Courtesy Edmonton Journal:

Ricky Ray will start at quarterback and likely play into the third quarter of the Eskimos’ final pre-season game Thursday at Commonwealth Stadium against Saskatchewan.

Head coach Danny Maciocia confirmed that after practice Tuesday, adding that there’s a good chance wide receiver Jason Tucker will also play.

“Ricky Ray will start and he’ll play at least a half, if not three quarters,” said Maciocia.

“We’ll get him some work and hopefully in sync with some other veterans that we’re going to line up.”

For Ray, the first snap can’t come soon enough.

“It’s been a long time,” said Ray. “I’ve done a lot of watching the end of last season (because of his shoulder injury) and the first pre-season game so I’m kind of anxious to get out there and get some contact again.”

Not, however, the kind of contact he faced from opposing defences last year when he spent far too much time scrambling.

One of the big concerns heading into camp was if the team had found the personnel and the method to protect their quarterbacks who were officially sacked 52 times last year.

“I think we’re light years ahead as far as protection is concerned, with the people we have up front,” Maciocia said. “We’ve clearly simplified the blocking scheme for the guys up front so (the QBs) should have enough time.

“But if the defence brings one more guy than you can pick up, (Ray) is going to have to take the hit along the way. But I think for the most part he won’t be exposed like he was last year.”

Ray said he thinks the club has ironed out, “some of the mistakes we were making last year and that’ll help. I anticipate our protection should be pretty solid this year. It takes more than just the five guys up front.

The running backs and the quarterbacks, we all have to know what we’re doing.”

The big problem last year was defenders coming around the left side of the line, Ray’s blind side.

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