Bombers Notebook

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/08/2015 (3923 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Actions, not words: Marve

THEY are just words. Robert Marve gets all that. Mind you, it’s a heckuva lot better to get a verbal pat on the back from the head coach than have him screaming in your ear hole.

Bomber head coach Mike O’Shea told media Sunday the starting QB chores would be his to ride with until Drew Willy returns. Asked about that endorsement a day later, the second-year pro deked around getting too caught up in what it means.

“It’s encouraging, for sure,” said Marve. “It’s always nice that your boss man has that kind of pride in you and is looking forward to seeing you play like that. But I’ve got to take it one play, one game, one first down at a time. The more I talk and think about playing in a different league for the first time in my life being up here… it’s let’s make every play a test. It’s just another question. I’ve got to make sure that question is right and then we’ll move on to the next question and read each play out individually.

“There’s a lot of football to be played and it’s a long season.”

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TWO MORE ABOARD: The Bombers added two imports to their practice roster on Monday with the addition of receiver Mike Willie and offensive lineman Sam Longo.

— Willie (6-2, 220, Arizona State) returns after a shot with the club in training camp. He played two years at Arizona State catching 72 passes for 897 yards and nine touchdowns. He signed with San Diego in 2012 after going undrafted, earning a spot on the Chargers practice roster. He also had a stint with Baltimore in 2014, before appearing on the Bombers’ radar screen.

— Longo (6-5, 305, Cincinnati,) spent time with the Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans after — get this — bench pressing 225 pounds 47 times at his pro-day workout.

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SACK MAN: Bomber defensive end Jamaal Westerman is tied for the CFL sacks lead with six — along with Aston Whiteside of Toronto, Calgary’s Charleston Hughes and Marcus Howard of the Eskimos — and is still very much finding his way in the three-down game after appearing in 58 NFL games since 2009.

“It’s just a matter of getting CFL game experience, getting more comfortable with new system, new field dimensions, the yard off the ball… all that stuff,” said O’Shea. “(The intangibles), he had those right from the beginning. You recognize them quite early, that he had leadership qualities about him, his work ethic through the entire practice, the entire day, is good to see and that provides leadership to the younger guys.

“He’s been a good addition.”

“I try not to focus on the sacks,” said Westerman. “I try to focus on playing well, winning games and being consistent. I think I’m becoming more comfortable but our D-line as a whole is becoming more comfortable.”

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FYI: O’Shea did not have an injury update on RB Da’Rel Scott, but new running back Tyler Thomas — the former Edmonton Eskimo added earlier this month — was getting a lot of looks with the offence on Monday.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @WFPEdTait