REDBLACKS QB AT BEST WHEN HE’S ON THE MOVE
Harris knows being mobile gives him time to avoid tackles and find an open receiver
While Ottawa Redblacks quarterback Trevor Harris wants to utilize his ability to bounce outside to avoid pressure from defenders, he knows he’ll never be Mike Reilly — really, not many quarterbacks in the CFL can be that anyway.
But to be able to keep his feet and legs moving, Harris knows, is a big boost for the Ottawa Redblacks offence, which has been running hot through much of eight games and cold through much of the other four.
Speaking about watching and admiring the body of work of other professional quarterbacks, Harris said: “Mike does some things on film where I’m like, ‘I probably can’t do that.’ He has an insanely strong arm. You pick up things from all types of quarterbacks — you watch Drew Brees, you watch Tom Brady, you watch Matt Ryan, you watch Aaron Rodgers, you watch Bo (Levi Mitchell), even Matt Nichols or Zach Collaros. You pick up things (and) if it fits your game, you add it to your tool box. But really it’s all about being authentic and being yourself — if you try being somebody else, you’ll make yourself a lot worse. So I just try to be the best version of me.”
Being the best version of himself involved buying time for a passing game that was firing on all cylinders a week ago in Regina. Harris, who injured his knee in a pre-season game, completed 27 passes for 334 yards. It was his seventh 300-plus-yard passing game of the season.
“I think I’m at my best when I can move the pocket and run a bit — use my feet,” Harris said Friday as his team went through its final preparations for a showdown of 7-5 teams — facing the Edmonton Eskimos Saturday (4 p.m.) at TD Place. “The doctors told me it would be quite a while before my knee felt such that I couldn’t tell the difference between the two (knees) — I think it’s getting close to that point. This league has such a wide field, you have to have that (mobility) element.”
“He’s always been willing to run around,” said Redblacks coach Rick Campbell. “Just like we talk about Mike Reilly being a pain the butt when he’s moving around, Trevor can do that, too. He does a good job of using his feet when he needs to. That’s an important part of the game, especially in the CFL.”
“He’s getting healthy with his leg. The more mobile he is, the more we can do with him — that’s a plus,” said Redblacks offensive co-ordinator Jaime Elizondo.
The Redblacks have been putting plenty of focus on protection schemes for Harris, they also took some things off his plate to try and make his pre-snap reads a bit easier with the hope he could get rid of the ball quicker.
Explained Elizondo: “We started to do more communicating (with skill position players — receivers and running backs) from the sidelines so he’s doing less communication which helps. He can focus on the defence and see the coverage pre-snap a bit better.”
Establishing a run game was also huge. Against the Roughriders last week, the Redblacks got 148 yards on the ground (110 of them in the second half ) out of William Powell. When you’ve got the league-leading rusher in your backfield, you really need to commit to the run game. That, in turn, opens up the passing game with the defence forced to respect the possibility you are going to run the ball on every play.
“We were walking out and I told Willie P he’d have 100 yards in that second half,” said Harris. “I felt like we’d loosened them up a bit through the pass game. I felt like we’d get some good run surfaces. Anytime you get good run surfaces with the best running back in the league, it’s going to be a dangerous deal.”
The Eskimos have an offence that can hurt you in a hurry. Reilly is a former CFL Most Outstanding Player who does so many things well. He’s got the league’s top receiver in D’haquille Williams along with a very capable running back in CJ Gable. While their defence has been inconsistent, they’ve got some playmakers there, too — three former Redblacks start for them on that side of the ball (Forrest Hightower and Nick Taylor at defensive back and Mike Moore at defensive tackle).
“They’re pretty good,” said Elizondo. “They have stout guys inside, those linebackers make more plays than you think and they’re good in the back end.” KYRIES BACK IN: After serving a two-game suspension for a hit on Montreal Alouettes receiver B.J. Cunningham, linebacker Kyries Hebert returns to the Redblacks lineup. Said Campbell: “We found a way to get Kyries on (the roster). You’ll see him rotate through on defence and he’ll play special teams, too. He’s a good football player and does a lot of good things. We have talked. He wants to be here and help the Redblacks and part of doing that is playing within the rules.”
THE END AROUND: Other former Redblacks on the Edmonton roster for Saturday’s game: Offensive lineman Colin Kelly, defensive linemen Jake Ceresna and Arnaud Gascon-Nadon and quarterback Danny O’Brien. Fullback Pascal Lochard was also briefly a Redblack. Former Carleton Ravens star Nate Behar is listed as a backup receiver ... Asked about what receiver Brad Sinopoli brings to the table, Campbell said: “Brad plays full speed all the time, that’s how he practises, too. He plays the game the way you want it to be played - tough, hard and always giving full effort.”
It’s all about being authentic and being yourself — if you try being somebody else, you’ll make yourself a lot worse.