Bomber coaches expect long, drawn-out scrap between QBs

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This article was published 03/06/2013 (4509 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s just two days into Winnipeg Blue Bomber training camp and already head coach Tim Burke has reached this conclusion: The battle for the starting quarterback job and the second and third spot on the depth chart is going to be a long, drawn-out scrap that will eat up most of camp.

“It’s going to be a heckuva battle and it’s going to take all of training camp, obviously,” said Burke today as the Bombers wrapped up the second day of workouts.

Burke praised the arm strength of Justin Goltz today and said that offensive coordinator Gary Crowton was impressed with how quickly Max Hall and Chase Clement break the huddle and get the players to the line of scrimmage – an area they’d like incumbent Buck Pierce to improve on in the next few days.

“Buck’s concern with that is, ‘I just want to make sure everyone knows what they’re doing’… what we’ve got to do is here is the standard we have and everybody has to come up to that,” Burke said. “Chase and Max, they’re just trying to compete and they’re going to do everything Gary wants them to do exactly the way he wants them to do it.”

Among the other nuggets from Day 2:

• LB Daniel Sheffield, who had yet to report to training camp, has apparently been offered a high-school coaching gig and has decided to quit football.

“He decided he didn’t want to play football any more, which is too bad because we really liked him,” said Burke.

Sheffield’s decision, coupled with an injury to receiver Mike DiCroce that will cost him his season, allowed the Bombers to make a roster addition. Coming aboard is Winnipegger Taylor Renaud, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound product of St. Paul’s High School who has starred the last two years at Acadia University. Renaud led the Atlantic Conference in receiving over the last two years and was named a second team All-Canadian last season after pulling in 51 passes for 749 yards and three touchdowns. The two-time AUS All-Star finished his collegiate career with 95 receptions for 1,600 yards and nine touchdowns.

• DE Marcus Hyde has suffered a shoulder injury that could keep him out for three or four days. Also not participating in practice were SB Terrence Edwards, LB/DB Johnny Sears and RB Anthony Woodson

The Bombers will hold the first of three two-a-day sessons on Tuesday (8 to 9:50 a.m.; 4:15 to 5:50 p.m.) All practices are open to the public.

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