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Cory Watson

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Chris Garrett

WINNIPEG Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice has declared his starting running back for his club's CFL regular-season debut, June 29 in Vancouver against the B.C. Lions.

Now, LaPolice is normally painfully circumspect in answering even the most routine of questions.

But he did not hesitate to provide a definitive answer when asked Monday afternoon following practice at Canad Inns Stadium if Chris Garrett -- the starting tailback for the Bombers at the end of last season -- would have the honours again when the 2012 regular season opens.

"Yes," said LaPolice. "I told him he's doing a good job. Certainly he's got some competition in camp, which is always a good thing...

"We're looking for big things."

Garrett averaged 6.3 yards per carry and rushed for 576 yards and four TDs in just six games with the Bombers last year after he stepped in after season-ending injuries to Fred Reid and Carl Volny.

Coming into training camp, the general consensus was Garrett had a good handle on the starting job again, but he has faced a stiff challenge from a long list of talented contenders. Management has been high on the speed and finesse NFLer Chad Simpson has shown and Bloi-Dei Dorzon and Anthony Woodson both impressed with big runs during a pre-season win in Montreal last Thursday.

But while LaPolice was definitive about Garrett on Monday, he was hedging his bets on a couple of other issues.

On injured slotback Cory Watson, LaPolice said the news on a lower leg injury was encouraging -- Watson was doing pushups on the sideline Monday but did not practice. Still, LaPolice said Watson will likely be out at least one-to-two weeks depending on a diagnosis expected to come later today.

LaPolice also said he still hasn't decided on his quarterback rotation for Wednesday night's game at Canad Inns Stadium.

FIELD NOTES -- LaPolice was asked his first impressions of newly signed import tackle Shannon Boatman. "A little out of shape. But he's athletic."...Glenn January and Andre Douglas, the Bombers projected -- but injured -- starting tackles, once again missed practice Monday. Also missing was linebacker Marcellus Bowman, who's been out with an unspecified leg injury... Backup QB Joey Elliott, who impressed with his performance against Montreal last week in his first game since tearing his ACL early last season, looked very tender on Monday and was clearly limping.

Give Yourself a Hand

While the Bombers never intended to play there again, they can take some consolation from the fact that the deafening din at the old Polo Park barn makes it a place visiting teams fear to tread. Exhibit 1: The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who visit Canad Inns Stadium Wednesday evening, reportedly piped in crowd noise at their practice in Hamilton on Monday to prepare for the noisy conditions. For a pre-season game?

Healthy Sick Bay

While it seems like there's been a steady stream of injury reports coming out of training camp this month, Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice says this has actually been the healthiest camp in recent memory. "We didn't have a receiver miss a day of training camp (until slotback Cory Watson got hurt Sunday) which is unheard of in my experience," said LaPolice.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 19, 2012 C3