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It looks like it’s a green light for Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros.
The 34-year-old quarterback had missed the first two days of practice ahead of the 2022 Grey Cup after a right ankle injury suffered in the West Division final. He was on the field Friday.
Then on Saturday, Collaros’ name appeared at the top of the depth chart ahead of Sunday’s game. Kickoff for the CFL title game between the Bombers and Toronto Argonauts is set for 5 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium.
“I thought it responded really well,” Collaros said Saturday when asked how his ankle felt after his first practice on Friday.
While the CFL’s top prize is on the line as Collaros seeks a third straight Grey Cup win, he said he approaches this game like any other.
“You don’t get a lot of opportunities in this sport to go out and play and prove yourself,” Collaros said. “Whether it’s Week 9 or the Grey Cup, I certainly feel those butterflies or some level of anxiety or excitement.”
‘Like a Canadian moment’: Smith excited to battle for Grey Cup
For Argos defensive lineman Robbie Smith, the chance to play in a Grey Cup is a dream come true.
“I watched so many Grey Cups as a kid,” said the product of Brampton, Ont.
This week, he’s hoping to replicate one of his fondest memories growing up.
“One of my most memorable was the 2012 Grey Cup in the Rogers Centre when Toronto won. I was probably in the ninth grade at the time,” Smith said. “Thinking about that and it all comes full circle 10 years later.
“It feels like a Canadian moment — the atmosphere and everything. I’m just enjoying every piece of it and just reflecting.”
Oliveira overcomes ‘dark days’ prior to Grey Cup appearance
It’s never easy replacing a franchise icon.
But that’s what Bombers running back Brady Oliveira had to do when he took over for Andrew Harris after the veteran left for Toronto in free agency.
The 25-year-old Oliveira admits he had to overcome some tough days mentally at the beginning of the season.
“I’m a very positive person and I always have a smile on my face, but internally I was dealing with lots of dark days at the start of the season,” Oliveira said. “With social media, it’s so easy to see (the criticism). You see articles and media and reporters saying, ‘This isn’t the guy; you have to get him out of there,’ and fans not believing in you.
“The media didn’t really bother me. I think it was the fans that really affected me, the Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans that didn’t believe in me early on this season.”
Being from Winnipeg himself, he took the criticism extra hard.
“I want to make Winnipeg proud,” he said.
Oliveira credits advice from receivers coach Kevin Bourgoin, who was the running backs coach prior to 2021, with getting him through that.
“It was during a home game against Calgary and it was probably one of the worst games of my career — it was tough,” Oliveira said. “He sparked it for me.
“He pulled me aside on the sidelines and said, ‘We know what you can do. We brought you here for a reason. Just be you and play your type of football and just hit it.’
“I think you see it’s night and day with the way I was running the ball. I was finally confident.”
Prince Albert to be represented Sunday
Though the Saskatchewan Roughriders won’t be part of Sunday’s game, plenty of eyes in Prince Albert will be on the Grey Cup. They’ll have a familiar face to be on the lookout for among the officials.
Prince Albert’s Troy Semenchuk, an umpire in his sixth year of officiating, will be on the field for the Grey Cup. Spots for officials in the game are based on their work during the season.
“Everyone wants to work that last game of the year,” Semenchuk said. “Everyone works so hard throughout the season to be named to that crew and gain the trust of the department and our peers. To get that nod is something I’ll never forget. I’ll never forget the moment when I found out I was going to be on the crew.”
Once he was named to the playoff roster for officials, the hard work to get named to the Grey Cup crew began, and Semenchuk was one of names on that roster for the biggest date on the CFL calendar. Just like the players, he’s got a lot of preparation to go through before kickoff.
“There’s a mechanics study; we watch a lot of film,” Semenchuk said. “We bounce things off of the guys and gals on the crews. There’s a lot that goes into it. We live and breathe football throughout the season and we’ve got to be at our best when we take the field.”
— With files from paNOW’s Rob Mahon