QB case of dine & dash

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/06/2009 (6279 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The scouting report on quarterback Darrell Hackney before he arrived in Winnipeg last week went something this: Big arm, good football smarts but a tendency to spend too much time in the buffet line.

Consider, then, Mr. Hackney’s short time with the Blue Bombers to be a perfect representation of all that.

The club released the intriguing prospect with the howitzer arm Monday afternoon at the same time they were welcoming former Hamilton Tiger-Cat Richie Williams aboard. And the reasons were pretty straightforward: when Hackney signed on May 28 his weight was listed at 235 lbs. But when he stepped on the scale for medicals, it topped out at 253 and head coach Mike Kelly just couldn’t picture the Pillsbury Throw-Boy running his offence.

"There were several factors but… I’ve spoken quite often about the ability to make plays with your feet," said Kelly. "We have to operate with a sense of urgency and I just think the other guys were operating at a higher level.

"Now, obviously a lot of fans saw, as I saw, that he does have an exceptional arm. But when you put everything together I didn’t feel that the positives of his ability to throw the football overwhelmed the negative aspects of it."

A couple other factors were at play here: projected starter Stefan LeFors has been very consistent through the first four practices while James Kilian is very comfortable running Kelly’s offence. And in Bryan Randall and Williams, the Bombers have two very mobile QBs who can threaten the perimeter with their legs and throw well on the run.

But all Monday’s transaction did was further confirm that LeFors will take the first snap from centre when the CFL season opens on July 2 in Edmonton.

"Some people describe it as ‘it’ — that thing that quarterbacks have," said Kelly. "It’s the ones that can command a huddle and guys respond to them…

"I’ll get to know Mr. Williams a little bit better, but the other three guys we have here have that quality that I’m looking for. It’s somebody in the locker-room that players look to. It’s an individual that will play with poise when things get derailed a little bit and they know there won’t be a panic situation and we can get ourselves back on track through that individual’s play and leadership."

Williams, meanwhile, spent three years with the Ticats after an outstanding college career at Appalachian State. During his four years with the Mountaineers, Williams set every single-game, single-season and career record for a passer including total offence, passing yards, touchdowns, completions and attempts. He attended a Chicago Bears’ mini-camp in 2006 before coming north.

The 26-year-old native of South Carolina threw for 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions during the occasional start and mop-up duty with the Ticats, but was always in the shadow of either Jason Maas or Casey Printers, despite having the respect of his teammates.

Overall, Kelly said he has been very pleased with the work of the three pivots who have been in camp, with Williams expected to start throwing today.

"There’s certain things that each one of them are getting to like now," he said. "I can tell when I call a play that each one of them is going, ‘Yeah, yeah… I got this one.’ It’s kinda fun right now to watch them grow and accept it."

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca