News
September 25, 2012
Chris O’Leary
Edmonton Journal
New week, new quarterback?
The Edmonton Eskimos began their week on Monday with Matt Nichols getting the majority of practice time at quarterback.
The 25-year-old Nichols said injuries to starter Steven Jyles and backup Kerry Joseph opened the window for him.
“Steven kind of came up banged up after the last game and Kerry’s been dealing with a calf injury for a few weeks now, so it was a good chance for me to get reps, with them banged up,” Nichols said. “It was just an opportunity to get more comfortable with reps in the offence and it was a good day for me.”
It was a great day for him, actually. Nichols looked very comfortable with his receivers and, in a couple of hours, made a great case to start against the Stampeders (7-5) in Calgary. The Eskimos (5-7) will drag their four-game losing skid – they sit in last place in the Canadian Football League’s West Division – into McMahon Stadium on Friday night.
This is the second week in a row in which Nichols has had questions about the possibility of starting. A third-stringer all season, he was promoted to Eskimo backup pivot after Joseph’s calf injury took him out of action last week.
“At this point, it’s just whatever happens, happens,” Nichols said.
“I’m going to be as ready as possible.”
Whether it’s due to an injury or simply a coaching choice at a time in their CFL season when a win is a must, a Nichols start would mark the third starting quarterback change the Eskimos have had this season.
Jyles, the key component of the Ricky Ray trade with the Toronto Argonauts late last year, started until he went down with a knee injury in Toronto on Aug. 27. Kerry Joseph filled in at Rogers Centre and started the next three games, losing all three outings. With Joseph hurt against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sept. 15, Jyles came back in last week to start against the BC Lions.
After a solid first half that gave Edmonton a 15-9 lead at the break, the offence stagnated, scoring just three points in the second half. Jyles was sacked four times and took contact on top of that throughout the game.
He had a little bit of action during Monday’s practice, but Nichols was with the first unit the rest of the time.
Eskimo offensive coordinator Marcus Crandell has been under heat the last four games in particular. The offence has produced an average of 22 points per game this season – second-lowest in the league to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ 19.75 per game.
“He’s been doing a good job. He’s been fulfilling his role as a backup and a third guy, so (Monday) was his opportunity to get more reps because guys are banged up,” the one-time Eskimo quarterback said of Nichols.
“If he has to start this week, so be it. If not, the man has a good head on his shoulders. He’s going to stay well prepared as if he’s going to start, even if he doesn’t.”
Nichols was impressive in the quick glimpse fans got in Hamilton on Sept. 15. He moved the ball well and had a pair of touchdowns called back on penalties before he took a shot to the head while chasing a first down that forced him out of the game. All of this came on one third-quarter drive.
Eskimo head coach Kavis Reed was forced to go back to Jyles and Joseph for the remainder of the 51-8 loss.
“If we were to start Matt, it’s a confidence that we have in Matt that he could get the job done and give us an opportunity,” Reed said. “It would also be mitigated by an injury. If those guys (Jyles and Joseph) are not at that 95 per cent that we gage as necessary to start, they won’t start.”
Reed said he expected Tuesday’s practice to shake down the same way, with Jyles and Joseph largely observing. He said Wednesday would be the do-or-die day for the pair. If they were still unable to contribute, Nichols would get the start in Calgary.
“Matt has done a very good job of really studying the system that we have and doing the things that we’ve asked him to do in practice,” Reed said. “He’s a very cerebral young man. When we’ve put him in uptempo situations and asked him to command the offence by calling the plays, he’s been able to do that.”
Nichols has some familiarity with the Stampeders. He started Edmonton’s first pre-season game in Calgary on June 15, playing the first half in a 20-17 loss. He completed 10 of 20 passes for 108 yards and tossed two interceptions.
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