Blue Bombers' Zach Collaros: 'I'll be ready to play' in 109th Grey Cup

REGINA — Zach Collaros is doing everything he can to alleviate any doubt that he’ll be behind centre on Sunday for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The next step in this slow and meticulous process is undoubtedly the most important one.

Collaros, who won a second consecutive Most Outstanding Player award Thursday night, made it clear earlier in the day that he hasn't enjoyed sitting out two practices this week. The quarterback cited the importance of those valuable repetitions leading into the 109th Grey Cup along with what happens during the four quarters.

“Oh, I’m ready to go. I’ll be ready to play,” Collaros told reporters, when asked directly about his status. “I’ve just been doing what I can to be ready to get out there to play. Listening to the training staff and doing everything that I can to prepare to help my team win the game. Yeah, I don’t like missing practice. I think it’s important. Every rep is important to get, whether it’s a game rep or a practice rep. From the way that I see the game, I see the position, I think that you should be practising. So it’s tough.

“You don’t like being away from the guys, especially the last couple of days. It’s been pretty cold and windy. I wish I was out there suffering through it with them.”

Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea, who also won the CFL coach of the year award Thursday night, expressed full confidence that Collaros would be able to play on Sunday.

“He’s putting in the work that he needs to put in to be ready,” O’Shea told reporters. “I don’t think at this point, that Zach really needs any reps in practice. It’s pro football. It’s a contact sport. There are guys missing from practice all the time. Obviously Zach is a leader on our team, THE leader, but it doesn’t really work like that in practice with this group. They know what they’re doing. They go out there and they put in the work for the guys that can’t at that moment. They know how important it is for them to be on at practice to help their teammates that aren’t practising.”

From the moment Collaros limped off the field with just under five minutes to go in the West Division final against the B.C. Lions after being tackled from behind — and the subsequent false start when he tried to re-enter the contest before having to return to the sidelines and watch Dru Brown close things out — this is a storyline that simply won’t go away.

“It looked like whoever that guy was, he grabbed me from behind and my foot just got stuck in the ground,” said Collaros. “It didn’t feel great on the ankle in the moment.”

No matter how many people say they expect Collaros to be in the starting lineup on Sunday against the Toronto Argonauts — and yes, it will be a surprise if he isn’t, given what’s on the line — this is something that needs to be seen, not just heard.

Until Collaros steps back onto the field and shows that the right ankle won’t limit him in a significant way, it will remain a story that dominates many of the headlines in a matchup which has plenty of other things that adds to the intrigue.

That Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie was actually thrust into his first CFL start under centre for the Blue Bombers at the 2007 Grey Cup against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, replacing injured starter Kevin Glenn, is naturally woven into the fabric of this emerging story.

Collaros is hopeful to end some of the suspense and drama before Sunday, noting he plans to be a participant in Friday’s scheduled workout.

If you thought the microscope was zooming in closely when video of Collaros walking down the steps after the flight from Winnipeg to Regina was intense, just wait until Friday rolls around.

That’s when the questions will go from how Collaros is feeling to what he’s actually looking like out on the gridiron?

How many reps is he taking with the first-team offence?

Is he mostly stationary in the pocket or is he rolling out to his right as plays develop?

“My mobility? It’s good,” said Collaros, who threw for 4,183 yards with 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions during the regular season. “The foot feels really good.”

No, Collaros wasn’t about to place a percentage on his health at this stage of the week or delve into the psychology of pain management and what role that might play.

Nor did he have a concrete answer on whether or not anything specific would need to be done in order for him to back up his words and suit up on Sunday, noting it was too early to tell.

His focus is and has to be on doing the things that not only get him to the starting line, but allow him to perform up to the standard he’s set for himself as the leader of what has been a dynamic Blue Bombers offence.

The injury notwithstanding, Collaros wasn’t as sharp as folks are used to seeing him last week against the Lions.

Not only was he intercepted in the end zone by former teammate Marcus Sayles on an underthrown ball, Collaros had a couple of other near picks that slipped through the fingers of Lions defenders, as he finished his day 14 of 20 for 178 yards and a touchdown pass to Dalton Schoen that opened the scoring.

With that in mind, you can be sure Collaros was already going to be locked in on his preparation in the film room, long before his right ankle became the centre of attention this week.

Collaros seemed very much at ease as the question and answer period continued, expressing gratitude for all of the twists and turns that led him to the Blue Bombers and what is now a third consecutive Grey Cup appearance.

It would be easy for someone who hasn’t been around the game as long as Collaros has to give in to the frustration of dealing with an injury heading into the biggest game of the season - and most important of many player’s careers - but having overcome ample adversity during his previous stops in the CFL helped prepare him for what is simply the next chapter in this entertaining tale.

“It’s an amazing experience. It’s something that you never take for granted,” said Collaros. “It’s been really nice getting to spend time with teammates, watching extra tape. Just getting to know guys a little bit more for the last week that we’re all together.”