Better to end speculation than keep the Saskatchewan Roughriders guessing for a few more days, says Calgary Stamped-ers head coach and general manager John Hufnagel.
Hufnagel intends to name his starting quarterback today to minimize distraction for the Stampeders ahead of Sunday's CFL West semifinal at McMahon Stadium.
"I think it's better we address it and make people aware, make everybody aware, so there's not this constant talk about it and we can concentrate on the important things," Hufnagel said Monday.
The semifinal winner moves onto the West final Nov. 18 in Vancouver against the sa国际传媒 Lions.
So will it be Drew Tate for the Stampeders against Saskatchewan? The 28-yearold from Baytown, Texas, started the season as Calgary's undisputed No. 1.
A shoulder dislocation of his non-throwing arm in his second regular-season game, and subsequent surgery, sidelined Tate for 14 of 18 games.
Or will it be the 33-yearold workhorse Kevin Glenn, who was acquired in the offseason as insurance behind Tate? Glenn threw for 4,220 yards and 25 touchdowns as Calgary posted a 9-5 record in Tate's absence.
"I don't understand why there's so much hype," Hufnagel mused. "I have two quarterbacks on my football team that can win football games in the CFL.
I'm confident either one can get the job done.
"It's a position of strength on our football team. If you're asking me whether I'm looking at a two-quarterback scenario, no. Whoever is the starter will have the opportunity to play that whole game and finish it. I will make a change as I've always had if I thought a change was needed."
The Stampeder players had Monday off and return to the field Tuesday.
That Hufnagel has a choice between Tate and Glenn is surprising. When Tate opted for surgery in July, he wasn't expected to return before the post-season. But he recovered quicker than planned and played portions of the final two games of the regular season.
Before Glenn went in for the second half, Tate completed 11 of 15 passes for 139 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in the regular season finale Friday versus Edmonton. Tate scrambled away from trouble more than once and left the game with the Stamped-ers up 20-17 at halftime.
In his first game back from injury Oct. 26 versus the Lions, Tate rotated series with Glenn. Tate was picked off on a pass attempt, but threw to Nik Lewis for a touchdown on his next play. He finished 5-for-7 and 68 yards.
Hufnagel listed the things he likes about Tate since his return.
"Number one, that he's fully recovered from his injury. Number two is that he's throwing the ball very accurately. Number three, he's seeing the field very well. Those are things that make Drew the quarterback that he is," he said.
