Bombers’ Collaros misses first day of practice before Grey Cup

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were without their star quarterback Wednesday as they practised for the first time ahead of the Grey Cup.

Zach Collaros did not participate in the Bombers’ workout at Leibel Field. He injured an ankle late in the Bombers’ victory over the B.C. Lions in the West Division final.

The Bombers and Toronto Argonauts will battle for the CFL’s top prize on Sunday. Kickoff for the game at Mosaic Stadium is set for 5 p.m.

As the snow fell in the afternoon, it was Dru Brown and Dakota Prukop handling the quarterbacking duties for the two-time defending Grey Cup champions.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Dru Brown. (Britton Gray/980 CJME)

Brown said he was alerted he would see an increase in snaps during practice when he arrived at the facility. He couldn’t comment on if that would be the same plan once the game arrives.

“You prepare to play, but I don’t make the decisions on who starts or what not,” Brown said. “I just prepare to play and if it happens, it happens.

“As far as any questions about Zach, you can ask (head coach Mike O’Shea) or Zach himself.”

“It’s just the next-man-up mentality,” right guard Patrick Neufeld said. “Whoever is going to be back there is going to do the right job for us.”

At the coaches’ media conference earlier in the day, Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said he fully expects to see the 34-year-old Collaros — who was named the West Division’s most outstanding player — on the field for the big game.

“Just knowing how competitive Zach is and how tough he is physically and mentally, I knew he would be physically available on Sunday. He’s going to play, no question about it,” Dinwiddie said.

While there are no concerns over the status of Argos quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Dinwiddie is looking to ensure the team is ready for anything that can come its way in Regina — including the weather.

That’s why Dinwiddie is choosing to hold every practice outdoors this week.

“We’re not going inside. We’ve had great weather in Toronto — two weeks ago, I think it was 20 C — so we’ve got to get acclimated to it a little bit,” Dinwiddie said.

“Last week (in the East Division final) it was a colder game for us. It was the first game where it could have potentially snowed. We’ve got to get acclimated to the weather and we’re going to practise outside.”

Dinwiddie said his time in Calgary with the Stampeders as a quarterbacks coach taught him how important it can be to get a team used to the weather it may face.

“I feel it is important for us to get outside and get onto the turf and get going,” Dinwiddie said.

While the Bombers are used to prairie winters, Dinwiddie has full faith in his team’s ability to adapt quickly to it.

“I think we’ve got some guys that can do it. I know Winnipeg enjoys the cold weather — they kind of thrive off it,” he said. “The weather is what it is. We’ve got to make sure we go out there and get used to it and understand we’ve got to play physical in cold weather.”

“I thought it was great,” Bethel-Thompson added. “If the game is (played in weather) like it was today, I look forward to it.

“Our attitude is that it’s not cold enough, so that’s how we’re approaching the game and it felt good to be out there today.”

The Argos were without all-star linebacker Wynton McManis (bicep).