Signs point to BACkup QB vs. Alouettes
Star quarterback Mitchell not ruled out but has yet to take his first-team reps
The Calgary Stampeders weren’t providing any updates on Bo Levi Mitchell’s availability for this weekend.
The star quarterback was out working with his teammates at Wednesday ’s practice at McMahon Stadium, but for the second day in a row, it was backup Nick Arbuckle and third-stringer Larry Brihm who were splitting reps with the first-team offence.
Does that mean Mitchell will be on the sidelines when the Stamps, 4-0, take on the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday?
Not necessarily, according to head coach Dave Dickenson.
“I’m trying to give Nick and Larry enough reps so either one could feel confident,” Dickenson said. “Bo’s been around the offence enough, I think he could handle it.
“The other guys, anything they can do and get reps, I think we’re good.”
If a betting man were to have observed the first three practices of the Stamps’ week, he’d put his money on Arbuckle getting the start against the Alouettes.
He played well against the Ottawa Redblacks when Mitchell got hurt last week, completing 8-of-14 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.
The numbers don’t tell the full story, though, as the Stampeders were up 20-0 by the time Arbuckle entered the game and were playing a conservative brand of football designed to preserve the lead and leave Ottawa with a win.
This week, the 24-year-old has been getting significantly more reps in practice than normal, so it’s possible — probable, even — that he’ll take a step forward should he get the start against the Alouettes.
“Without a doubt, it gets me back ingrained into taking the reps with the offence and seeing the different defences again,” Arbuckle said. “On a normal day in game weeks, I might get three-to-five live reps against the defence, per day. Now, I’m getting 15 to 20-plus, and it’s doing a lot for my development, getting back to the way it was in training camp.”
The Stampeders likely won’t be without Mitchell for long. He hasn’t missed a practice and said earlier in the week that the medical tests he underwent over the weekend didn’t reveal anything serious.
The issue largely comes down to mobility and whether he’ll be able to get away from defenders if he needs to step out of the pocket under pressure.
If that means Arbuckle — or Brihm — is getting slotted in as the starter against the Alouettes, then that’s the call the Stamps coaching staff is going to make.
“I have a personal standard of excellence that I’ve always held myself to whenever I step onto the field or into a football facility,” Arbuckle said.
CALLING THEM OUT
Dickenson wasn’t particularly pleased with his team’s practice on Wednesday, especially because the Stamps will need the rest of the offence to step up if they end up playing with Arbuckle of Brihm.
“The rest of the team needs to step up when you have your backup or third-string quarterback in. It’s on the rest of the guys to step up and I just didn’t see that offensively today, in fact, we were flat,” Dickenson said.
Dickenson explained that his dissatisfaction wasn’t because of a lack of effort.
“It’s not like they’re not trying hard,” Dickenson said. “I just want to get better and take care of little things and I hate seeing the same mistake over and over, and today we jumped offside multiple, multiple times in other areas and that just means you weren’t locked in.”
BACK AT IT
Don Jackson was back with his teammates and practising hard on Wednesday.
The Stamps running back hasn’t been involved much in practice so far this week, but it looks like he’ll be fighting for his starting spot for this weekend’s game.
“He upped his practice level here and now we’re just going to see if we feel it’s the right move,” Dickenson said. “But it was a welcoming sign to get him back out there.”
Jackson has been a revelation at running back so far this season, rushing for 396 yards on 51 carries.
If he is unable to play, though, the Stamps do have options.
After missing the game against the Redblacks, Terry Williams has looked explosive this week and could double as the team’s primary running back and kick returner.
Romar Morris put in a solid showing against the Redblacks in his first regular season action last week, too.
Safety Tunde Adeleke did not practice again on Wednesday, while Jamar Wall is ready to return and should be expected to be in the lineup against the Als.