Stamps’ QB forecast up in the air
A lot of balls are in the air — and none of them put there by Kevin Glenn.
On Monday afternoon — as the Calgary Stampeders began stewing over their latest bit of quarterback uncertainty — Glenn did no throwing in practice.
Things, though, have a way of changing quickly around here. Maybe, cranky right elbow or not, Glenn will suit up Friday in Winnipeg.
Maybe Bo Levi Mitchell, 23, will get his first start in the CFL.
Maybe Drew Tate, recovering from a forearm injury, will stare down the Blue Bombers.
Glenn, winking, offered yet another scenario as he strode away from his friends in the press: “Will Kevin play ... and throw with his left arm?”
Sure, Glenn says he did flutter a couple of southpaw passes (“Ask Johnny Forzani!”) but that’s nearly all he did. No legitimate chucks. Barely wore his helmet, in fact.
But ol’ No. 4, he did heave a few. “Drew threw the ball, so his arm is feeling better,” said Stamps boss John Hufnagel. “Kevin is still sore, but it’s getting much better. ... I’m very optimistic, though.”
Meaning it’s possible that the man Glenn had replaced, Tate, will now replace him.
“I’m not sure of my status,” said Tate, drydocked since the July 5 game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. “I’m sure it’s probably pretty similar to what it has been. Nothing changes with my preparation. Nothing changes in my approach. I’m just going to be ready, so if I get in there, I’m going to let the ball rip.
“It’s a business trip to Winnipeg. If something happens and I have to get in there, then I’m going to play — and I’m going to play at a high level, be as efficient as I can. And regardless of what’s wrong with my arm ... it’s all history. I mean, we’re there for a job and to do what we get paid to do.”
Even Saturday — on a night when receiver Brad Sinopoli was a quarterbacking possibility had Mitchell gone down — Tate was into the game. When the Stamps had possession, he made sure he was holding a ball in his right hand.
“As if I was in there, to keep my grip good,” Tate explained, “to keep my hand married to the ball.”
Then there’s Mitchell, the highly regarded young man who took the bulk of the practice reps Monday. In relief of the reliever Saturday, Mitchell went 7-for-13 for 49 yards. He also tossed a pair of touchdown strikes. Now he may be handed a full game.
“Obviously, I’m really excited to get out there and have your first CFL start — especially in your second year,” said Mitchell. “But you never know. We don’t know what’s going to happen. I think Kev’s fine. I think Drew’s fine.
One thing that is known is Glenn, hanging tough in the pocket during the third quarter, had been clobbered by Montreal Alouettes line- man Aaron Lavarias. Sitting on the turf and looking at his right hand, the veteran passer felt shaken up.
“We’ll see what happens in the next couple days. Hopefully, (the symptoms) will wear off to the point that we can get back to throwing the ball,” Glenn said.
Time, though, is slipping past. “The thing is, you want to get as much on-the-field work as possible, but I understand that it’s a short week. But it’s feeling a lot better,” said Glenn.“I’m going to get some treatment on it and see what happens.”
NOTES: R Joe West is sidelined by a separated shoulder. Special-teamers RB Tim St. Pierre and DB Jeff Hecht are also dinged up ... Hufnagel added that DL Charleston Hughes and OL Jon Gott are close to returning. “We’ll have a little more contact (Tuesday) and we’ll see how they hold up.”