Steinberg's MMQB: Reason for optimism in Riderville

Pat Steinberg

CFL.ca

@Fan960Steinberg

It has been an off-season full of peaks and valleys for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. With all the personnel change this winter, both on the field and on the sidelines, Riders fans had to be breathing much easier after watching their team’s second pre-season game of 2019, specifically when it comes to quarterback Zach Collaros.

Collaros was, and still is, one of the biggest question marks for Saskatchewan this season after a tumultuous first year in green. His steady and solid pre-season debut on Thursday night was really encouraging, though. Collaros threw for 163 yards and two touchdowns, going 10-for-15 at home to Winnipeg, which is as good as the Roughriders could have hoped.

I know it’s just one pre-season game, but if Collaros can take a step forward in year two in Regina, it will be a big time positive for a team in need of a steady ship. The keels have been dramatic over the winter for the Riders, with the team saying goodbye to Head Coach and General Manager Chris Jones in surprising fashion in January.

On the other side of things, though, Saskatchewan has landed big fish like Manny Arceneaux, William Powell, Micah Johnson, and Solomon Elimimian in free agency, giving new head coach Craig Dickenson a talented group to work with. A consistent year from Collaros could very well be the final piece to the puzzle.

While Saskatchewan excelled with an elite defence in 2018, they had trouble making meaningful inroads on the other side of the ball. Collaros started 14 games and struggled to be a consistent impact maker, throwing 13 interceptions against just nine touchdowns. In the end, the Riders finished as a bottom three team in most offensive categories.

The circumstances are different for Collaros this season, though. There’s more familiarity in year two, which in and of itself could get things on track early on. Additionally, I think it’s fair to say the expectations are lower than they were in 2018.

Whether it was fair or not, a lot of pressure was placed on the shoulders of Collaros in 2018. He was brought in as part of a significant trade with Hamilton and many in Riderville were hoping he could immediately return to his top-notch form of 2014 and 2015. That didn’t happen, which means expectations will be tempered in 2019.

Those two “intangible” changes bode well for Collaros this season, especially when you consider the upgraded group around him. The Riders have added Arceneaux to a receiver group already boasting a pair of impressive playmakers in Kyran Moore and Naaman Roosevelt.

Buy Week 1 Tickets
» Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET: Saskatchewan at Hamilton
» Friday, 9:00 p.m. ET: Montreal at Edmonton
» Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET: Ottawa at Calgary
» Saturday, 10:00 p.m. ET: Winnipeg at BC

Just as significant is the signing of Powell at tailback, as it gives Saskatchewan the true number one option they’ve been lacking since trading Jerome Messam to Calgary late in 2015. Powell led all CFL running backs with 251 carries last season in Ottawa and finished second only to Winnipeg’s Andrew Harris with 1,362 rushing yards.

Last year saw a timeshare at the position for the Riders, with Tre Mason seeing the most work. When it was all said and done, though, Cameron Marshall, Marcus Thigpen, and even Messam (back for a second stint) all saw significant carries, too. With a player like Powell, Saskatchewan has the option to pound the ball with the same guy over and over, even with a few other interesting options at the position.

All this is to say Collaros looks far better positioned for success in 2019 than he was at this time last year. It’s on him to deliver, but if you’re a Riders fan, you have to be feeling much better about your quarterback situation. What we saw from Collaros on Thursday night, pre-season game or not, was undoubtedly encouraging.

The biggest challenge yet

The last six years have been a struggle for the Montreal Alouettes, but it seemed like 2019 might be trending in the right direction. Things are far more up in the air after what happened over the weekend, though.

Less than a week before their season-opening showdown with Edmonton, the Alouettes parted ways with Head Coach Mike Sherman, replacing him with Khari Jones on an interim basis. It’s a decision that caught the CFL world by surprise and comes with less than ideal timing.

More than anything, though, it puts another challenge in front of Montreal as they attempt a return to the post-season for the first time since 2014. It’s a gutsy decision from General Manager Kavis Reed, who was clearly in evaluation mode as training camp played out.

“We had identified some key elements from last year where we wanted to see some changes,” Reed said on Saturday. “Unfortunately, these adjustments did not materialize. These decisions are never easy to make, but we believe this is the right one to make.”

There’s something to be said for being definitive, even if the circumstances around a certain decision aren’t 100 per cent ideal. If Montreal truly felt Sherman wasn’t the right guy, this move had to be made; regardless of the turmoil or shockwaves it might create. In saying that, though, it presents a hurdle the Als didn’t necessarily need ahead of an important 2019 campaign.

I’m sure this decision was made a little easier for Reed knowing Jones was waiting in the wings. The former quarterback and Grey Cup champion has 10 years as a coach under his belt, including the last five as an offensive coordinator in BC and Montreal. It’s not how anyone envisions a first head-coaching gig, but Jones seems like he’s ready to embrace what’s ahead.

“I would have liked this announcement to occur in different circumstances, but I’m ready to take on this new challenge,” Jones said. “We have a great coaching staff and a group of hard working, talented players. I’m looking forward to seeing our players come together as we all work with them with one goal in mind.”

Make no mistake, this is a daunting task for Jones, and his biggest challenge remains finding a quarterback he can confidently roll out on a week-to-week basis. During this four-year post-season dry spell, the Alouettes have seen 12 different quarterbacks get significant playing time. Unfortunately, not one of those players has been able to hold down the starting job for an extended period of time.

The challenges don’t end there, though. Jones has to find a way to protect whoever is under centre better than what we saw in 2018. Montreal allowed a whopping 66 sacks last season, which is close to four per game. Without better protection, it doesn’t really matter who is at quarterback. Luckily, with the addition of Spencer Wilson and a couple promising prospects, this offensive line seems poised to take a step forward.

There are areas to feel positive about for the Als right now. William Stanback looks ready to have a breakout season at running back, while Tommie Campbell and newly signed Ciante Evans could form the CFL’s best lockdown corner duo.

Prior to Sherman’s departure over the weekend, optimism was high in Montreal for 2019. Firing a coach less than a week prior to the regular season certainly throws a wrench in things, but it’s not insurmountable. My fingers are crossed for Jones, because seeing the Als fighting for a playoff spot would be an extremely positive development this season.

Steinberg’s MMQB: Reason for optimism in Riderville

The Canadian Press

Pat Steinberg

Follow CFL