Britton Gray: Pre-season not a draw for fans, but could clear up position battles

Opinion

While pre-season football games are easy to ignore for many, they will play a huge role in determining how the 2023 Saskatchewan Roughriders will look once the games start to count.

There’s not much fanfare surrounding these games simply because the stars of the league rarely play, if at all. Usually, it’s a bunch of players still learning the rules and pace of the CFL who play most of the game, many of whom are unknowns to the casual fans.

It’s not just a CFL thing, either – pre-season NFL football can be unwatchable at points.

But these next two games will allow the Roughriders’ coaches to see how players respond to fluid situations, play against someone in a different-coloured jersey and provide some clarity on who can step up when the crowd is in the stands.

The biggest battle I’ve noticed brewing at Saskatchewan camp in Saskatoon has been to decide who will back up quarterback Trevor Harris when the season gets underway on June 11 in Edmonton against the Elks.

Jake Dolegala has shown off his arm talent throughout camp and has an ability to make throws others can’t. But sometimes consistency has proven to be an issue in drills, with Dolegala missing receivers he should hit.

Mason Fine, who is in Year 3 with the Riders, has also shone brightly at times during camp, stringing together a few nice passes in a row.

But the Riders got a taste of what Fine could do as a starter in the final two games of the 2022 regular season. He didn’t eclipse the 200-yard mark in either game and threw only one touchdown pass as the Roughriders lost both games.

Then there’s Shea Patterson, who will likely make the roster as the only one of the three who has short-yardage experience.

Patterson, who was a highly touted high school prospect and played two seasons at Ole Miss before transferring to Michigan for his final two years, has arguably been the most consistent backup QB at camp this year, but has yet to see things click as a starter in the pros.

He played five games as the Montreal Alouettes’ backup in 2021 before signing in the USFL after being the first overall 2022 draft pick in the league by the Michigan Panthers. He went 1-5 as a starter there before being released.

With Trevor Harris missing the Riders’ first pre-season game for the birth of his third child, each quarterback will be given an opportunity to shine Saturday against the visiting B.C. Lions.

That game will also be a proving ground for the Riders’ offensive line.

Either Evan Johnson or Logan Ferland is set to be the lone starter from last year’s group to keep a spot in 2023, so the line will feature four new players – centre Peter Godber, left guard Philip Blake, left tackle Jerald Hawkins and right tackle Eric Lofton.

There are also still plenty of opportunities for running backs, linebackers, defensive backs and wide receivers to showcase their skills.

So while it might be tough for fans to get excited about pre-season football, I believe coaches can’t wait to see who steps up.