One is just a number to Jyles

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/09/2010 (5537 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

His circumstances have changed but the confidence of Steven Jyles remains the same.

The first-year Bomber begins his stint as the club’s No. 1 quarterback when he leads Winnipeg into the Banjo Bowl against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Canad Inns Stadium today (noon, TSN, CJOB). Though a knee injury to Buck Pierce has pushed the 27-year-old into centre stage before (Jyles is 1-3 as a starter), this time feels different.

With Pierce out for the season with a dislocated right elbow (the club placed him on the nine-game injured reserve Saturday), Jyles isn’t just keeping the QB spot warm. It’s his show now, and when one mixes in the subplot of battling on a former team in front of a sold-out crowd, the moment becomes that much more impressive.

Or does it?

“I wouldn’t say so,” a soft-spoken Jyles said after the walk-through Saturday. “The last start I (had), Buck wasn’t at the game, so it’s the same to me. We have two guys (backup QBs Alex Brink and Joey Elliott) behind me who are ready to play, as well. As a team, (the other players) know they have to help us out.”

LOTS OF ROPE: He wouldn’t come right out and say it, but head coach Paul LaPolice indicated his starting QB would see a lot of time leading the Winnipeg offence — even when things aren’t as productive as the club would like.

Unless an injury comes up, there will be no quick hook.

“We’re not interested in having him worry about every decision, whether something adverse would happen to him if he made a bad decision,” LaPolice said.

FAKE-OUT: A Bomber highlight from the Labour Day Classic was a fake punt call near the end of the second quarter, when Mike Renaud completed a 27-yard pass to Brandon Stewart, extending a drive which eventually led to a Justin Palardy field goal.

Renaud says Winnipeg probably won’t try something like that again against the Riders this time — as the element of surprise has left the equation.

“You can’t do it every game but there are moments where you can see when they might be vulnerable to something like that,” he said. “We watch a lot of film, and in that particular play we knew if they were giving us a look (defensively) that we were expecting, then it was the green light to try something.”

ROSTER UPDATE: Import Andre Douglas is back at left tackle and kick returner Chris Garrett — who arrived in Canada on Tuesday — is on the roster.

The smallish return man (he’s listed at 5-foot-8, but is closer to 5-foot-6) says he didn’t know much about his new surroundings.

“I heard the word ‘Winnipeg’ in a couple songs — so I knew that,” laughed Garrett, who averaged 26.6 yards per kick return in his four years at Ohio.

Other changes include DB Donald Brown Jr. being added to the roster, only to be told he’ll be sitting out. Others not dressing today include WR Jamayel Smith, as well as DT Moton Hopkins, OL Chris Greaves, and RB Yvenson Bernard.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca