The Canadian Press
CALGARY — Canadian quarterback Andrew Buckley has earned the backup job behind Bo Levi Mitchell heading into the 2017 season for the Calgary Stampeders.
Stamps’ head coach Dave Dickenson confirmed during a media scrum on Sunday that Buckley would be the one to take the backup duties behind 2016’s Most Outstanding Player.
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Heading into his second season with the Stampeders, Andrew Buckley will assume the backup duties behind Bo Levi Mitchell (Adam Gagnon/CFL.ca)
“Andrew’s going to be the two,” Dickenson told Stampeders.com. “He’ll be handling his part of the offence as well as (it) looks like he’s our holder too. Andrew, he earned it. He did a great job in that last pre-season game. (He) stepped up and it was good to see.”
Buckley’s performance in the fourth quarter of Calgary’s second pre-season game against the Edmonton Eskimos helped the Stamps to a 36-35 victory. The Calgary pivot threw the game-winning touchdown to Richard Sandani with just over a minute left in the contest. He completed six of seven throws for 81 yards and two major scores – the game winner along with a one on a quarterback sneak.
The 23-year-old also started in the Stampeders’ first pre-season game against the BC Lions and played in the first two quarters completing six of his eight attempts for 59 yards.
In 2016, Buckley assumed the third-string duties behind Mitchell and Drew Tate being mostly used in short-yardage situations. He dressed in all 18 regular season games, collecting 27 carries for 49 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
