QB Collaros activated from six-game injured list
REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders may be back to where they started the 2018 season with their quarterback situation.
The Riders opened the regular season with Zach Collaros as their starting quarterback. Collaros lasted one-plus games before suffering a concussion and being placed on the sixgame injured list after a 40-17 loss to Ottawa on June 21.
On Monday, Collaros was activated from the six-game injured list and practised with the Riders.
It’s a timely return, considering Saskatchewan struggled offensively with Brandon Bridge starting four games at quarterback in Collaros’s absence.
The Riders were 2-3 with Collaros out and have generated just six offensive touchdowns overall en route to posting a 3-3 overall record. However, Collaros doesn’t expect his return to be a cure-all.
“A saviour? No,” Collaros said when asked about his return.
“Why I think football is the best game in the world is I’m just another piece of the puzzle, as are all quarterbacks. We get all of the praise when things go right and, along with the head coach, we get a lot of the blame. It comes with the territory. I’m just excited to be out here and to be part of it.”
How much Collaros will be part of the Riders’ plans heading into Thursday’s game against the Edmonton Eskimos remains to be determined.
“We’ll see,” said Chris Jones, the Riders’ head coach and general manager. “It was good to get him back out here. It seems like he threw the ball well and it came out of his hand. He didn’t take any time counts, so that’s good.
“(Collaros) is a good player and he has been a good player for a long time. Brandon Bridge did a really nice job for us and we’ll have to see exactly where Zach is before we know.”
Collaros had a pained look when asked about his status as a starter on Thursday.
“I love these questions,” Collaros said. “I’m always prepared to start. Even if I’m not dressing, I’m ready to start.”
Collaros revealed he initially suffered the injury during the Riders’ 39-12 pre-season loss to the Calgary Stampeders on June 8. He didn’t tell the training staff about the injury until suffering concussion-like symptoms in the first half against the Redblacks.