Walter Tychnowicz/CFL.ca
OTTAWA — Any quarterback controversy in the nation’s capital will be put on hold for at least another week, as the Ottawa REDBLACKS have announced Henry Burris will start their Week 9 matchup vs. the Montreal Alouettes.
The REDBLACKS are back in action on Friday night at TD Place, which the team announced Monday will be sold out for the fourth consecutive game to open the 2016 season.
Burris will make his fourth start of the season and third since returning from a pinky injury on his throwing hand, while Trevor Harris continues to heal from injuries suffered during the REDBLACKS’ 30-29 loss to Saskatchewan on July 22.
“Henry will be the starter Friday night,” Campbell told TSN 1200 on Monday. “Trevor, we’re not even sure if he can dress yet. He’s doing very well, we’re going to see how he practises this week but he’s definitely not going to be 100 per cent and we want to make sure we get him back and healthy. We just want to make sure we’re smart with it.”
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Burris and the REDBLACKS were Grey Cup runner-ups last year, while the now-41-year-old was named Most Outstanding Player after throwing for 5,703 yards and 26 touchdowns and leading Ottawa to a first-place finish in the East (12-6). This year, however. Burris faces some competition from the up-and-coming Harris.
The two have seldom been available at the same time as injuries have kept both off the field at different times, but Harris, when on the field, has been virtually unstoppable. The Edinboro graduate has completed 82 per cent of his passes while throwing nine touchdowns to just one interception.
There’s a chance Harris could still dress Friday night, as the REDBLACKS look to win their second straight game. Before heading into the bye they overcame a late deficit to earn a 23-20 win over the Eskimos.
The Alouettes, meanwhile, are struggling after falling 23-12 to Edmonton and dropping to 2-5 on the season — but Campbell says his team isn’t taking anything for granted.
“There really are no ‘free’ spaces on the schedule,” Campbell said in the same interview. “Montreal played in Edmonton last week and had the ball and could have scored and won the game — it literally came down to the end.
“We need to be a desperate team too to win games . . . It’s gonna be a tough game but we need to find a way to win these games.”
Ottawa won the first meeting between these teams back in Week 2, 28-13, as Harris started and threw for 395 yards and three touchdowns.
Burris heads into his first start against Montreal this season with 810 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions on 69-of-104 (66 per cent).
