Official Game Day Thread - Saskatchewan at Winnipeg - June 2, 2023

[DM83]

Yah I have lots of football experience playing and coaching.  At  some point you recognize exceptional ability. (at any level) You can see it when players stand out.  They are different.
Our management group knows it when they see a guy who has it.  We bring guys in like Bennet, b/c  he showed he was exceptional, but, against inexperienced guys.  It is hoped they can do the same at higher level guys.  

As just posted, Bennett looked great vs younger men. However,  his smaller size and quickness isn't as much of an advantage at the pro level.
I mean if he had the exceptional characteristics we would not be  talking about him as a bust. (as a 1st round  starter potential guy)

Has there been one post about  any great play he made?  Did he make a great tackle in the backfield?  Anything?

No doubt he's probably real good, but special teamer is probably his destiny.  Nothing wrong with that.

Sorry to hurt your feelings, and express my opinion.

[LXTSN]

Yah I have lots of football experience playing and coaching.  At  some point you recognize exceptional ability. (at any level) You can see it when players stand out.  They are different.
Our management group knows it when they see a guy who has it.  We bring guys in like Bennet, b/c  he showed he was exceptional, but, against inexperienced guys.  It is hoped they can do the same at higher level guys.  

As just posted, Bennett looked great vs younger men. However,  his smaller size and quickness isn't as much of an advantage at the pro level.
I mean if he had the exceptional characteristics we would not be  talking about him as a bust. (as a 1st round  starter potential guy)

Has there been one post about  any great play he made?  Did he make a great tackle in the backfield?  Anything?

No doubt he's probably real good, but special teamer is probably his destiny.  Nothing wrong with that.

Sorry to hurt your feelings, and express my opinion.

You can have your opinion about him, and you might be right in the end.
But don't pretend like you're an expert on him after watching one preseason game and hearing (not hearing) second hand from the training camps.
Let's wait and see. Give him at least a few real games to see him in action!

[DM83]

I have the right to voice my opinion.  I have cited a couple reasons.  I cited based on years of coaching and playing, that if it factor is evident. it is noticeable, at ant age.

And just out of curiosity, who are you to tell me what I can say, or when I can wait.?  I have waited 14 days and unfortunately have not seen much.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

It will be interesting to see if the b team can keep it competitive against the Riders starters in the first half.

[NewBlue]

Most of the Dline & LBers playing, maybe they want to see a better run D.

[Blue In BC]

Most of the Dline & LBers playing, maybe they want to see a better run D.

Bighill isn't playing and he's a key member of the team. It's odd that he hasn't been practising and we aren't really getting and useful information.

[Pigskin]

Bighill isn't playing and he's a key member of the team. It's odd that he hasn't been practising and we aren't really getting and useful information.

No JJ94 or Darby, also sitting out.

[theaardvark]

I am not worried at all about any of the veterans missing preseason game snaps or practices.  It gives the younguns a chance to show their stuff, and the coaches important information on those players should they be needed... and the vets have been in this systems for years, same coaches, so I'm sure a couple practices before the season opener will be more than enough to get them to speed...

[Pigskin]

5 kickers for Fridays game. The could be fun. Will be watching our DL, and LB's. Wade is a guy on D I will be looking for. On O, Branes, RB, 5'7" 190lb.

[Blue In BC]

No JJ94 or Darby, also sitting out.

Yes but Darby played briefly last week and I think both of them practised this week. No word that Bighill practised at all. This may just be management, but we don't have a clear answer.

All is good if he starts practising next week.

[pjrocksmb]

You can have your opinion about him, and you might be right in the end.
But don't pretend like you're an expert on him after watching one preseason game and hearing (not hearing) second hand from the training camps.
Let's wait and see. Give him at least a few real games to see him in action!

Agree all.

[3rdand1.5]

My 2 cents, will have to try and watch Bennet first hand, at the end of the day he is almost guaranteed to have more success than Faith Ekaketi had in Blue.

In saying that he did look "light" and underpowered a bit, the concern to me is at 26 he probably doesn't have the luxury of 3-4 years to groom. but heck he could end up having an allstar multi year special teams career and end up and being the furthest thing from a "bust". Time will tell, but some guys like the Philpots just have it and you can see it right outta the gate..

[ModAdmin]

Game Preview | Pre-season vs SSK

Scene setter:

Settle in for the final tune-up for both squads before the 2023 Canadian Football League season begins next week. The Blue Bombers edged the Edmonton Elks 25-23 in Alberta last Saturday, with the Roughriders rallying from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit in a 30-27 home win over the B.C. Lions.

The Blue Bombers will open their 2023 regular season at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday, June 9th while the Riders will be in Edmonton to face the Elks two days later on Sunday, June 11th.

The Basics

Kickoff: Friday, 7:30 p.m., IG Field, Winnipeg
Tickets: Buy here
TV: TSN
Live streaming: here
Radio: 680 CJOB
Last meeting: September 30th, 2022, at IG Field: Winnipeg 31 Saskatchewan 13

The QBs

    Winnipeg lines up Zach Collaros behind centre. He is 61-37 in his career and now a remarkable 33-5 in his games as a starter in Winnipeg, including playoffs and two Grey Cup victories.
    Saskatchewan has welcomed long-time CFL vet Trevor Harris to Roughrider green this offseason. A veteran of nine seasons with Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton and Montreal, Harris did not play in the first preseason game as he stayed back for the birth of his third son, Tripp. He is 48-46-2 as a starter in his career.

The Coaches

Winnipeg: Mike O'Shea has a career won-lost record of 82-58. O'Shea?s 82 wins as a Blue Bombers head coach ranks third on the club's all-time list, behind only Bud Grant (102) and Cal Murphy (86).

Saskatchewan: Craig Dickenson, a former Blue Bombers assistant, is entering his fourth year as the Roughriders head coach. The team is 28-22 under his watch, after a 6-12 finish last season.

FYI

The Blue Bombers will be sitting several veterans for Friday's game, along with those out due to injury. Not playing against the Riders are WR/KR Janarion Grant and RB Brady Oliveira, both of whom resumed practising on Wednesday along with QB Zach Collaros, receivers Nic Demski, Dalton Schoen and Kenny Lawler, offensive linemen Pat Neufeld, Chris Kolankowski, Jermarcus Hardrick and Stanley Bryant, fullback Mike Miller, defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat and defensive backs Nick Hallett, Deatrick Nichols and Alden Darby, Jr.

Currently injured are LB Adam Bighill, RB/WR Greg McCrae, CBs Winston Rose and Desmond Lawrence along with LB Kyrie Wilson, DE Thiadric Hansen and OL Tui Eli.

BLUE BOMBER SPOTLIGHT: Kicker Marc Liegghio

Liegghio has had a solid camp, even as veteran Sergio Castillo and rookie Chandler Staton have pushed him for the placekicking chores and Jamieson Sheahan and Karl Schmitz are chasing the punting gig.

Liegghio handled all the Blue Bombers kicking chores last year, finishing at 82.1% in his field-goal attempts and 91.8 % of his converts, while averaging 46.9 yards as a punter.

And he's heading into Friday's game with the mindset this is his job, and the other candidates are going to have to snatch it away from him.

"I think that's the attitude you should have all the time even if you're a new guy coming in," Liegghio said Wednesday. "It's your job, so you just feel as comfortable as it is, and you don't let other things affect you."

As much as it is a competition, Liegghio said the kickers in camp have also been helping each other while fighting for the gigs.

"We bounce off each other a little bit," he said. "It's almost like we're coaching each other and learning from each other. That's why it?s also nice having a bit more friends out here, more people to kick the ball around with.

"I feel comfortable. This is my third year here now. I've got the lay of the land and everything and so I'm pretty sure it?s just go out there and do your thing and not really think about anything else."

NOTABLE

This from the Dept. of Completely Useless stats: the Blue Bombers have won both preseason games only once in the 17 years dating back to 2004 - not including the lost 2020 campaign and the shortened 2021 season where no preseason games were played.

For what it's worth, Winnipeg last won both preseason games in 2019 with wins over Edmonton and Saskatchewan.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2023/06/01/game-preview-pre-season-vs-ssk/

[TecnoGenius]

It will be interesting to see if the b team can keep it competitive against the Riders starters in the first half.

Normally the home team puts a little more effort in to put on a good show and get a win for their fans.  Momentum and morale into week 1 and all that.

However, I think SSK needs that boost more than we do, and who they are dressing is an indication of that.  While we are resting tons of important starters.

SSK might be gunning for a sure win as it'll help get the last few fence-sitting ST-ponderers to pull the trigger before week 1.

Are we so good (and them so bad) we can pull out a win with lots of nobodies vs their A team for a quarter or two?

[TecnoGenius]

5 kickers for Fridays game. The could be fun. Will be watching our DL, and LB's. Wade is a guy on D I will be looking for. On O, Branes, RB, 5'7" 190lb.

Maybe we'll punt it on 2nd down, just to be safe. 

Maybe we'll kick FG attempts every time we're an inch over C line. 

That would give the kickers a lot of business!

I don't know about y'all, but I'll be rooting for Leggs!!!  Make it hard for all these guys to get a job.