He’s a 23-year-old vagabond. Phillip Sims has suited up for six different football teams over the past five years.
“You get used to it, I mean you would like to be settled down somewhere you can call home, somewhere you can have your family,” Sims said. “Unfortunately I’m not in that position.”
Not yet at least. After signing his first CFL contract with the Riders on Monday, Sims is determined to cement a more permanent home for himself in Saskatchewan.
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He’s only participated in four Riders’ practices so far, but the Chesapeake, Va. product has already impressed the green and white’s coaching staff.
“There’s no throw he can’t make. He’s got a tremendous arm,” said Riders head coach and general manager Chris Jones
What makes Sims an interesting quarterback is the fact that he’s been competing at such a high level for several years with below average eyesight. Sims says that he has 100/20 vision in one eye and 100/60 in the other.
“The vision is pretty bad but it’s never caused a problem on the field,” said Sims with a smile.
“I can see bodies, I can see colours, it’s just the small little details that I miss sometimes.”
“It seems like he’s pretty accurate with the football,” said Riders quarterbacks coach Jarious Jackson, “so apparently he’s adjusted to it over his lifetime and it’s something I don’t think hampers him.”
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The big task now for Sims is to learn the Riders playbook and the unique rules of the Canadian Football League. That’s a pretty tall order considering Sims only just signed with the team on Monday, but the self assured quarterback says he’s up for the challenge.
“It’s kind of like taking a crash course in a foreign language,” Sims said.
“You got to kind of cram all of this stuff in at a real fast pace and kind of see how much stuff can stick by Saturday.”
Sims should receive a decent amount of snaps in Saturday’s pre-season title against the B.C. Lions.
Saskatchewan’s starting QB Darian Durant will suit up for the game, but won’t actually play. That leaves Brett Smith, BJ Coleman, and Phillip Sims to split reps behind centre for Saskatchewan.