COLLAROS TO SIT OUT PRESEASON OPENER

The Saskatchewan Roughriders coaches and personnel staff will be watching plenty of things in Friday’s preseason game at Calgary (7:00 pm, TSN, CKRM) but the play of quarterback Zach Collaros won’t be one of them.

Head Coach Craig Dickenson confirmed on Wednesday that his veteran pivot won’t play in the team’s exhibition opener.

“I don’t know off the top of my head,” Dickenson shrugged regarding the team’s QB appearances against the Stampeders. “We’re still doing the rotation but we’re planning on a heavy emphasis of Cody Fajardo and David Watford in the first half and then the two young guys (Isaac Harker & Ty Gangi) splitting the second half. Zach will make the trip but will not play.”

What started out as a 3-horse race to back-up Collaros seems to have been whittled down to a 2-horse race between Fajardo and Watford.

“They’re neck and neck,” Dickenson reported. “Like, as close as you could be. To the point where the game’s going to determine a lot of who wins that job. Just the ability to move the team. We don’t put it all on the QBs but we feel like they’re the field generals and if the offense is productive with those QBs running the show, that’s going to go a long ways to us believing in them.”

Dickenson said it’s “60/40” between preseason games and training camp performances when it comes down to evaluating players. The team isn’t expected to make any cuts until its two-game preseason is complete.

RP
@rodpedersen