SEASON OVER FOR COLLAROS
HAMILTON – Zach Collaros’s brilliant 2015 season is over.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats confirmed Monday their star quarterback will miss the remainder of the campaign with a torn ACL in his right knee. Collaros suffered the injury in the second quarter of a 25-18 home loss to the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday afternoon.
Collaros underwent an MRI on Monday. The Ticats said no date for surgery has been determined.
“I would like to thank the great players, coaches and fans around the league who have extended their support this week,” Collaros said on his Twitter account Monday. “I will work my hardest for my teammates and our organization to come back stronger.
“Until then, I believe in our team and believe we will bring the 2015 Grey Cup to Hamilton. Thank you.”
Support poured in from across the league.
“You make playing qb look easy,” Toronto starter Trevor Harris tweeted. “Get well well brother..Hall of fame career has only just begun.”
Argos kicker Swayze Waters echoed those sentiments on Twitter.
“@ZCollaros7 love you brother!”
Added the B.C. Lions: “Sending positive thoughts to one of the best, @ZCollaros7, for a speedy recovery!?Ticats # CFL #BCLions.”
The loss of Collaros is huge for Hamilton (8-4). The 27-year-old native of Steubenville, Ohio, leads the CFL in passing yards (3,376), touchdowns (25) and passer rating (113.7) and also sported an impressive 70.2 completion percentage.
The six-foot, 216-pound Collaros is in his fourth CFL season and second with Hamilton. He began his career in Canada with the Toronto Argonauts before signing with the Ticats as a free agent prior to the 2014 campaign.
Collaros was the overwhelming favourite to be the East Division’s nominee for the CFL’s outstanding player award. His injury opens up the East Division race with the Ottawa Redblacks (7-4) and Argos (6-5) both within striking distance.
The Montreal Alouettes (5-6), who have beaten Hamilton twice this year, also remain in playoff contention.
Collaros left Saturday’s game after completing 7-of-10 passes for 90 yards and a TD. Rookie backup Jeff Matthews completed 12-of-20 passes for 157 yards but also threw three interceptions, two of which Edmonton returned for touchdowns.
Third-stringer Jacory Harris also saw action, completing six-of-12 passes for 59 yards but also lost a crucial fumble that set up Kendial Lawrence’s game-winning four-yard TD run.
The Ticats don’t play again until Oct. 2 when they host the Calgary Stampeders.
Very sad indeed. Its all over in the Land of Oska Wee Wee. Ottawa vs Calgary in Winnipeg for the Cup. Go Henry Go!! The Amazing Year of RNation is in progress.
Austin must be getting a lot of heat for not having an experienced back-up. If he was reading the comments on this site from Rider fans in 2014 he would know that there are a lot of them around,just as if they grow on football trees.
Old Hank
Like Darian and several others it had nothing to do with the tackle. It's time the CFLPA took a long hard look at this wonderful new turf. Perhaps it's time for natural grass wherever possible. These injuries are killing the league.
Oskee Wee Wee,
Oskee Waa Waa,
Holy MAKINAW !
There's professional player development in Hamilton as the Tiger Cats don't skip a beat and still win Grey Cup 2015. Thank god for The Sk. Football God Mr. Kent Austin.
Go Cats Go ! Go Cats Go ! Go Cats Go !
Mr. Oskee Wee Wee
Oskiee WAAAAAA WAAAAA
Injuries are no excuse. You heard it here 100 times. Plus "everyone has injuries, look at Hamilton, they still win" For their owner I hope they do. The guy deserves a cup!
While you always have empathy for an injured star, it just goes to show how things can go off the rails quickly. It also shows how valuable the star QB of any team really is. Nobody should ever get too full of themselves or how their team is going. Now they have to contend with what the Riders have had to last season and this one. Nobody else really cares. When the Riders lost their star QB I didn't see too many fans of other teams posting on this site. Nobody cared. Suck it up as they say. If Durant… Read more »
Kevin Glenn's value is at its max. Get a nice 1st round pick for him and develop other QBs in what's left of this 2016 pre-season.
Boy, that's gotta hurt Hamilton. I'd have had them as Grey Cup favourites. Well-run team from top to bottom. But you won't win with new QB throwing 3 INTs. Grey Cup may be Calgary's to lose now, maybe even Edmonton. But injuries happen. We know all about that.
Put plans to work on what we need from Hamilton and once we are officially out of the run pull the trigger on a serious trade. Hamilton is not going to let this season get away on them.
Sounds like Austin figures he can salvage the season with his back ups. Not a chance. Sounds like his ego is getting in the way.
Veeeeery Chamblinish!
Chamblin couldn't carry Austin's jock strap.
Agreed. Totally incomparable as coaches.
The Riders had a better record last year than Hamilton does this year when DD went down, and we all know what happened after that. The defence will be on the field a whole lot more, they will tire, and the points will start adding up and more plays against them. Austin didn't win the GC here with a rookie QB, and he won't there. His ego may stand in the way of success. I also thought Hamilton was the team to beat, but it's all open now. Then they can talk about what if's much like we have done… Read more »
R Nation rules !
Hank & his crew on their way to a GC game.
Those who think Austin doesn't have a solid viable backup plan are WAAAY out to lunch! Just because the Riders' so-called "organization" is always scrambling on a daily basis, re-acting on the whims of its so-called "fans" and local media, doesn't mean highly-successful teams such as Hamilton or Calgary will be going down the toilet due to injuries. At worst, they won't have to beg a guy like a Kerry Joseph out of retirement to finish out the season.
Seems to me they have the same amount of grey cups as head coaches!
Guess we will see what Kent Austin is really made of. If he can win without his starting QB, teams undoubted MOP, then he deserves all kinds of credit. If not, he is just another one of nine
The good news for the Oska Wee Wee fans is that Collaros did not get hurt in game one, so the Ti-Cats have built up enough cushion to get into the play-offs.
Trade bait.Any or all Glenn, Getslaf, Best, Chick, Hall, Brackenridge, Dressler, Woldu. They are all long in the tooth and it's time to get some good young players or draft choices for them