Jeremy Murphy at practice Monday -- photos by Cameron Bartlett
Memo to Lady Doom, or whatever evil deity has decided to bring all this misfortune to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of late: back off, please and thanks, because it’s June and the club’s infirmary is already overloaded with star power.
Head coach Mike O’Shea confirmed the worst fears of everyone in Bomberland after practice Monday, indicating that receivers Dalton Schoen and Keric Wheatfall will be lost for an extended period.
On Schoen, the club’s leading receiver in each of the last two seasons: “It’s going to be a while. The injury report is going to come out later in the day and he’ll be on the six-game. We’ll see after that but it’ll be a while.”
And on Wheatfall, the promising rookie who had made the last two starts: “He’ll probably be a little while, too… I don’t know how long that will be but… not short.”
Schoen and Wheatfall join a six-game injured list that already includes Kenny Lawler from the receiving group as well as four projected starting defensive linemen in Cam Lawson, Celestin Haba, Miles Fox and TyJuan Garbutt along with defensive backs Jake Kelly, Jamal Parker and Noah Hallett.
The Blue Bombers brought back receiver Ravi Alston, who was with the club for chunks of last season and in camp this year before being injured, and Monday’s practice featured Nic Demski, Drew Wolitarsky, Ontaria Wilson, Jeremy Murphy and Joshua Johnson among the receiver group, along with Kevens Clercius and Myron Mitchell.
Drew Wolitarsky
“It’s been hard this year, bro,” said Wolitarsky. “We’ve got a lot of guys going down and I hate seeing my friends in pain. I’ve been there. It’s a daunting feeling getting that news, whatever it is. The hardest part is not being able to contribute. I know those guys are really hurting, especially when you’re seeing the team lose. They want to be out here helping us win.
“We’re going to be there for them. I know it’s a tough time, man. I know it’s hard, so we’re going to do everything we can to keep them involved. Dalton’s going to have to put his coaching hat on and Kenny’s got his coaching hat on.
“We’ve got to get these young guys up to speed.”
O’Shea said after the session the receiving group brought into camp was ‘better than what we’ve had in a decade in terms of a large number of quality receivers’ while also conceding there is no substitute for experience.
“That’s where the difference is,” he said. “You’re hitting the nail on the head. That’s exactly where the challenge is — the experience. How do we get them up to speed? How does Kenny and Dalton impart all the knowledge, all the experience they’ve gained, how do they give it to them? How do Woli and Nic make sure the guys are getting all the experience they need?
“…They’re good. They’re capable. They can run, they can jump, they can catch, they can run routes, they can get out of the breaks, they can do all those things and they can learn the playbook. The experience — recognizing CFL defences and reacting accordingly is maybe a little more challenging. They’re all capable of playing receiver and helping us win football games.”
The Blue Bombers have been challenged offensively through the three losses this season as quarterback Zach Collaros has yet to throw for a touchdown pass and an attack which led the league in scoring last year with 31.7 points per game is now averaging just 17.0 — lowest in the league.
Zach Collaros
“You feel bad. You feel for them because they’re competitive guys,” said Collaros. “On a team level, Osh said the other day everyone is brought here as a starter. So, the next-man-up mentality — whatever you want to call it — that’s how a lot of people get their career going. I was one of those people.
“We’ve got to be ready to go and I think that we have the group that is so I’m excited for those guys to get their opportunity.”
The one sliver of good news on Monday was defensive back Deatrick Nichols, who missed last week’s loss to the B.C. Lions, was back at his post in the secondary.
Deatrick Nichols
FYI: Brandon Alexander was limited in practice today, with Michael Griffin II getting a lot of work in the secondary… O’Shea on DE Ali Fayad, who made his first appearance for the Blue Bombers last Friday after being injured in training camp: “Active. Very active. He came as advertised. He was going to have a relentless motor. he certainly ran around and now with another week I’m sure he’ll be more in tune with everything we’re asking him to do.”
QUOTABLE: O’Shea when asked Monday if he thinks the team is ‘headed in the right direction’:
“Yeah, no doubt. You can’t argue with where we’re at. That’s just the facts, right? But you certainly can’t argue with the mentality, the stick-to-it-ive-ness. Our guys don’t like it, but they’re not uncomfortable here. They’re going to continue to work. They’re going to look at the minutiae of it all, how do they improve. Their process is really good. We also had a chance at the end of two of those games to win them.
“We’re not looking for those sliver linings. we are where we’re at. But I’m also quite comfortable being in that room watching the guys work, watching them work on the field and understanding the collective we have and their mindset is really good, strong.”
