Last week in training camp, the Edmonton Eskimos practised in sweltering conditions on The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium. Wednesday brought wet, windy and cold conditions but the Eskimos stayed outdoors for their two-and-a-half-hour session.
Head coach Jason Maas says he wants his team to handle all conditions.
“You want to see who’s a mudder, who can do it in all conditions and mentally who’s tough enough to have a ball slip through their hands or a ball not be perfect, or a slip here or a slip there and be able to recover and not let it get to them,” Maas said.
“Our guys have to learn how to practice in it and it’s also about having fun.
“It makes practice a little different, makes you think about some other stuff. At the end of the day, we’re all kids at heart and to be out in the elements is sometimes fun.”
The Eskimos will finish up their pre-season schedule on Friday in Winnipeg against the Blue Bombers where there’s a 60 per cent chance of rain.
Maas confirmed on Wednesday that neither Mike Reilly or Kevin Glenn will play on Friday, giving way to Eli Jenkins, Danny O’Brien, and Zach Kline to handle the quarterback duties.
Eskimos Player Profile
14 Zack Kline Quarterback 6’2 220 pounds
Born: Oct. 13, 1993 Danville, CA
School: Fresno State
Kline has made the most out of his opportunities. There has not been many of them but he has capitalized.
With limited playing time through two pre-season games last year and one this season, he has engineered five touchdowns and a field goal with the Eskimos offence in just seven series.
Kline joined training camp late last year, signing a few days in and in his first pre-season game, was given one series to play on offence against the Calgary Stampeders. He had one series but he only needed one play. The first time he touched the ball in a CFL game, he threw a 90-yard touchdown pass to Duke Williams.
Audibles
Listen Below: Zack Kline’s incredible CFL debut last pre-season
A week later, Kline engineered three touchdown drives in the fourth quarter as the Eskimos came back to earn a tie with Winnipeg. Fast forward to 2018 where Kline guided the Eskimos to a touchdown on one of the two series he got to work Sunday against Saskatchewan.
After a lot of success in a very limited time, the head coach knows it’s time to take a longer look at the 24-year-old Californian.
“He is going to get a long look in this game. We are not playing Kevin. We are not playing Mike.
“Those three: Eli, Danny and Zack will play the whole game. It will be about production and staying on the field. If they aren’t effective and efficient on offence, they won’t be out there. They have to make the most of it, particularly Zack.”
Kline’s enthusiastic celebrations and his obvious love for football has won over the fans at Commonwealth Stadium, and now his goal is to take it to the next level.
“You got to go out and do it again. As a quarterback, you have to have a short memory for the good and the bad.”
There’s no word yet on who will start the final pre-season game in Winnipeg but Kline has as good a shot as anyone to be QB1 on Friday night. Whatever playing time he does get, he will be ready to give it everything he has.
“I’m thankful to be here. This is not a forever job; it’s a job where you have to work your heart out and work your tail off in order to play for a while and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Roster notes
Receiver Juron Criner and linebacker Christophe Mulumba-Tshimanga joined the group of injured players on Wednesday. Receivers Bryant Mitchell and Nate Behar, along with offensive lineman Matt O’Donnell and J-S Roy, all remain out of practice sessions.
The Eskimos will hold a walk-through on Thursday morning at 9:45 a.m. and head to Winnipeg on Friday to play the Blue Bombers.
630 CHED will have live coverage of Friday’s game starting with Countdown to Kick-off at 5 p.m, the opening kick-off is at 6:30 p.m. from Investors Group Field.
With files from Morley Scott
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