THE CANADIAN PRESS
CFL.ca Staff
REGINA — Kevin Glenn or Brett Smith?
It’s a question we’ve quietly wondered about for a while, but it’s never been in the forefront until this week. The veteran Glenn is back in uniform this week for the Riders and has been named the team’s starting quarterback for Saturday’s clash with the Ottawa REDBLACKS, prompting mixed reactions from Riders fans.
The move couldn’t have come at a more compelling time because now, more than any other time this season, the Riders have reached crossroads: To go all in and try to get back in the race; or, alternatively, start doing more for the future.
It goes without saying that both of these goals are in mind for GMs and coaches in football. Every team is trying to win whether it’s in the race or not, while all teams keep the future at least somewhere in mind no matter how close they are to winning a championship.
The question for the Riders is whether they should sacrifice one for the other, even if only slightly, because right now that’s the decision they face for the remainder of the year.
Kevin Glenn and all his experience make the Riders a better team right now than when Smith is starting — few people would dispute that notion. The Riders owned the CFL’s number one ranked offence under Glenn’s leadership, and their losses all came down to the fourth quarter of football games. Smith, only 23 years old, shows potential at the position but the offence has lacked consistency under his command, a problem not uncommon to young quarterbacks.
Yet Smith offers what 36-year-old Glenn doesn’t: Upside. Potential to be a future starting quarterback.
The Riders know exactly what they have in Glenn: A proven performer that brings competence to the offence and will help those around him get better. With Smith, however, there’s a certain mystique. Smith has shown in extended playing time this season that while he’s young and raw, he has the ability to make the throws necessary to be a starting CFL quarterback.
He’s also proven to be a quick learner; he’s been through adversity and learned about being a professional, such as in the loss to the REDBLACKS when he was sat out; and he’s been on the losing side of things to know what needs to be avoided in order to win more football games.
For a 23-year-old, Smith looks like a project worth time and consideration as a future starting quarterback in this league.
In the end, though, it’ll always come back to winning.
The Riders are three games back of both the Bombers and Lions for the third and final playoff spot in the West, while the four-win Als are also in the mix for the spot via West Division crossover. It’s a steep hill to climb, but Saskatchewan isn’t out of this thing just yet.
Then there’s the reality that interim head coach Bob Dyce is essentially getting his first dress rehearsal as a head coach, while Jeremy O’Day also has decisions to make not just for his own job but for the future of the team.
Long story short, it’s a complicated dynamic in Regina right now. Glenn is a good quarterback, one of the most successful quarterbacks in the CFL over the last decade. The Riders become a better team with him under centre instantly, even one that’s a threat to win every single week considering some of the talent on this roster.
But if Smith really is a viable prospect, the Riders also need to find a way to keep him actively engaged in the offence.
So who would you rather see play down the stretch for the Riders — Smith or Glenn? Vote and/or comment below in the Great Debate.
