Kevin Glenn is back as the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ starting quarterback. The 15-year veteran will be under centre Saturday night when the Riders host the Ottawa Redblacks.
Glenn, 36, hasn’t played since suffering a torn pectoral muscle in Saskatchewan’s 31-21 home loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on July 26.
Rookie Brett Smith started six games for Saskatchewan (1-10), including the team’s lone win – a 37-19 victory over the visiting Blue Bombers – on Sept. 6. Glenn made four starts after incumbent Darian Durant suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in the Riders’ season-opening 30-26 loss to Winnipeg.
Glenn completed 115 of 159 passes (72.3 per cent) for 1,483 yards and six touchdowns but also had five interceptions. He was the CFL passing leader at the time of his injury.
READ MORE: Roughriders snap losing streak, down Blue Bombers 37-19
Smith was 91 for 149 (61.1 per cent) passing for 1,016 yards with eight TDs and seven interceptions. He completed 13 of 28 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown but also had two picks in Saskatchewan’s 22-7 loss to Winnipeg on Saturday.
“Kevin starting certainly isn’t an indictment of Brett Smith’s play,” interim Riders head coach Bob Dyce told reporters. “If you look at it from the beginning Brett came in here as the fourth-string quarterback … one thing Brett didn’t get a chance to experience is being a backup quarterback.”
“We didn’t want him to miss that phase in his development. It’s not that we’re saying Brett Smith will never play this season but going in Kevin gives us the best opportunity to win this week.”
Glenn certainly provides experience at the game’s most important position. The five-foot-10 203-pound Detroit native has over 44,000 career passing yards and 245 TDs in his CFL career.
Glenn said Smith, 23, will still benefit watching from the sidelines.
“It’s the same thing as taking a mental rep in practice,” Glenn said. “You see more.”
“Every game we play, and not necessarily a guy plays in but he actually watches the game and gets to see it, mentally he’s storing what’s going on in that game and he’ll be able to learn from it.”
Ottawa (6-4) should provide a stiff test for Glenn. Defensively, the Redblacks are second in fewest yards allowed (293.3 yards per game) and rushing yards (76.4 yards), third against the pass (246.4 yards) and tied for third in interceptions (13).
Ottawa, tied for second in the East Division with idle Toronto (6-5), has won two straight, including last weekend’s 31-18 victory over the B.C. Lions. Quarterback Henry Burris threw for 317 yards while Jeremiah Johnson added 102 yards rushing and two TDs.
The Redblacks beat Saskatchewan 35-13 at TD Place on Aug. 30. The Riders could be without rugged tailback Jerome Messam (concussion), the league’s second-leading rusher.
Pick — Ottawa.
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