No heroes, saviours in sight

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This article was published 12/08/2015 (3950 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There will be no new white knight appearing on the horizon to valiantly lead the Winnipeg Blue Bombers out of the quagmire and onto solid ground.

No, when the Bombers return to the practice field today minus Drew Willy — the club confirming the No. 1 quarterback will be gone for a couple of months with a tibial plateau fracture and partial PCL tear in his right knee — it will be either Brian Brohm or Robert Marve taking the first snap.

Not Ricky Ray. Not Drew Tate.

And certainly not Buck Pierce. Some have suggested the former Blue QB move from his assistant coach’s office back into the huddle but, no, it won’t happen.

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said during his media briefing Tuesday the club has settled on who will replace Willy Friday night against the Toronto Argonauts, but would not tip his hand, even though speculation is strong it will be Marve making his first pro start.

“I’m not going to tell you right now,” said O’Shea. “We’ll go through practice (today) and you’ll know by then, I’m sure. I don’t want to offer our opponent any competitive advantage in terms of prep. Just my choice.”

In any case, on the three occasions this season the Bombers have been minus Willy — twice after shots to his knee, the other after being drilled in the head — the team has been a total train wreck. Brohm and Marve have combined to complete 53.4 per cent of their passes with zero touchdowns against five interceptions — three of which have been returned for scores.

And the combined score without Willy at the helm? Opposition 77, Bombers 19.

“It’s a setback that is pretty frustrating for him,” said O’Shea of Willy.

“When I talked to him (Monday) night, he reiterates the same thing: he says he wants to be there for his guys. He wants to play and help us win. You always feel pretty badly for the person. Drew’s always shown he’s resilient, that he heals fairly quickly. I don’t think pain will be a determining factor for him. It’s just a matter of making sure the fracture is healed up and he’s healthy and ready to go. We’ll see how long it takes.”

Despite the repeated poundings Willy took last year, and this season behind a revamped offensive line, he has still started 24 of 25 games since becoming the Bombers starter. Brohm started the only other game — last October in Calgary when Willy was out with a bum shoulder — and was forced to leave after breaking his thumb.

The Bombers lost that game and, in mop-up duty since, Brohm hasn’t exactly been prolific. He has completed 52.9 per cent of his passes with zero touchdowns and four interceptions this season and was on the field for just two series in the Hamilton loss (both punts) before being replaced by Marve.

O’Shea described Brohm as a “very efficient quarterback” who is similar to Willy in pocket presence and reads. And he referred to Marve’s different toolbox, in terms of his ability to run and move around the pocket.

“They have different skill sets in terms of their athleticism,” said O’Shea.

“But they’ve both been in this offence so they understand the system and how to run it.”

Bombers GM Kyle Walters did not speak to the media Tuesday. Undoubtedly he is sniffing around options in the CFL — such as they are — with quarterbacks Darian Durant, Kevin Glenn, Mike Reilly, Ricky Ray, Jonathan Crompton, Dan LeFevour, Tanner Marsh and Jeremiah Masoli all on injured lists.

Asked if a trade was an option, O’Shea — who always defers these questions to the GM — said: “I would say… not yet.”

Meanwhile, the team’s scouting staff is spread out all over the NFL map at training camps down south.

“They’re working those camps hard,” said O’Shea. “I’m sure quarterback is on the list.”

And so it’s Marve and Brohm in the short term for the Bombers and likely into October.

“It’s pro football, and you understand this is something we’re going to go through and we’re going to find ways to win,” said O’Shea. “It’s going to be exciting for our team, and the opportunities guys are going to get, they’re going to make the most of them.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for us.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPEdTait