Pierce iffy, Lobendahn out

By: Paul Wiecek Posted: 1:42 PM CDT Monday, Sep. 12, 2011

WINNIPEG - Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice says he doesn’t know if quarterback Buck Pierce will be able to start against the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday.

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WINNIPEG - Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice says he doesn’t know if quarterback Buck Pierce will be able to start against the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday.

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This article was published 12/09/2011 (5383 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG – Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice says he doesn’t know if quarterback Buck Pierce will be able to start against the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday.

And making matters worse, LaPolice told a news conference this afternoon that the prognosis for Bombers middle linebacker Joe Lobendahn is not good.

Asked point blank if Pierce will start on Sunday, LaPolice responded: “I don’t know that is the answer. We’ll see how he is the next couple days.”

Joe Bryksa / Winnipeg Free Press
Blue Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce's helmet flies off as he gets sacked by Saskatchewan Roughrider Craig Butler in the first quarter of the Banjo Bowl at Canad Inns Stadium Sunday. — Joe Bryksa / Winnipeg Free Press Blue Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce's helmet flies off as he gets sacked by Saskatchewan Roughrider Craig Butler in the first quarter of the Banjo Bowl at Canad Inns Stadium Sunday.

LaPolice said he was guardedly optimistic that Pierce would play. “I think so, but I haven’t even seen Buck today…He was just kind of limping around after the game so I just kind of want to make sure. He got hit in the stomach — or whatever — so we’ll see how he is.”

Pierce put on a flak jacket at half-time of the Bombers 45-23 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Sunday’s Banjo Bowl and at various points during the game was favouring his left ribs and his left knee.

Asked whether his team would pursue another quarterback if Pierce is unable to go on Sunday, LaPolice was non-committal. “I don’t want to speculate until I know what’s going on. But right now, I know we have four (quarterbacks) here.”

Pierce has been backed up for most of this season by Alex Brink, followed by Justin Goltz and Brandon Summers on the depth chart.

As for Lobendahn, who had to be carted off after he injured his knee in the first half, LaPolice sounded pessimistic. “Joe Lobendahn doesn’t look good. It’s a knee. We’ll see where it’s at but it doesn’t look good.”

LaPolice said the club is considering moving weak-side linebacker Marcellus Bowman to the middle to replace Lobendahn and then presumably move either Merrill Johnson or Dustin Doe in to replace Bowman.