Zach Collaros has come to appreciate the small things about football during this, arguably the most trying season in his pro career.
And so it was the veteran quarterback wrapped up his first day of full practice with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on a chilly mid-October day with a giant grin on his face.
“It was a lot of fun,” Collaros told a media throng after Tuesday’s practice. “I told my wife last night and a couple of my buddies I feel like it’s Day 1 of camp, only it’s snowing outside. It feels good.”
Collaros spoke extensively about last week’s trade with the Toronto Argonauts that brought him west to Winnipeg in our Q&A with him, but Tuesday was an important step as he attempts to salvage something from this 2019 campaign.
He took some offensive reps – after both Chris Streveler and Sean McGuire – and while there were a couple of errant throws, he also flashed the arm, the mobility and the decision making that have served him so well over the 65 starts in his CFL career.
“I feel really good. I felt really good for a long time now, but I haven’t taken any full speed reps for quite some time,” said Collaros. “Today it was nice to get out there and throw the ball around a little bit and feel the rush… it’s a real pain being out there with Willie (Jefferson) again and trying to throw around him, but I feel good.
“LaPo (Bombers offensive coordinator Paul LaPolice) and Buck (Pierce, quarterbacks coach) have done a really good job with their system and the word association and those kind of things that make it easy to learn. For the last three-four days I’ve been hunkered down on that and I feel pretty good about it.”
Collaros said he is learning the system quickly, as some of the concepts are familiar from the offences he’s run in Toronto, Hamilton and Saskatchewan. He’s also now getting an up-close look at an attack he has long admired from afar.
“They have a lot of fun,” said Collaros of the Bombers offence. “(The Bombers offensive film) always been one of the first tapes that I turn on when we’re facing an opponent because they do so many good things with the motions and the misdirection in the run game. (LaPolice) and I were talking about it today… you can figure out different ways to, you could say, pierce the defence and get those big chunk plays.
“Not everywhere I’ve gone have some guys liked to listen or take suggestions, but LaPo does a really good job of that and you could just tell from the quarterback room it’s a really good vibe in there. Everybody can speak and say what they feel about the opponent and some ideas and bounce things off each other and I think that’s really conducive to a winning environment. It’s been great for these last three-four days.”
Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said following Tuesday’s session that Collaros’ personality and his experience are invaluable in his ability to quickly settle in to his new home and his new offence.
“The type of guy he is allows him to fit in,” said O’Shea, who was on the staff with the Argos when Collaros began his CFL career. “He’s an easy-going guy, fun-loving guy. He’s that type of character, so he’s easily going to fit.
“What allows him to pick things up quickly… he’s smart, he’s been in a bunch of different systems. I’ve said this before, but if you’ve been in multiple systems one of the things you really learn is how to learn. He can translate it into concepts that he’s already thrown or learned from other systems. It’s just a matter of getting the terminology down, but conceptually I’m sure he’s seen most of this stuff.”
Asked if he had a scenario in mind in which Collaros would see action in either of the final two regular season games against the Calgary Stampeders, O’Shea said:
“I don’t have that scenario in my head just yet. As I said, this is Chris Streveler’s team.”
The Bombers returned to the practice field Tuesday for the first time since the weekend win over the Montreal Alouettes. Here are some other notes and quotes from the media availability in this week’s NEED TO KNOW
TWO SALUTED:
The CFL announced its Shaw Top Performers for Week 18 of the season and two of the three were Bombers. Toronto’s S.J. Green, along with Bombers RB Andrew Harris and DB Marcus Sayles were all honoured.
Harris ran for 166 yards and a touchdown in Saturday’s win over the Als and continues to lead the league in rushing, now with 1,261 yards. This marks the fourth time this year he has been named a Top Performer.
Sayles had two interceptions, three tackles, a pass knockdown and a tackle for a loss on a punt attempt that caused another turnover.
WELCOME BACK:
Bombers defensive coordinator Richie Hall was back at work on Tuesday after taking a leave following the death of his brother. He also spoke for a time during practice with Less Browne, the all-star cornerback and former Bombers assistant coach – as well as a teammate during their college days at Colorado State.
Browne and Dr. Bert Longstaffe are the 2019 inductees into the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame and are to be honoured at Tuesday’s Legacy Dinner.
O’Shea was asked Tuesday what he missed when a big piece of the coaching staff is absent for a bit, as was the cause with Hall.
“I know what I miss personally,” said O’Shea. “I rely on Richie a lot. I sit in his office several times a week just checking things out with him. He’s been a very good coach for a long time, but he’s a wonderful human being. So, when you take that out of the building for a little bit the guys notice. Everybody misses him.”
FIRST IMPRESSION:
Zach Collaros, when asked for his impressions of Chris Streveler: “He’s a tough kid, man. It’s really fun to watch him play football. He’s just a football player. I haven’t watched a lot of it, but I think his growth just from last year to this year is impressive. He’s just a really good football player, a tough kid and a winner.”
MORE, PLEASE:
Andrew Harris rushed a season-high 24 times in the win over the Als, the most work he’s got along the ground since a 27-carry game against Toronto on July 27, 2018.
“Keep that coming, LaPo,” said Harris with a grin, while staring into a row of media after practice on Tuesday.
As was the case after the game Saturday, Harris gushed about the work of the offensive line.
“They were great,” he said. “They were fired up, they had a certain edge and it was consistent; it lasted all game. There were times when I was stopped at two-three yards and I’m still moving my legs and those guys are still moving their legs as well and we’re moving piles and moving bodies. Even after the play guys are still moving backwards so that’s a good sign.”
