Inside the CFL: 2023, the year of the backup quarterback

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on July 27, 2023.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

t seems neither Alberta CFL team can win at home. In a wild-and wooly shootout at the Crowchild Corral last Sunday, the upstart Ottawa Redblacks beat the Stampeders 43-41 in overtime. Winless at McMahon, it was Calgary’s second OT loss in three defeats. Even losing quarterback Jake Maier said it was “fun and entertaining.” His coach was not amused.

Instead, Dave Dickenson was blunt in his assessment of his Stampeders. “We’re definitely a transition team, meaning we have a lot of new faces. As coaches, though, I’m of the opinion that you have to do something different. You can’t continuously make the same calls or coach the same way if the players aren’t responding. That’s it. As coaches, we found ways to change it up a couple of years ago and the players responded, so now we have to find the same ways or we have to get new players. That’s the other option, so we’ll see how it goes.” They’ve already started.

There was a little bad luck involved when a shaky secondary was further weakened by first quarter injuries. But they shot themselves in the hoof. Quarterback Jake Maier threw a pick-six interception, then fumbled which led to a touchdown, and with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter, after the defence forced a turnover on downs, promptly threw another interception which the visitors converted into a major. Maier’s mistakes led to 21 Ottawa points. Otherwise the game wasn’t close. Also, Rene Paredes missed a convert. Again, had he made it, no overtime, just a red and white win. They also went 0-3 on two-point conversions, the critical one in overtime.

By his own admission, Maier has turned the ball over every game he’s played. Yes, he had spectacular moments, completing 28 of 38 for 450 yards and four touchdowns. He’s not on the list of players who could be replaced. He took over from Bo Levi Mitchell last August and Dickenson has no one else. Until NFL cuts are available, the coach and quarterback are together for better or worse. Pundits keep saying he’s getting better. I’ve been skeptical since he took over. The only starting quarterback I’ve seen in recent years who managed to overcome a propensity for making big mistakes was Henry Burris. By the time he did, his coach Tom Higgins had torn all his hair out but that’s another story.

This season could be called the year of the backup. Hamilton has gone through two of them Matthew Schiltz and Taylor Powell. Mason Fine has replaced Trevor Harris who is likely out for the season in Saskatchewan. All the quarterbacks are second stringers in Edmonton. Lion Vernon Adams, Jr. went down in the first quarter last Saturday. Given there was no structural damage to his knee, he should return soon. He was replaced by Dane Evans who led his team to a 20-9 win over the Roughriders, Leo defence and poor Green and White play calling making the difference.

Fine was given a severely reduced playbook with which to work, indicating the coaches didn’t have a lot of confidence in his ability to get the job done. But he was in the worst possible position given his team was only able to run for 16 yards on 14 carries. He was constantly in second-and-long against the stingiest pass defence in the league. Fine didn’t run once.

Contrast that with Ottawa’s Dustin Crum who obviously had the entire playbook at his disposal completing 23 of 29 passes for 254 yards, no turnovers. The Redblacks ran for 175 yards, Crum had 63. Considering how inconsistent Jeremiah Masoli’s career tendency to inconsistency, Ottawa might be better off with the CFL rookie Crum at the controls. He hosts the healed Bo Levi Mitchell and Hamilton tomorrow.

Excepting Winnipeg, I have never seen such bleak prospects for the prairie teams on the way to the Labour Day weekend. Calgary (2-4) faces Montreal Sunday, then Toronto twice, Winnipeg and B.C. They could lose them all. Edmonton (0-7) takes on B.C., Winnipeg, Hamilton and Ottawa. Their best shot is against B.C. without Adams, Jr. Saturday. Saskatchewan (3-3) plays Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and B.C. Eliminate the mistakes, Jake, be Fine, Mason. Pray, Chris Jones. Injuries could still strike Zach Collaros, Chad Kelly and Cody Fajardo.

Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 51 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.