Lulay looks ready for some football
Team wanted to establish his health before training camp, unlike last year
Travis Lulay dropped back, planted, then rolled hard to his right. Quickening his pace, he fired a 40yard bomb on the run to a streaking Manny Arceneaux, dropping a perfectly weighted pass right in front of the B.C. Lions receiver.
“I see you Lulu!,” an appreciative Jeremiah Johnson called out from the stands.
So did everybody else. And that was kind of the point.
The media, along with a smattering of fans, coaches, players and family, saw the Lions quarterback run through the paces Friday at the team’s practice facility in Surrey, the methodical, controlled display an overtly public demonstration to show just how far Lulay has come since blowing out his right knee eight months ago.
“There’s a number of reasons we went public. I think the most important for me, is when we go to training camp, to already know the setting he’s going to be in. It’s not a matter of everybody coming and focusing in on Travis, and focusing on his health … or what part he’s going to play,” said Lions coach Wally Buono, whose team will soon head to Kamloops for training camp, which kicks off May 20.
“We saw him be able to plant and throw, be able to move, stop and throw, all the little things that will allow him to go to training camp, and put his focus on the things that are important.”
Lulay’s arm looked as strong as ever in the 30-minute workout with his receivers. He looked comfortable dropping back, rolling out, running and changing directions. It was the first public action he’s seen since the Sept. 9 game when he tore his ACL and badly damaged both his meniscus and MCL, and it was an exhibition he was happy to put on — both for himself and the CFL team.
“That was great for me; I don’t like to be the sideshow. It’s good to be able to kind of front-end load some of those questions, so everyone knows where I am going into camp,” he said. “I’m feeling good, you know?
“I’m feeling better each week. It’s just a long process, so I never get too emotionally connected to where I’m at, whether it’s a good day or a bad day. Today was a pretty good day. It feels good to be on the field and playing football, playing quarterback, not just doing balance exercises.”
The Lions learned their lesson during their 2015 training camp, when Lulay was coming off his first shoulder injury. His status was a constant distraction, and he tried to mask his progress by jumping full-bore into training before he was ready.
This time around, the Leos are being fully transparent. Lulay won’t be in camp on a deferred tag, which would keep him out of any practice or drills, and will do everything except full team reps to start.
“I know it’s still got a ways to go before I’m game ready. But even today, it’s a good hurdle. There’s outside people watching me, and can I be confident and just do what I’m doing ? From that aspect, it felt pretty good,” said Lulay.
“It’s like a dimmer switch. It gets a little bit better as time goes on. It’s slow, and sometimes you feel like you’ve plateaued out. It’s a continual struggle.
“I do think there’s lessons from that training camp, when I was coming off my injury, and I wasn’t quite ready. I stepped in there, and thought I could just play managed football … but the shoulder wasn’t ready to do that.
“We won’t err the same way. We’ll start slower, and build in. We’ll play it smart. One of the first things Ed (GM Hervey) said, and one of the reasons why I was comfortable in coming back, is (he said) ‘Our timeline is your health’s timeline.’ It’s not about we need you to do this by this day.
“My comfort level is good. We won’t be stupid about it.”
Inside the Lions’ training facility is a group shot of their 2011 Grey Cup-winning team. The only players remaining from that team are Lulay and Rolly Lumbala. Jarious Jackson was a player in the photo — “the guy writing plays on a napkin in the back of the room,” quipped Lulay — but is now the offensive co-ordinator.
The 34-year-old quarterback played his entire nine-year CFL career in B.C., and brings a veteran presence that can’t be replaced. But Buono knows there will come a point this season when it’s not his words that will count, but his arm.
“As we’ve found out over and over and over again ... you’ve got to have two quality starters to be able to compete in this league,” he said. “An injury to your quarterback pretty much decimates your whole season (otherwise). A healthy Travis, a healthy Jonathon (Jennings), give us a great combination. I think today he showed all of us his leg is strong. It might take a little more time, but we’re right on schedule.”