Jun
Bombers get first look at LeFors
Courtesy Winnipeg Free Press:
KEVIN GLENN is wearing Hamilton Tiger-Cat colours and Ryan Dinwiddie is looking for work. And so, for the first time in three years — not since the immortal Mike Quinn filled in for an injured Glenn in the summer of 2006 — the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will play a game in front of a home crowd with a different quarterback lining up behind centre.
So, even though it’s ONLY a pre-season game, some introductions are probably in order.
Stefan LeFors, probable No. 1 QB, this town is yours for the taking.
“I’m not nervous yet but I’m sure before kickoff there are going to be some butterflies,” said LeFors Tuesday as the Bombers wrapped up final preparations for their exhibition game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “That’s normal for me. I’ll be excited definitely and I’m looking forward to taking advantage of this opportunity.”
‘This opportunity’ is one that doesn’t often arise in the Canadian Football League, a loop where veteran pivots can play into their 40s and still win the Most Outstanding Player Award (Damon Allen, 2005). It’s a league where Anthony Calvillo (36), Kerry Joseph (35) and Henry Burris (34) are still cemented into the starting QB jobs in Montreal, Toronto and Calgary.
And so while it’s been assumed LeFors will start the regular-season opener in Edmonton on July 2, he still needs to lock down the job first. And if he can win over a few of the Doubting Thomases in Bomberland in the process — he will get only one quarter of work against the Ticats — even better.
“Obviously you want to go out there and do well any time the lights come on in front of an audience,” said LeFors. “It’s like our test for the quarterbacks. Practising and all that… it’s not like real-life game action. But in the game all bets are off and you have to go out there and execute.
“Any time you’re out there you want to be out there all the time. I understand it’s the first pre-season game and there’s four of us here and four quarters. We’ll see what happens, learn from what happens and then push forward.”
LeFors will only get a few series tonight. Bryan Randall, James Kilian and Richie Williams will also see action.
