Riders’ Fajardo is ready to stake his claim

Cody Fajardo has a wish.

Over his first three seasons in the CFL, Fajardo has been used primarily as a short-yardage quarterback, a third-stringer deployed only to plow ahead for a yard or two to move the chains.

Now, he’s vying to be the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ No. 2 quarterback — which would allow him to shed the whole “short-yardage” title.

“That would be nice to get that off my name,” he said with a chuckle Wednesday after a training-camp session at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus. “But like I’ve said before and I’ll say my entire career, whatever I can do to help the team.

“If I’m a short-yardage guy my entire career, hey, at least I’m still playing football.”

Fajardo had stints with the Toronto Argonauts and B.C. Lions before signing with Saskatchewan as a free agent in the off-season. During camp, he has been battling returnee David Watford and rookies Isaac Harker and Ty Gangi for the job as Zach Collaros’ primary backup.

Being No. 2 would be a step up for Fajardo, who’s ready to do more than dive into a mass of humanity in hopes of gaining a yard.

“It was a little frustrating last year with Travis (Lulay) and Jon (Jennings) going back and forth and back and forth and I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m here. I would like to play,’ ” said Fajardo, a 27-year-old product of Brea, Calif.

“That was one of the big reasons I wanted to sign here and be able to compete for an opportunity. If I don’t play well enough and I lose the job, that’s on me. One thing I’m really pleased about is it’s kind of in my control.”

Fajardo can do himself a favour Friday, when the Roughriders open their pre-season schedule against the host Calgary Stampeders.

Saskatchewan head coach Craig Dickenson said Wednesday that there will be a “heavy emphasis” on Fajardo and Watford in the first half before Harker and Gangi split the second half. Collaros will make the trip, but he won’t play.

Noting that Fajardo and Watford are neck and neck, Dickenson said the game could determine who wins the backup job.

“We don’t put it all on the quarterbacks,” Dickenson said, “but we certainly feel like they’re the field generals and if the offence is productive with those quarterbacks running the show, that’s going to go a long way toward us believing in them.”

Fajardo has thrown 68 passes in his CFL regular-season career, completing 43 for 414 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. Watford is 15-for-32 passing for 168 yards with one TD and two picks.

Fajardo noted he hasn’t turned over the ball during training camp, but things are different in pre-season games. Having played in them before, he’s well aware how important a good showing can be.

“(I want to) treat it like practice,” Fajardo said. “My main objective is to move the football and protect the football, have a couple of scoring drives and just show the team and show the coaches that I can move the ball and that I understand the system.”

Whether he’s standing in the pocket and throwing passes downfield or taking off with the football, Fajardo is eager to show that he can be trusted to run the offence if he’s called upon to replace Collaros in a regular-season game.

Fajardo’s experience in previous exhibition contests could help him Friday.

“For the younger guys, it’s a little bit different because everyone moves a little bit faster when it’s live bullets,” he said. “The defensive line is actually trying to tackle you as opposed to in practice, (when) you’re just sitting back in a clean pocket.

“For me, getting hit the first time (will be good) because you don’t get hit at all in camp. That’s one of the biggest things for me. Once I get hit, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, this is football.’ ”

Wednesday’s Notes: Dickenson said the Roughriders have to find out what’s happening with linebacker Solomon Elimimian, who has yet to appear on the practice field during camp. Elimimian, who missed most of the first week while representing the CFLPA in other teams’ camps, has a calf injury that has sidelined him. He’s expected on the field next week … Dickenson didn’t have an update on defensive end Chris Judge, who left Tuesday’s practice with a knee injury … The head coach said he thought Jon Ryan was a little rusty in the early going at camp, but the punter has been pounding the ball over the past three days. “The Jon Ryan we remember, he’s back,” Dickenson said, harkening back to Ryan’s showing as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2004 and ’05. “I hope it continues.” … The Roughriders announced Wednesday that Rider Transit services will begin June 6 in advance of the pre-season game at Mosaic Stadium against Winnipeg. The University of Regina has been added as a location where passengers can be picked up this season, while the Victoria Square Mall isn’t available anymore. More information can be found here.

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Wray Morrison