BCLions.com
For the first 11 weeks of the CFL season there has been plenty of talk about what Nathan Rourke has done to make the BC Lions successful.
With Rourke now sidelined for possibly the remainder of the regular season, the conversation has shifted to can the Lions be successful without their Canadian-born quarterback?
“Absolutely,” said receiver Bryan Burnham, the sweat streaking down his face after practice on a hot day at the Lions training facility. “Nathan elevated us for sure, but we’re a great team.
“It’s tough to lose a guy like Nathan because he’s been on a record-setting pace. But still we’ve got a lot of great football players and this is still a great football team.”
Offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic said the Lions won’t change how they go about doing their business when Michael O’Connor starts at quarterback when the Lions face the Saskatchewan Roughriders Friday night at BC Place Stadium.
“Michael has a really good feel for the offence,” said Maksymic. “He’s been working his tail off since we signed him to master the offence and he’s done a good job at that.
“Things are going to change a little bit because we think the defence is going to treat Michael differently. But the offence is what it is and we’re confident that Michael is going to be able to run it just fine.”
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Rourke is scheduled for surgery to repair a Lisfranc sprain in his right foot suffered in the fourth quarter of the Lions’ 28-10 road win over the Roughriders last Friday night. After surgery, it’s expected the 24-year-old Victoria, BC native won’t be able to put any weight on his foot for six to eight weeks.
BC’s final regular season game is Oct. 28 in Winnipeg. The Grey Cup is Nov. 20 in Regina.
O’Connor had mixed emotions about preparing for his first CFL start after dressing for 15 games over two seasons with Toronto and Calgary.
“It’s sad to see what happened to Nate,” said the 26-year-old Ottawa native who led the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds to the 2015 Vanier Cup title. “That was really tough to see a brother go down that way.
“I’m excited to get in there and go up against Saskatchewan. We’ve got to keep this thing rolling and get a win.”
The six-foot-five, 223-pound O’Connor has seen limited action this year, completing just nine of 12 passes for 63 yards and an interception. He dressed for six games but didn’t throw a pass last season for Calgary. In nine games with Toronto in 2019 O’Connor completed 15 of 25 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown.
O’Connor is a different style of quarterback than Rourke. Taller and heavier, he prefers to stay in the pocket even with defenders in his face.
Rourke is more agile and can use his speed to get out of trouble and make plays happen.
Maksymic said O’Connor has a strong arm and can hit his receivers.
“He’s got the arm that can touch all areas of the field,” said he said. “He can make the throws that Nathan can as far as the accuracy, the touch throws and the deep throws.”
O’Connor also has the luxury of a receiving corps that has three receivers in the league’s top-10.
“They’re all just awesome,” he said. “They’ve been great with me, talking about routes, how they are going to adjust for certain looks.
“It’s a pleasure to throw to them and I’m just looking to get the ball in their hands.”
Bryan Burnham expects to see the same Lions team on the field that he’s seen all season, regardless of who’s at quarterback (Trevor Hagan/CFL.ca)
Burnham, who missed four games with fractured ribs and a collapsed lung, said a different quarterback won’t affect BC’s aerial attack.
“Nothing is going to change for us and it’s important it doesn’t,” said Burnham, who has 31 catches for 380 yards and four touchdowns in five games.
“We can’t go out there and try different things thinking we’re helping because it’s going to end up hurting. We need to be where we’re supposed to be and let Mike take care of the rest.”
The Lions, who sit second in the West, are putting up a league-best 35.9 points per game.
Rourke, in just his second year, leads the CFL with 313 passing attempts, 248 completions, 3,281 yards, 25 TDs and has an eye-popping 79.7 per cent competition ratio. He’s also tied with Hamilton’s Dane Evans and Edmonton’s Taylor Cornelius with 10 interceptions.
Rourke has broken the record for most passing yards in a game by a Canadian multiple times, setting the present mark of 488 yards Aug. 13 in an 41-40 win over the Calgary Stampeders.
On the ground, Rourke has rushed for 304 yards and seven TDs on 39 carries.
He’s been named the CFL’s top performer five times this season and is in contention for the league’s Most Outstanding Player and top Canadian award.
The Riders have last four of their last five games, two of them against the Lions. Quarterback Cody Fajardo, who has been hobbled by a left knee injury, will start after being pulled before halftime in last week’s loss after completing 8-13 pass attempts for 41 yards with two interceptions.
The Riders’ defence leads the league with 33 sacks, but the offence has allowed a CFL-high 37 sacks. Saskatchewan has also given up an average 292.2 passing yards a game, second worst in the league.
O’Connor will be backed up by Antonio Pipkin, who has CFL experience with both Montreal and Toronto. Pipkin hasn’t thrown a pass this season but has rushed four times for 14 yards and two touchdowns.
“We’re differently comfortable that (Pipkin) knows the offence and can operate it,” said Maksymic. “The plan is (to start) Michael and let him ride through the ebbs and flows of game.
“It’s his show, so he’s going to be the one that operates the offence.”
Pipkin smiled when asked if he expects to see any playing time this week.
“That’s above my pay grade,” he said. “Anything the team needs me, I’m prepared to do.”
