O’DAY HAILS COLLAROS
GM expecting quarterback to start
There wasn’t any indecision in his response when Jeremy O’day was asked who would be the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ starting quarterback in 2019.
“Zach (Collaros) is our No. 1 quarterback,” O’day, the Riders’ vice-president of football operations and general manager, said Wednesday.
“He’s going to come into camp as our No. 1 quarterback and we hope that he has a great year.”
O’day’s stance is remarkably different than last January when Collaros joined the Riders after being acquired from the Hamilton Tiger-cats for the 10th overall pick in the 2018 CFL draft.
Chris Jones, who was the Riders’ vice-president of football operations, head coach and GM at the time, said the starting quarterback position would be a competition primarily between Collaros and Brandon Bridge.
Jones remained steadfast in that plan even though Collaros had signed a one-year deal worth $430,000. It was hardly a contract that is awarded to a quarterback in competition for his job.
Jones, however, wanted to ensure both quarterbacks were prepared in case of injury and that scenario played out. Collaros was 10-4 as a starter, but was sidelined for four games while batting concussion-related injuries.
Collaros even missed the West Division semifinal, which the Riders lost 23-18 to the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while dealing with the after-effects of a tackle to the head in Saskatchewan’s regular-season finale.
Collaros, a free agent who signed with the Riders on Tuesday, revealed it was his decision not to participate in the playoff game after consulting with team doctors.
“I didn’t want to put myself or the team in jeopardy if I was to take another bad one in the first quarter, second quarter, third quarter or fourth quarter,” Collaros said, adding it was a very tough decision to miss the game.
On Wednesday, O’day avoided some of the drama regarding the CFL’S most important position by unequivocally supporting Collaros as the starter. It remains to be determined who will be Collaros’ backup.
“For the team in general, it’s really important knowing who will be the guy going into camp,” O’day said. “I don’t speak for Zach, but that is something that would weigh on your mind going into camp and not knowing where you fit in. It was important for us to talk about it and it was one of the questions he asked when we were negotiating with him.”
Collaros wasn’t among the Big Three quarterbacks who shook up Tuesday’s first day of free agency. Mike Reilly (Edmonton Eskimos) signed with the B.C. Lions. Trevor Harris (Ottawa Redblacks) replaced Reilly with the Eskimos and Bo Levi Mitchell re-signed with the Calgary Stampeders.
O’day said the Riders made a significant offer for Mitchell, before he decided to remain in Calgary.
With them off the market, the Riders reached out to Collaros.
Rider Nation would have preferred any of the Big Three, but now O’day has to sell Collaros as the one to lead Saskatchewan into the 2019 season. Collaros threw only nine touchdown passes against 13 interceptions last year.
“I don’t know if it’s going to do any good if I stand up here and act like a salesman,” O’day said. “His play will speak for itself.”
Due to 30-year-old quarterback’s history of concussions, there was some speculation that Collaros might retire instead of risking another injury.
“Did retirement cross my mind after the season? I would say not very much,” Collaros said. “A week after that final game, I was feeling pretty good and I haven’t had any issues since.”
NOTES: On Wednesday, the Riders signed 34-year-old receiver Cory Watson, a veteran of eight seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Eskimos … O’day said that international running back Tre Mason and national receiver Jake Harty will both miss the 2019 season due to knee injuries suffered last season. Mason tore an anterior cruciate ligament in a knee in the Riders’ regular-season finale. Harty, who injured a knee during the first day the Riders’ 2018 training camp, suffered a setback in his recovery.
I don’t speak for Zach, but that is something that would weigh on your mind going into camp and not knowing where you fit in.