Recovered Willy to start against Tiger Cats

WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ bye week came at a perfect time for quarterback Drew Willy.

Willy sprained his throwing shoulder in a Sept. 13 loss to the B.C. Lions but said Friday that extra treatment and rest last week has helped him recover enough to start Saturday when Winnipeg hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“I was here all bye week working with (head athletic therapist Al Couture), kind of doing a bunch of different treatments, just basically doing anything I could do to get the range of motion, strength back,” Willy said after the team’s walk-through. “I feel fine. I’m ready to play and I’m looking forward to going out there.”

That’s good news for the Bombers (6-6), who’ve lost three straight and five-of-their-last six games.

Hamilton (4-7) has won its last two games and three of its last four, all since the return of quarterback Zach Collaros, who missed five contests with concussion-like symptoms.

Winnipeg headcoach Mike O’Shea said his offence won’t have to alter its plans because Willy is coming off an injury.

“If we had to change the game plan because of his health, he wouldn’t be starting,” O’Shea said.

Neither O’Shea nor Willy are concerned that playing could aggravate the injury.

“I believe he’s as healthy as anybody else,” O’Shea said. “I think there’s inherent risk in the game of football, but we wouldn’t take any undue risk with our quarterback.”

Willy, who will be backed up by Brian Brohm, agreed.

“If I didn’t feel comfortable, I wouldn’t go out there and play,” he said.

“I wouldn’t put this team in that situation.

“I feel comfortable with the progress we’ve made and the way I feel so I’m definitely going to go out there and compete for the guys that work so hard in that locker-room.”

Hamilton coach/GM Kent Austin always figured Willy would start.

“He wouldn’t be practising if he wasn’t going to play,” Austin said.