Blue Bombers’ Zach Collaros: ‘I’ll be able to play’ in 109th Gray Cup

REGINA — Zach Collaros is doing all the pieces he can to alleviate any doubt that he’ll be behind centre on Sunday for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The subsequent step on this gradual and meticulous course of is undoubtedly a very powerful one.

Collaros made it clear on Thursday afternoon that he hasn’t loved sitting out two practices this week. The doubtless CFL Most Excellent Participant award repeat winner cited the significance of these beneficial repetitions main into the 109th Gray Cup together with what occurs throughout the 4 quarters.

“Oh, I’m able to go. I’ll be able to play,” Collaros instructed reporters, when requested immediately about his standing. “I’ve simply been doing what I can to be able to get on the market to play. Listening to the coaching workers and doing all the pieces that I can to organize to assist my workforce win the sport. Yeah, I don’t like lacking observe. I feel it’s vital. Each rep is vital to get, whether or not it’s a sport rep or a observe rep. From the way in which that I see the sport, I see the place, I feel that try to be practising. So it’s powerful.

“You don’t like being away from the fellows, particularly the final couple of days. It’s been fairly chilly and windy. I want I used to be on the market struggling by it with them.”

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Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea expressed full confidence that Collaros would be capable of play on Sunday.

“He’s placing within the work that he must put in to be prepared,” O’Shea instructed reporters. “I don’t assume at this level, that Zach actually wants any reps in observe. It’s professional soccer. It’s a contact sport. There are guys lacking from observe on a regular basis. Clearly Zach is a frontrunner on our workforce, THE chief, nevertheless it doesn’t actually work like that in observe with this group. They know what they’re doing. They go on the market they usually put within the work for the fellows that may’t at that second. They know the way vital it’s for them to be on at observe to assist their teammates that aren’t practising.”

From the second Collaros limped off the sphere with just below 5 minutes to go within the West Division ultimate towards the B.C. Lions after being tackled from behind — and the following false begin when he tried to re-enter the competition earlier than having to return to the sidelines and watch Dru Brown shut issues out — it is a storyline that merely gained’t go away.

“It seemed like whoever that man was, he grabbed me from behind and my foot simply received caught within the floor,” stated Collaros. “It didn’t really feel nice on the ankle within the second.”

Regardless of how many individuals say they count on Collaros to be within the beginning lineup on Sunday towards the Toronto Argonauts — and sure, it is going to be a shock if he isn’t, given what’s on the road — that is one thing that must be seen, not simply heard.

Till Collaros steps again onto the sphere and reveals that the precise ankle gained’t restrict him in a big method, it’s going to stay a narrative that dominates most of the headlines in a matchup which has loads of different issues that provides to the intrigue.

That Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie was truly thrust into his first CFL begin beneath centre for the Blue Bombers on the 2007 Gray Cup towards the Saskatchewan Roughriders, changing injured starter Kevin Glenn, is of course woven into the material of this rising story.

Collaros is hopeful to finish among the suspense and drama earlier than Sunday, noting he plans to be a participant in Friday’s scheduled exercise.

In case you thought the microscope was zooming in intently when video of Collaros strolling down the steps after the flight from Winnipeg to Regina was intense, simply wait till Friday rolls round.

That’s when the questions will go from how Collaros is feeling to what he’s truly wanting like out on the gridiron?

What number of reps is he taking with the first-team offence?

Is he largely stationary within the pocket or is he rolling out to his proper as performs develop?

“My mobility? It’s good,” stated Collaros, who threw for 4,183 yards with 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions throughout the common season. “The foot feels actually good.”

No, Collaros wasn’t about to put a share on his well being at this stage of the week or delve into the psychology of ache administration and what function that may play.

Nor did he have a concrete reply on whether or not or not something particular would must be completed to ensure that him to again up his phrases and swimsuit up on Sunday, noting it was too early to inform.

His focus is and needs to be on doing the issues that not solely get him to the beginning line, however enable him to carry out as much as the usual he’s set for himself because the chief of what has been a dynamic Blue Bombers offence.

The damage however, Collaros wasn’t as sharp as of us are used to seeing him final week towards the Lions.

Not solely was he intercepted ultimately zone by former teammate Marcus Sayles on an underthrown ball, Collaros had a few different close to picks that slipped by the fingers of Lions defenders, as he completed his day 14 of 20 for 178 yards and a landing move to Dalton Schoen that opened the scoring.

With that in thoughts, you might be positive Collaros was already going to be locked in on his preparation within the movie room, lengthy earlier than his proper ankle grew to become the centre of consideration this week.

Collaros appeared very a lot comfortable because the query and reply interval continued, expressing gratitude for the entire twists and turns that led him to the Blue Bombers and what’s now a 3rd consecutive Gray Cup look.

It could be simple for somebody who hasn’t been across the sport so long as Collaros has to provide in to the frustration of coping with an damage heading into the most important sport of the season – and most vital of many participant’s careers – however having overcome ample adversity throughout his earlier stops within the CFL helped put together him for what is just the subsequent chapter on this entertaining story.

“It’s a tremendous expertise. It’s one thing that you just by no means take without any consideration,” stated Collaros. “It’s been very nice attending to spend time with teammates, watching further tape. Simply attending to know guys just a little bit extra for the final week that we’re all collectively.”