Good,Bad & Ugly

[TecnoGenius]

Collaros might be done. At first, he lost his legs, and now it looks like he lost his arm.

There is another option: he's got a slight, unconscious delay on the trigger.  What could appear to be underthrows and throwbehinds might really be that his hand/eye is delayed by a couple of tenths of a second.

Notice how many deep passes in stride are underthrown.  That could be because Zach is late.  Look at the throwbehinds on crossers/slants, common this year: that almost certainly is Zach being late.

His brain is thinking the right thing in both cases, but getting the information to his arm, doing the wind-up (which he has never been fast at), and throwing, are being delayed.  Perhaps the team studying this can pinpoint exactly which of those 3 phases is impacting the delay the most.

This would also explain the bad INT count this year: his delay allows Ds that extra time to get in front of the ball, especially in zone.  And any underthrow is ripe for a pick from a trailing defender.  And I bet teams already have identified this weakness.

If I'm correct, and the problem is studied, remedies are possible.  The main thing is Zach is very consistent with this mistake.  Inconsistency would be harder to fix.  Maybe if they can get him to mentally pull the trigger sooner, in what might feel premature to him, he could compensate and everything would be peachy.

I wonder if there are specialists that can help with this sort of thing: consultants that wouldn't count on the cap.  Definitely worth the cost, even if steep, as who cares about OOP money -- only SMS is important.

That said, he definitely has a more limited arm strength the last couple of seasons.  The one hail Mary he got off this season he was only able to throw maybe 50-55Y.  So every deep shot in stride has to be in that range and rely on YAC for any extra.

[peg_city]

There is another option: he's got a slight, unconscious delay on the trigger.  What could appear to be underthrows and throwbehinds might really be that his hand/eye is delayed by a couple of tenths of a second.

Notice how many deep passes in stride are underthrown.  That could be because Zach is late.  Look at the throwbehinds on crossers/slants, common this year: that almost certainly is Zach being late.

His brain is thinking the right thing in both cases, but getting the information to his arm, doing the wind-up (which he has never been fast at), and throwing, are being delayed.  Perhaps the team studying this can pinpoint exactly which of those 3 phases is impacting the delay the most.

This would also explain the bad INT count this year: his delay allows Ds that extra time to get in front of the ball, especially in zone.  And any underthrow is ripe for a pick from a trailing defender.  And I bet teams already have identified this weakness.

If I'm correct, and the problem is studied, remedies are possible.  The main thing is Zach is very consistent with this mistake.  Inconsistency would be harder to fix.  Maybe if they can get him to mentally pull the trigger sooner, in what might feel premature to him, he could compensate and everything would be peachy.

I wonder if there are specialists that can help with this sort of thing: consultants that wouldn't count on the cap.  Definitely worth the cost, even if steep, as who cares about OOP money -- only SMS is important.

That said, he definitely has a more limited arm strength the last couple of seasons.  The one hail Mary he got off this season he was only able to throw maybe 50-55Y.  So every deep shot in stride has to be in that range and rely on YAC for any extra.

The winter of 2026 is going to crazy with 4-5 teams bidding on Rourke.

[Blue In BC]

The winter of 2026 is going to crazy with 4-5 teams bidding on Rourke.

His value goes down if it takes that long. Others will have replaced starters by then and he'll have not played much since leaving the CFL.

[peg_city]

His value goes down if it takes that long. Others will have replaced starters by then and he'll have not played much since leaving the CFL.

I was thinking a Casey Printers like bidding process.

[Blue In BC]

I was thinking a Casey Printers like bidding process.

Printers tanked when he returned from the NFL. The train had left the station. IIRC it was a game against the Bombers that might have been the end for him.

Regardless it shows the risk of paying to much for a QB too early. Every time the Bombers have done that it didn't work out. Glenn, Nichols were two examples.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Printers tanked when he returned from the NFL. The train had left the station. IIRC it was a game against the Bombers that might have been the end for him.

Regardless it shows the risk of paying to much for a QB too early. Every time the Bombers have done that it didn't work out. Glenn, Nichols were two examples.

Matt Nichols didn't work out?  Please explain.

[Blue In BC]

Matt Nichols didn't work out?  Please explain.

Got a bigger contract. Got injured and was never the same.

[dd]

Got a bigger contract. Got injured and was never the same.

He was doing great until he got injured and never did recover. I ve hated Lemon ever since that, he didn't have to flatten him with his fat lard *ss body and that cost Nichols his career. Matty gave absolutely everything he could for us and deserved better than that.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Got a bigger contract. Got injured and was never the same.

Contract had nothing to do with it, back in the days when Kyle was fiscally responsible he had money enough to spread it around.

[TecnoGenius]

Got a bigger contract. Got injured and was never the same.

Still not a great example.  Nichols got injured mid-2019 when he was best QB in the league (by points for and yards and W's), and then never played another snap for WFC again.

His arm was never the same again, but by then it was another team's problem (OTT).

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Still not a great example.  Nichols got injured mid-2019 when he was best QB in the league (by points for and yards and W's), and then never played another snap for WFC again.

His arm was never the same again, but by then it was another team's problem (OTT).

I think he first signed with the Argos then got dealt to Ottawa for Arbuckle...maybe.

[TecnoGenius]

I think he first signed with the Argos then got dealt to Ottawa for Arbuckle...maybe.

You may be right.  But I don't think he ever took the field as anything other than a Redblack after leaving WPG?

P.S. Arrrrbuckle looking like an all-star in relief for TOR the other night!

[Jesse]

His value goes down if it takes that long. Others will have replaced starters by then and he'll have not played much since leaving the CFL.

I doubt that.