SIDELINE CHANGES

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This article was published 12/06/2015 (3768 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Quarterback Drew Willy is a lot closer this season with Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive co-ordinator Marcel Bellefeuille — quite literally.

For the first time since he took over as offensive co-ordinator, Bellefeuille came out of the booth upstairs and stood on the sidelines during Tuesday’s pre-season win over the Argos in Toronto.

Willy said the plan this season is for Bellefeuille to be on the sidelines during every game — an arrangement Willy says he is more familiar with than having the OC sit upstairs during games, as Bellefeuille did for all of last season.

“We talked at the end of last season that I’d really enjoy him being on the sideline so we could kind of get our communication together on the sideline,” said Willy. “In my past, my offensive co-ordinators have been on the sideline so I’ve kind of enjoyed that.

“Just even talking to him during the game, being behind him and seeing how he calls the game. It’s fun to see and I think as we met on the sideline, we got a lot more information relayed to us during the game than last season.

“I think it will work out for the best for us… when you’re talking face to face with someone, you can kind of get a feel for exactly what they’re thinking.”

Willy said running backs coach — and longtime former quarterback — Buck Pierce and quarterbacks coach Gene Dahlquist will remain in the booth this season to study the game from an aerial point of view.

Time running out

Head coach Mike O’Shea & Co. are running out of time to make some tough roster decisions.

The Bombers have to slice their roster to 65 players by Sunday night. Meanwhile, the list of walking wounded when the club returned to the practice field on Thursday had grown to 19.

When those two collide, it does little for a coaching staff’s collective patience.

“We haven’t hit that date yet where I’m going to say we’re going with who’s practising… but it will come soon,” said O’Shea after practice Thursday. “It has to.”

The collection of injured included left tackle Stanley Bryant, who began practice with his helmet on but did not do much, along with Patrick Neufeld, Troy Stoudermire, Maurice Leggett, Nick Moore, Rory Kohlert and Bruce Johnson as well as some of those who did suit up Tuesday.

O’Shea said he was hopeful Bryant, one of the team’s big free agent acquisitions this winter, will be good to go by the regular-season opener June 27 in Saskatchewan.

The Bombers have three more full days of practice before Sunday’s roster deadline and then play their final pre-season contest at Investors Group Field on June 19 vs. the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Asked if he was already thinking about Sunday’s deadline or focusing on the next couple of days, O’Shea said:

“On the practice field it’s far ahead, but in the film room and with (GM) Kyle (Walters) you have to start thinking about it,” said O’Shea. “But there’s still lots of competition left before Sunday. What day is it? Thursday? There’s lots of reps for guys to excel in.”

QB WATCH: Expect Willy to get more work in the Bombers’ pre-season finale, but O’Shea won’t get locked into which QB will play which quarter. Instead, the workload will be based on a rep count. The Bombers boss, FYI, was pleased with the play of Willy, Brian Brohm, Robert Marve and Josh Portis in Tuesday’s win.

“I thought they all did pretty well and they each did something different,” said O’Shea. “We’ve got good problems.”

WHAT’S UP WITH THAT? Slotback Addison Richards has been out since training camp with an undisclosed injury, initially determined as day-to-day. When quizzed about that discrepancy — it’s been close to two weeks since the second-round draft pick has been on the field — O’Shea said:

“I don’t know if there is a discrepancy. Day-to-day is we check every day to see how he is doing. He’s working out, he’s getting better.”

Asked when he might be back on the field, O’Shea added:

“Any day now. What you guys don’t see is the regimen he goes through every morning at 5:30 or 6. Before he gets out here he’s already put in probably a couple hours of work.”

NEW BLUE BLOOD: The Bombers have added another defensive back, bringing in Malachi Freeman (5-9, 174, Akron). He was an ALL-MAC second team all-star in 2013 and ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at his pro day before getting a tryout with the New Orleans Saints.

— Wiecek / Ed Tait