Need to Know | Week 14 – Banjo Bowl

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Forget the ongoing discourse on late hits, possible supplementary discipline or suspensions — the biggest news out of Bomberland on Wednesday was clearly the most important development:

Zach Collaros was back at his post as QB1 and running the first-team offence as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers opened their practice week in advance of Saturday’s Banjo Bowl against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

And that’s no small thing considering he exited Sunday’s Labour Day Classic just before halftime after taking a helmet to the chin from Riders defensive tackle Miles Brown and did not return, with Chris Streveler taking over and helping guide the team to a 35-33 win.

“It is what it is. It happened, it’s in the past now,” Collaros told the media afterward. “We were able to score that drive (on which he left), which is good. Obviously I had to come out of the game and with my history of head injuries — as you guys know, it’s well documented — and the neck issues I’ve had we usually err on the side of precaution. The doctor at the time felt comfortable doing that and I wasn’t in the position to really fight with him.

“I thought Chris did a great job coming in and sealing that one for us. He had a couple big throws there for us in the fourth quarter and did good job in a really hostile environment getting us in and out of the huddle and did a good job of running some clock there at the end. It was just a great team victory for us.”

Collaros was evaluated by the Blue Bombers athletic training staff and team doctors in the locker room at halftime and, while he returned to the field after the intermission, he did not take another snap. He said there was a protocol ‘you go through, though not necessarily concussion-related.’

“There’s people I need to talk to, that Al (Couture, Head Athletic Therapist) needs to talk to,” he said. “Today I thought went well. We’ll go in and talk about how everything went and take it from there. There’s a lot that goes into it.

“We have a great organization here and a great staff of people that understand it and put the player first. That’s something I can trust in, my wife can trust in and my mom can trust in, so it’s good.”

Collaros has been a target for late hits for three consecutive Labour Day Classics, taking a shot from Garrett Marino in 2022 and a head butt from Pete Robertson last year — he was subsequently suspended for the Banjo Bowl.

Asked about that, he said: “It’s probably coincidence, I would imagine. The one with Pete last year was something unfortunate. We talked right afterward and Pete’s always been great dude on the field.

“I don’t know Miles at all but I’m sure it’s coincidence.”

The question now is what the league might do to handle the protection of quarterbacks better. Blue Bombers President and CEO Wade Miller called out commissioner Randy Ambrosie post-game in an interview with Jeff Hamilton of The Winnipeg Free Press, but there apparently has been no conversation as of yet.

“At some point in the next day or two I’ll speak to who I usually speak to and we’ll discuss a few things from the game — and that will be one of them,” said head coach Mike O’Shea. “We have a process we follow that just takes a bit of time.

“… Let’s just talk about a different type of play where an ejection could be warranted. I’d like them to use that tool and I’d like them to use it at the first chance they get and that will be the deterrent you need around the rest of the league because coaches will talk about it differently, coaches will see it differently. There are other plays where you could do that. I’m not sure everybody’s on the same page to get that done.

“You asked me what I would like to see… I would like to see if there’s the possibility to eject someone that everyone on the rules committee has agreed to — and I’m not saying this is it — then I’d like them to follow through with what we agreed to.”

“I think there’s obvious answers,” Collaros added. “I don’t want to sit here and advocate for people losing money. So, that’s up to the league and our union. Our union is typically in a tough spot because they have to protect everybody, their pocketbooks included.”

OUCH REPORT: Collaros being back on the field wasn’t the only news on the injury front on Wednesday. Veteran left tackle Stanley Bryant, who missed the Labour Day Classic after being taken from the field on the stretcher early in the win over Hamilton with what was referred to as an illness, was back practising, although in a limited capacity. Ditto for guard Pat Neufeld.

“It’s great,” said Collaros on Bryant’s return. “When I heard him in the huddle my ears perked up… ‘There he is. He’s back.’ I was texting him and Paddy last night saying, ‘I can’t wait for you guys to be in the meeting and involved again. This is so much fun.’ Seeing Stan and Paddy back in the huddle at various times during practice today was awesome.”

LB Adam Bighill, spotted on crutches post game, did not practice and neither did receiver Lucky Whitehead.

ONE MORE TIME: For those of you who want to relive the drama at the end of the Labour Day Classic, check this piece out, put together by senior video producerJosh Kjarsgaard:

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