Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke has been named the B.C. Lions’ starter for their Week 17 clash with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, according to a report from TSN’s Farhan Lalji.
Rourke was pulled at half-time of the Lions’ Week 15 loss to Toronto after completing six-of-12 passes for 110 yards. His final play was a nine-yard touchdown run but head coach Rick Campbell cited the need to provide a spark for his team, inserting Vernon Adams Jr. to start the third quarter.
The veteran was four-of-seven for 75 yards and an interception before also being pulled at the three-minute warning. Third-stringer Chase Brice handled the final two drives, going two-of-four for 32 yards and a touchdown.
Campbell said post-game that there would not be an open competition between the two quarterbacks for the starting job, but insisted he would decide on who would be under centre as soon as possible to avoid messing with his pivots’ psyches. The Lions will take to the field on Sunday for a walk-through after enjoying a bye last week and Rourke is expected to take first-team reps ahead of his sixth start.
Rourke has completed 79-of-126 passes since returning to the Lions, throwing for 1,099 yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The former Most Outstanding Canadian has also rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns, going 2-3 as a starter.
The Lions signed the 26-year-old to a three-year deal in mid-August following a two-year excursion to the NFL, making him the highest-paid player in the CFL starting next year. Campbell released a statement at the time of the signing indicating that Adams Jr. will not be traded this season, calling him “a huge part of our team.”
Adams Jr. has completed 171-of-266 passes for 2,544 yards, 14 touchdowns, and seven interceptions this season, going 5-3 as a starter. He has also carried the ball 35 times for 174 yards and two touchdowns. He was the consensus M.O.P. frontrunner at the time of Rourke’s arrival but had recently suffered a knee injury that held him out of several contests.
The Lions (7-7) will return to action on Friday, September 27 when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-9) at 10:30 p.m. EDT.
