Steinberg’s MMQB: Taking the name very literally

#CFLKickoff

The countdown is on for the start of the 2015 Canadian Football League season. The final week of CFL pre-season action gave us plenty to sink our teeth into, as we get ready for the games that matter. We’re focusing in on quarterbacks on this week’s Monday Morning . . . Quarterback. I guess we need to literally live up to our name once in a while.

Promising signs

How many BC Lions fans are breathing easier today after watching what they did on Friday night? After barely seeing Travis Lulay during the 2014 season, BC’s starting quarterback was back on the field for the first time since Week 11 of last year. That was comforting enough, but even more encouraging was his performance in an 18-13 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos.

Lulay played the entire first half against the Eskimos and looked spot on the entire way. Even with the regular grain of salt all pre-season games should be taken with, Lulay was solid. He threw for 121 yards on 8-for-13 passing and hooked up with Emmanuel Arceneaux on a 25-yard touchdown strike in his first series.

But let’s forget the numbers for a second, because they only mean so much in exhibition action. More important was how comfortable Lulay looked on the field. To see the zip he had on the ball was awesome and he looked as mobile and savvy in the pocket as ever. Oh, and let’s not forget, he took a hit on the second play of his first series and popped right back up. Yeah, it’s the pre-season, but all of what we saw in two quarters of action on Friday was positive.

I truly believe Lulay is still among the CFL’s elite quarterbacks when he’s healthy. The problem is, he hasn’t been fully healthy since the fourth quarter of Week 12 in 2013. Well, it looks like he is right now, and let’s hope it lasts, because he’s one of the most entertaining pivots to watch in this league.

I know there is always going to be worry about Lulay’s longevity and durability, and that’s fair. That’s something General Manager Wally Buono has been, and continues to be, cognizant of. Last year he had Kevin Glenn as the team’s insurance policy, and while they’ve taken a different approach to Lulay’s backup this year, there are reasons to be hopeful there, too.

I’ve quite enjoyed Jonathon Jennings in his two pre-season outings. I saw him up close at McMahon Stadium a week ago and really liked how confident he was airing the ball out. Just a week later, Jennings looked calmer and more comfortable on Friday against Edmonton. In just his first year, it sure sounds like Head Coach Jeff Tedford likes what he’s seen so far. I can see why, and if he has to step in for Lulay at some point, I don’t think we’re necessarily talking about a disaster.

Job security

There’s something to be said about steady work, even if it isn’t in the same place for a long period of time. Oh what a road the aforementioned Kevin Glenn has taken the last few seasons. Since the 2012 season, Glenn has seen time in Calgary, Ottawa (kind of), BC, and now the Saskatchewan Roughriders. His last three years raise two questions that I’m happy to answer.

First, why does he keep bouncing around? Well, that answer is rooted deep in the harsh realities of professional football. There have been better options in the places he’s left recently. An emerging Bo Levi Mitchell spelled the end of his time with the Stampeders, while the acquisition of Henry Burris concluded his short stay with the REDBLACKS. Despite doing the job with the Lions, the team made the right choice to let him walk in favour of a returning Lulay.

But the other question is important too, and has a far more positive answer. Why does Glenn keep finding work? That’s simple: he’s an asset for every team that he’s on. Every team knows that Glenn can play number one minutes and can win football games when he’s on the field. Teams also know that it’s tough to go through a season using just one quarterback. Injuries happen, and they seem to be an even more frequent occurrence in recent years.

So now Glenn finds himself second on Saskatchewan’s depth chart behind Darian Durant. Let’s not forget, Durant only played ten games last year and the backup situation was not, well, great. Glenn is an upgrade on what the Riders were forced to trot out in Durant’s absence last year. If their number one gets hurt, the Riders know Glenn can step in in the blink of an eye, and they know he can do the job more than well enough to win games.

It’s funny, because I feel bad for Glenn sometimes. The guy busts his hump every year, does the job well, helps quarterback teams to the playoffs, but no one seems to keep him long term. Yet, the last few years have also underlined something fairly important, too. Glenn finds work because teams know the value he brings to their team. So yeah, it can’t be easy living the nomadic life like Glenn has of late, but by the same token, it has to be nice to always be wanted.

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Early challenge

Last week we focused in on the big issues for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, because there are a few biggies in there. Well, the injury news wasn’t great for the Toronto Argonauts this week either. With Ricky Ray on the six game injured list to start the 2015 campaign, the Argos are looking at a first third of the season (potentially) with some hurdles. But hurdles are meant to be jumped over, are they not?

Trevor Harris is the man behind centre to start the season, and his mindset could very well be a positive for Toronto. Harris is entering his fourth season with the Argos, and he’s been an understudy to Ray for all of that time. Ray is one of the best of all time, so that is no surprise. But that doesn’t mean Harris hasn’t been itching for his chance. Well, now the 29-year-old is starting the biggest opportunity of his pro career square in the face.

Harris has to embrace this chance and it might be good to come at it with a chip on the shoulder. That “I’ll prove your wrong” attitude has paid dividends many times in the past, and could very well bear fruit here. Fortunately, Harris brings more to the table than just a potentially really strong mental approach.

I actually like what I’ve seen from Harris in his brief interludes on the field. In spot duty last year, Harris was a 70% passer, completing 42 of 60 when he got into game action. The same can be said about his two tune-up games, as Harris is completing 75% of his pre-season passes heading into this weekend.

He’s been able to do that by being a very smart passer on the field. Harris hasn’t shown us a ton of dynamic ability yet, but he has shown us he can manage a game and move the chains. He uses his progressions well, throws an accurate ball and focuses on limiting mistakes. With playmakers like Andre Durie and Chad Owens on the field with him, that’s a good approach to have.

The more Harris is on the field, the more potential there is for him to turn into a playmaker himself. But that comes with confidence. The best way to build confidence right now is to manage ball and limit mistakes. Harris has the potential to be able to do that. Who knows what happens from there, and who knows what we’ll be talking about when Ray is ready to come back.

Quick hits

Speaking of the Argos, I found their additions at running back quite intriguing this weekend. Toronto added Chad Kackert and Brandon Whitaker to their practice roster on Sunday, two names that have made big impacts in the not-so-distant past.

Kackert is giving it one last chance after injuries have ended his last two seasons. The 2012 Grey Cup MVP is so fun to watch when he’s right, because he can run right over you if he has to. In Whitaker, the Argos add a guy I’ve been a fan of for years. While his productivity has dropped for different reasons in recent years, we’re not that far removed from him being potentially the best all around back in Canadian football. If he can give Toronto a passing threat out of the backfield, he might very well stick around.

With final roster moves being made this weekend, two names jumped off the page to me. The Stampeders released defensive tackle Demonte Bolden on Sunday, and I think there’s a good chance he finds work on another team in short order. Bolden’s speed and power in the interior has been helpful for Calgary the last few years, and can be a factor on a team a little less deep on the line.

Geoff Tisdale is the other standout name for me. The Alouettes released the veteran defensive back, but I think he can still be a useful player elsewhere. At 29, I think Tisdale can still play, but more importantly, I think what he brings in terms of experience is just as important. Tisdale has seven CFL years under his belt and that type of experience is very rarely a bad thing to have on your roster.