Argonauts.ca
HAMILTON — After the Toronto Argonauts first pre-season game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week, head coach Marc Trestman hasn’t seen enough from his team’s pivots to name who will be the backup for Ricky Ray this season.
“I can’t. I really can’t,” Trestman told members of the media after Friday night’s game when asked if he can give any initial analysis on the quarterbacks.
“James (Franklin) had some bad snaps which inhibited him but I thought he was very calm out there when he played. I thought McLeod (Bethel-Thompson) made some plays as well. Obviously we saw that. The competition continues. James is going to start next week. He’ll have an opportunity to play the whole half just like McLeod did today.”
Franklin played in the final two quarters for the Argonauts at Tim Hortons Field against the Tiger-Cats and tossed 73 yards and an interception while completing eight of his 10 pass attempts. Bethel-Thompson played in the first two frames for the Boatmen, completing nine of 11 passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns.
“It felt pretty good,” said Franklin after his team’s win on Friday night. “Obviously I had the pick, so that’s not good. Other than that just going through the process and everything I really did enjoy it. I felt comfortable with it and I just have to keep getting better at it.”
Along with Bethel-Thompson, there were a few others wearing the double blue that made the most of their opportunity in front of Trestman.
Brandon Burks, a running back trying to crack the roster, was one of the new additions to the team that emerged with his highlight reel run that ended in a major score for Toronto late in the second quarter.
“We haven’t seen something like that in a long time,” said Trestman. “You don’t see that in practice. He made it happen in a game and it was a beautiful play to watch.”
“He’s been very steady,” Trestman continued about Burks. “(He’s a) solid back, learning the offence, consistent each and every day doing what we ask him to do. We’re happy for the guys that earned an opportunity to play tonight and a lot of them took advantage of their opportunity and played well.”
The 24-year-old used an injury obtained last year as motivation to do anything he could to excite the coaching staff.
“I’m a guy that came off an ACL surgery a year ago,” Burks said. “When I was on the couch, I told myself that when I get out there I’m just going to push myself.”
The Argonauts head to Guelph this week to host the Ottawa REDBLACKS and Franklin will be using the week to watch film an clean up any mistakes as he vies for the backup job in Toronto.
“I’m sure there’s some things I’m going to find,” said Franklin. “I felt like I did good but the film never lies. I think I did one thing and did another but I’ll look at it and see. I know just keep being consistent and smart with the football.”
– With files from Argonauts.ca
