Achi news desk-
Trevor Harris is back from injury and will be the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders this season. Now, the question arises: who will be his main backup?
“It’s tough competition and these guys know it. They’re fighting their tails off and organizationally it’s a good problem to have,” head coach Corey Mays said when asked about the battle for the backup spot.
Last season, Mason Payne was the first to take over when Harris went down with his season-ending injury.
Payne started the next four games but was injured in his fifth, which meant the team turned to third string Jake Dolgela. Dolgala went on to start the remaining nine games of the year even when it was suspected that Fine could return.
During the off-season the team decided to re-sign Fine to Dolgala – causing controversy and raising questions among Riders Nation.
“At the end of the day you want to prove the doubters wrong and you want to prove those people who believed in you right. So I was grateful and excited to get back to work just to show the management and the coaches out there who believed in me that I want to do the best I can for this team and win a Gray Cup for the team This one,” Payne said.
Even with the controversy, Payne says he remains close to the former starter.
“I talked to Dolly [Dolegala] Then and when it continued and gave him a head. We’re still close to that day, we’ve been texting throughout training camp,” he said. “I think he’s having a pretty good camp at BC and I’m excited to see what his future holds and he wishes me the same.”
In the Riders’ first preseason game on Monday, all five quarterbacks on the roster took reps: Harris, Payne, Shea Patterson, Antonio Pipkin and rookie Jake Conn.
Payne was battling a minor injury and was only able to take a few snaps, but it was Patterson who turned some heads after going 3/3 for 52 yards and one touchdown.
“I was just happy to come out and get a feel for my guys and how everybody’s playing,” Patterson said Wednesday.
But when asked if he felt he was primed to be the backup quarterback – he took a moment to answer and after a long pause praised the quarterback room.
“We just have a great bunch of guys. Antonio, his energy is unbelievable. Mason has obviously been out here not knowing for four years. And then Trevor has been in the league for 15 years. So it’s good that he has his experience. So a lot of knowledge in that room and a lot of competition Every day, every week. I don’t belong here if I don’t say I’m leading it. All I can do is give my best every day,” Patterson said.
“I think every year you go into training camp there’s always room for a qb two. You know this is my fourth training camp. Every year it’s been a battle,” agreed Payne.
But with just one preseason game remaining Mays has a checklist of what he needs to see from his quarterbacks.
“It doesn’t matter who’s there at quarterback [he] Need to move efficiently so we look[ing] plunder. I thought they did a good job with the reps they had [last game]. You know Mason is going to be healthier to take more snaps as well. So you just want to see it move the ball effectively down the field and make sure we get the right calls,” Mays said.
The Riders will have one more day of training camp before traveling to Edmonton to face the Elks on Saturday.
