Calgary Stampeders’ head coach Dave Dickenson told the media on Tuesday that Jake Maier took first-team reps in practice, though some reps also went to his other passers.
“Even when Jake didn’t play last game, I felt like it could be best for him just to take a look from a different viewpoint, take a deep breath,” he said. “He had a good practice today.”
Logan Bonner made his first career start with Maier on the bench this past week and threw for 284 yards and five interceptions in a 37-16 loss to the Edmonton Elks. Maier threw four interceptions in the Labour Day Classic the previous week, which led to him being benched.
“It feels good to be practicing again and at the end of the day, my feelings about the whole situation and my opinion don’t really matter,” said Maier. “I think what matters is what’s best for the team and what’s gonna allow us to play well. It’s been a while since we played well, so that’s gonna be the focus.”
Dickenson confirmed that veteran quarterback Matthew Shiltz practiced on Tuesday and “got some starter reps as well,” though it’s unclear if he has a chance to start this week. The 31-year-old joined the Stampeders as a free agent this past off-season following a six-year run with the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, though he’s yet to take a snap this season.
“He had a freak injury that happened in practice. I think he’s back, though he hasn’t had a lot of work or a lot of reps, so he’s gotta keep working on his own as well,” said Dickenson.
“The thing with quarterback — it’s timing, it’s reps, it’s calling plays in the huddle, it’s seeing defences and reacting quickly. He’s a veteran, though — you’d think the vets certainly would require less practice time to get back up to speed.”
Bryce Bell, the team’s starting left guard, was a full participant in practice after missing the past two games due to a calf injury. Left tackle D’Antne Demery, who also hasn’t played in two weeks due to a hand injury, also practiced on Tuesday.
The Stampeders have lost four straight games by an average of 13 points. After dropping both halves of the annual Labour Day home-and-home against Edmonton, the club now sits last place in the West Division, putting the club’s 18-year playoff streak at risk.
“The coaches are putting the time in and I think the players feel like we can turn the corner — we just have to turn it quite fast,” said Dickenson. “I just want to play better.”
The Stampeders (4-8) are scheduled to host the Montreal Alouettes (10-2) on Saturday, Sept. 14 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.
