THE CANADIAN PRESS
For most of the last two years, the Calgary Stampeders have plugged in quarterbacks to substitute for injuries to Drew Tate.
This week and maybe for a few more, the wheel turns. Tate will be the Stampeders starter while Bo Levi Mitchell heals from ankle and knee injuries. Mitchell suffered his injuries late in the Toronto game. While not considered serious, they will sideline him for at least the Montreal game this weekend.
For Tate, patrolling the sidelines and largely watching Mitchell lead the Stampeders to a 10-1 start has actually been a benefit. Tate has been nursing an elbow injury for the last couple of years and the time off has made a big difference — standing on the sidelines allowed the elbow to return to form.
“That was really a blessing in disguise. I could really tell the difference in the second Ottawa game, out there. I could tell in warmup, the ball was just coming off better and the spin was tighter.” noted Tate, the day he was named the starter for the Montreal game.
The physical part of his game is improving, but the mindset for Tate hasn’t changed at all.
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With a career quarterback rating of 108.1, Drew Tate is the league’s number one backup quarter. He says he’s healthy and throwing the ball better than ever — and ready to take on the Montreal Alouettes. |
“I’ve been in this situation before, so it helps definetly,” said Tate. “We have good players across the board, so just do my job to get them the ball and let them do what they do.”
Tate used that philosophy to perfection in his late-game role in the Toronto game. He was 6-of-6 passing, complete with two touchdown passes, in capping a franchise record-tying-26 point comeback for the Stampeders. The Stampeders are hoping he is not going to have to draw on that experience again!
Since the topic is quarterback depth, rookie Bryant Moniz moves up the depth chart for the Stampeders. He has yet to see the field in a regular season game.
Moniz is a product of the University ot Hawaii. The native Hawaiian also spends his off-seasons working out with fellow Hawaii product and Toronto Argonauts star, Chad Owens.
Quarterback is not the only area of issue for the Stampeders. They will modify the defensive line as rush end Charleston Hughes and tackle Demonte Bolden went down with injuries. Of the pair, Hughes is expected to return to the field earlier, with a foot injury. Bolden suffered a broken bone in the leg and is on the Stampeders’ six-game injured list.
Receiver Marquay McDaniel will join Bolden on the six game injured list. McDaniel fell on his wrist in the Toronto game and will miss an extended period. The injury comes at an unfortunate time as he was among the league leaders in receiving and was the Stampeders’ go-to receiver.
However, as McDaniel sits, the team is expected to have Joe West back on the field after a two game absence due to a family emergency in Texas.
So off to Montreal with Drew Tate at the controls and Bryant Moniz in a backup position. If it somehow comes to needing another quarterback, the team signed Casey Pachall from TCU. He was previously in the Argonauts camp this season
