LaPo defends system, says it works fine

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This article was published 26/07/2016 (3363 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FACING the media for the first time since Sunday’s announcement Matt Nichols would start at quarterback in Edmonton against the Eskimos Thursday, Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice was asked following Tuesday’s practice about sitting Drew Willy.

“There’s always a disappointment, right?” said LaPolice. “There’s disappointment when anybody is not having the success that you want.”

It was the kind of answer you’d expect to hear from the man in charge of the offence. At 1-4, the Bombers are off to another slow start, with much of that being blamed on a weak Willy-led attack.

The Bombers have yet to establish a respectable running game, nor have they been able to stretch the field with the long pass. The 19.6 points the Bombers are averaging each week are better than only the Montreal Alouettes, who currently sit last in the CFL at 14.8.

What was surprising, however, was to hear LaPolice talk about the system — or rather, his belief in the system — in an answer that suggested it had more to do with the guy throwing the ball than the one designing the plays.

“I believe so, yes,” said LaPolice, when asked if he felt the system used was the best fit for Willy. “I believe there’s… we have players that are available and we have people that are open.

“The things we’ve struggled with the last couple of weeks, we’ve turned the ball over in some situations on the field — we got to make sure we can avoid those things and when you don’t do those things I think you’re doing good things with the football.

“I believe in what we’re doing, and what we’re doing is right.”

O’shea playing it safe

BLUE Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea isn’t ready to name his starting safety for Thursday’s date with the Eskimos.

Regular starter Macho Harris is out at least two weeks with a lower-body injury. Rookie Taylor Loffler, who the Bombers took in the third round of May’s CFL Draft, and Brendan Morgan, a second-round selection in 2015, have taken turns with the first team this week at practice.

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“Going down to the wire,” O’Shea said Tuesday. “Just seeing how it all fits together. We’re still looking at all those pieces. We don’t have to set our roster until (Wednesday).”

O’Shea said Loffler and Morgan will be on the roster, so both could see action. Neither has started a game in the CFL.

Morgan is the faster of the two, but Loffler and his long arms cover more space at the point of attack, O’Shea said.

Whoever plays safety will have to be at the top of their game against an Eskimos offence led by quarterback Mike Reilly, who threw for 465 yards in a 20-16 win over the Bombers at Investors Group Field in Week 4.

— staff