Slotback Smith on the shelf; Willy needs to improve

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This article was published 18/07/2016 (3368 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be without one of their biggest threats on offence this week.

Slotback Ryan Smith will likely miss the next two weeks, according to head coach Mike O’Shea, who said Smith is dealing with a lower-body injury picked up in the Bombers’ 20-16 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos Thursday night.

Smith caught three balls on four attempts for 36 yards in the loss. On the season, the former North Dakota State University standout has 19 receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown. He ranks fourth on the team in receiving.

Rookie receiver Thomas Mayo will assume Smith’s role in the offence.

Mayo has 78 yards on five catches this year, averaging 15.6 yards a snag — tops on the team.

Not good enough

It took Drew Willy just three words to render his performance in Thursday’s loss to the Eskimos.

“Not good enough,” the Blue Bombers starting quarterback said on three separate occasions during a 121-second post-game interview.

Willy held himself accountable following the loss, taking much of the blame after throwing two interceptions, including one late in the game that drove the final nail into Winnipeg’s third loss in four weeks.

“Sixteen points isn’t enough,” Willy said, sticking with the same thought Sunday he held last Thursday.

“Not good enough” is painting this offence’s woes in broad strokes. O’Shea said, generally speaking, it comes down to execution.

“It’s a matter of making sure you know what you’re doing and doing it right and doing it to your fullest capability at all times,” O’Shea said.

It works in theory, but it hasn’t been working on the field for the Bombers after starting the season 1-3 — their only win coming gift-wrapped by Hamilton, who turned the ball over six times in Week 3.

The team knows it must get better, and while there’s no time frame on when it will, O’Shea said it starts on the practice field.

“More practise, more reps, more film, more critiquing, more self-critiquing — all the stuff that pro football players do for endless hours every day,” he said after practice was cut short due to lightning Sunday. “Everybody wants it to occur immediately following training camp, but that’s not always the case.”

Willy said his confidence isn’t lacking — he knows he can throw the ball, despite struggling to do so this season. This week, he said, is about correcting whatever it is that’s ailing him.

“I just need to really hone in on a couple things that I’m doing a little bit in my drop and stuff,” he said. “I think that will all take care of itself this week.”

— Scott Billeck

Scott Billeck
Reporter

Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade’s worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024.  Read more about Scott.

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