, I want to go, and it's almost getting to that point," said Cobourne, who has rushed for at least 100 yards in five consecutive games. "If it was up to me and the ankle feels good, I'm going to want to play.
"I'll have to deal with it if they tell me I can't."
Cobourne leads the league with 815 rushing yards on 122 carries and is second in the league with 49 pass receptions. He is attempting to become the first player ever to amass 1,000 yards in the air and on the ground in the same season.
The third-year Alouette was named the CFL offensive player of the month for August, when he starred in three straight wins. His best game was in a 32-14 win over Toronto, when he rushed for 107 yards and added another 103 in receptions.
Imoh has yet to play this season. The diminutive back started two games last season for Montreal before suffering a collarbone injury.
"Nothing against Mike or anybody else, but I feel better with me in there. I believe in myself," Cobourne added.
"I know what I'm capable of. It's not that I don't trust him, but I trust me more."
