Jyles is no clipboard QB

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This article was published 19/06/2010 (5649 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Buck Pierce may be the clubhouse leader, but Steven Jyles is still on the course.

That’s how Jyles, signed away from the Saskatchewan Roughriders with the understanding that he would get a chance at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers starting quarterback gig, looks at the quarterback battle heading into the final pre-season game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Ivor Wynne Stadium Sunday (noon).

It’s not over yet. The 27-year-old has a few shots left to take.

"It’s always a competition for me," Jyles said after the Bombers took a day off from the field thanks to some hurricane-like conditions Friday morning. "To put it simple, I’m just going into this game to execute the offence and make my throws. Last week I missed two throws, two throws I should have made. I have to do more than I did last game. That’s the key."

No doubt it’s difficult for most Blue and Gold supporters — or at least those who saw the first pre-season contest last week — to envision a scenario where Pierce, the former B.C. Lions pivot who carries a lot more CFL game experience (34 starts) than Jyles (1), doesn’t get the keys to the Bombers offence from head coach Paul LaPolice after Sunday’s contest.

The Pierce winds picked up mightily following Winnipeg’s 34-10 win over Montreal, his numbers (6-of-10 for 105 yards and a touchdown) bested Jyles’ hand (2-of-8, 42 yards, one interception), and have continued to blow strong all week.

Jyles says he hasn’t heard the pro-Pierce chatter, though.

"I don’t hear it and for me, it doesn’t matter," he stated.

It might not matter what people are projecting for the most-watched position on the Bombers, but what does count for Jyles is the desire he has for the Bombers’ No. 1 spot. He aspires to be a starter in the CFL, and after four years in the league buried behind Ricky Ray in Edmonton and Darian Durant in Saskatchewan, the 6-foot, 195-pound Jyles is getting anxious.

Put it this way: He didn’t come to a different CFL city to hold another clipboard again.

"I truly feel that it is my time to start," he calmly said, tempering his desire with an understanding of his current situation.

"The first pre-season game wasn’t how I envisioned it to be, but I have to keep building off that. When the opportunity is presented, I have to take advantage of it."

While the general consensus seems to favour the more experienced Pierce, the club remains steadfast in its opinion that the quarterback race is, in fact, a race. When asked if Jyles still has an opportunity to be named the Bombers starter next week, LaPolice didn’t flinch, blink, or show any facial tic that indicated he was participating in a charade:

"Absolutely," the coach said. "Yes, yes."

Good news

That’s certainly good news for Jyles, but the bottom line is he’ll have to do more than just equal Pierce’s numbers against the Ticats. Moving the football and making good decisions won’t be good enough to push him to the top of the QB leaderboard.

Jyles, who can terrorize defences with his ability to scramble and make positive yards out of broken plays, figures he’ll need to make a huge splash to assume control of the race. Even if he manages to do that, he says, nothing is guaranteed.

"I’m always going to prepare like I’m starting," he said. "Whatever the outcome between me starting or Buck starting — it’s out of my control."

LaPolice is taking all four QBs to Hamilton (Adam DiMichele and Alex Brink are the others) and put the pivot rotation like this: Pierce starts and plays most of the first quarter. Jyles is up next and gets a quarter-plus. Brink will see a quarter and a bit, with DiMichele getting a few snaps at the end.

An announcement on the Bombers starting quarterback is expected early next week.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca