Quarterback picture clears
Glenn ruled out, so Friday starter will be either Mitchell or Tate
He’s taken more snaps and it shows . . . He’s a good player JOHN HUFNAGEL ON QUARTERBACK BO LEVI MITCHELL, WHO MIGHT START FOR THE STAMPS ON FRIDAY
Slowly but surely, the Calgary Stampeders are whittling down their options.
Monday, Stamps boss John Hufnagel confirmed that he would not spring quarterback Ryan Perrilloux from the injury list.
Wednesday, Hufnagel announced that sore-elbowed Kevin Glenn would not start Friday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Which leaves two candidates for No. 1 duties — Bo Levi Mitchell and Drew Tate.
“It’ll be a game-day decision,” Hufnagel said after practice at McMahon Stadium. “I’m disappointed in Kevin’s progress. I thought I would have the opportunity to pick one of the three . . . but that’s not the way it worked out.”
Minutes later, Glenn — a leg-puller extraordinaire (who earlier in the week had claimed he could play left-handed) — insisted he is ready to go.
“I am going to be on the field,” Glenn said with a straight face. “I’m starting and playing. What are you talking about? Don’t go listening to Huff.”
Of course, he’d been joshing.
But who the heck will start?
That has not yet been determined — or, at least, declared publicly.
Of the two men still standing, the smart money is on Mitchell, who took the whopping majority of reps in this week’s sessions. And, of course, he had closed out Saturday’s record-breaking comeback against the Montreal Alouettes.
“He’s taken more snaps and it shows,” said Hufnagel. “He had an exceptional practice (Tuesday). But he’s still a young guy and he came back (Wednesday) and made a few mistakes. He’s a good player. He’s been productive when he gets on the field. A hard worker, he tries to improve every day.
“The game is very important to him.”
So, apparently, is saying the right thing.
“I think it’s important for whoever Coach puts in to play (well),” Mitchell told reporters. “I’ve taken the reps, but so have Drew and Kevin, because they take mental reps. So whether it’s me, Kev, Drew or Ryan, I think we’re going to be ready to go.”
Mitchell did say that his confidence is “as high as it can be” on the field.
“We’re 3-1 right now and I think the entire team is playing well,” he said. “No matter who goes into this game — whether it’s me or Kev or Drew — we’re going to go in there to do our best to get a W.”
Tate, meanwhile, is recovering from his own throwingarm issues.
Ably chucking the ball all week, he expects to be in Friday’s mix.
He literally clapped his hands at the mere mention of it.
“Feels great,” said Tate, who’s been sidelined since the July 5 contest against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. “I’m excited.”
He was asked for an update on his arm.
“Feels good. It feels (lively),” replied Tate.
“I’m feeling excited. Right now (in) my head is that I’m going to start. I’m going to play the best I can and be account- able to my teammates.”
One of whom offered Tate a passing grade.
“He’s Drew — he’s back throwing the ball,” said Glenn. “He went out there and threw the ball well. I didn’t see anything to question ... and that’s basically what you evaluate when a quarterback is coming off an arm injury. You want to be able to throw every route, make every throw. And if you’re able to do that? Then you’re good.”
Glenn, himself, is a longshot.
The savvy veteran, who had his funny bone cranked Saturday, isn’t even throwing these days.
Glenn is disappointed about being knocked out the rotation — “It’s going to be tough, but, hey, it’s part of the game” — he disputed the notion that his injury has not responded to treatment.
“It’s coming around,” he said. “It’s just one of the things, as a quarterback, you need your joints, your elbow joints. But if anything was to happen, emergency-wise, I’ll be able to go in and tough it out.”
NOTES: R Tim Hawthorne takes the place of R Joe West (shoulder) ... RB Jon Cornish, excused from Tuesday’s practice because of illness, returned Wednesday.