Matt Smith/CFL.ca
TORONTO — As the CFL regular season calendar turns to Week 6, many teams across the league find themselves playing the waiting game.
Quarterback situations are up in the air for four teams heading into their next game, as Ricky Ray, Trevor Harris, Henry Burris and Darian Durant may or may not be available this week while the Ticats’ Zach Collaros could return for the first time in 10 months in Week 7.
Durant questionable for Friday
With a Friday night clash in Montreal on the horizon, the Riders will have to determine soon whether Durant can return from the sprained ankle that sidelined him for his team’s 30-29 win over the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Friday night in Regina.
Mitchell Gale, the 26-year-old acquired from the Argos earlier this season, has thrown for 601 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 38-of-66 passing in Durant’s absence and appears to be developing into a reliable option in Stephen McAdoo’s offence.
Durant was spotted on the practice field before the Riders’ Week 5 matchup but according to CFL.ca’s Jamie Nye was not overly active at Monday’s practice:
Darian Durant is likely questionable for this week. Didn’t test the ankle too much today. Will try to do more throughout the week. #Riders
— Jamie Nye (@jamienye) July 25, 2016
Consider Durant questionable for Friday’s contest for now, while Gale has proven reliable if needed.
Up in the air in the capital
In the nation’s capital, the REDBLACKS have all week to determine who will start for them before their Week 6 contest vs. the Argos on Sunday but could have a decision soon. As of now, it could be either one of Trevor Harris, Brock Jensen or even Henry Burris.
Burris has been out since Week 1 with an injured pinky finger on his throwing hand, while Harris left Saturday’s loss to the Riders with a knee injury.
So far, indications out of Ottawa are that Harris’ injury isn’t as bad as first perceived.
“It did look really bad,” Campbell told TSN 1200 on Monday. “The good news, I’m not a doctor so don’t hold me to all of this, but structurally he seemed to be OK. It could be really good news in that they’re going to clear him and as long as he’s pain-free he could be good to go; or there could be some type of issue so we’re just going to wait on that.”
Early indications from Ottawa are Harris’ injury isn’t as bad as first thought (CFL.ca)
The REDBLACKS expect to know Tuesday, while at the same time Burris could also be ready to return.
“Regardless of Trevor’s status, I know Henry’s getting very close,” Campbell added in the same interview. “He’s been throwing now which has been good and we’re going to look at him over the next couple of days and see where he is.
“Henry’s getting very close which is good news.”
If both Harris and Burris can’t go, Jensen will get his first career start after going 20-of-29 for 271 yards and a pair of touchdowns vs. Saskatchewan.
Milanovich: Ray could miss 4-6 weeks
Argos head coach Scott Milanovich said following the Argos’ 30-17 win over Montreal on Monday night that there’s no firm diagnosis on quarterback Ricky Ray’s injured knee, but early indications are it could sideline him for four to six weeks.
“Our guess it’s some sort of a sprained MCL like he had a couple of years ago,” Milanovich told Argonauts.ca. “If that was the case it would be in the four to six week range, but that’s early speculation.”
After missing most of 2015 then struggling in a Week 1 loss to the Ticats, Ray has shown steady week to week improvement, putting forth his best effort on Monday with 235 yards on 29-of-34 passing and three touchdowns against no interceptions.
“It’s football,” said Milanovich. “It’s unfortunate. He played well. If he can’t play, if that diagnosis is accurate, that’s why Logan [Kilgore]’s here.”
With Ray getting on a roll, the injury is an ill-timed one for Ray and the Argos. Yet the Boatmen have to be excited to see what they’ve got in the 26-year-old Kilgore, a 6-foot-3 pivot with a live arm.
It was Kilgore’s presence on the roster that allowed the Argos to move Gale to Saskatchewan in a trade for defensive end Shawn Lemon.
“Logan was our backup for a reason,” Milanovich said. “I think he’s got a huge upside and I think he’ll show everybody that.
“It’s time for him to step up and shine and do what many guys have done before him.”
No better time for Collaros?
Mum’s the word when it comes to the Ticats and Collaros, and after Jeremiah Masoli’s record-breaking performance in Edmonton over the weekend there’s no reason to rush. Still, the football world has to be excited about the chance Collaros could return in Week 7 following the Ticats’ bye.
Collaros was activated from the six-game injured list two weeks ago and has practised but not yet played for the Ticats in 2016. He’s been out since last September when he sustained a torn ACL, ending an MOP-calibre season in which he threw 25 touchdown passes to only eight interceptions along with 3,376 yards.
If the Ticats’ 37-31 win over Edmonton in Week 5 was the last start for Masoli, what a way to leave a mark. In the end, however, there is no quarterback controversy in Hamilton — Collaros will play when he’s ready.
