Quarterback stability helping Riders find success

Consistency is the magic word at the quarterback position for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The CFL team had to deal with a game of quarterback musical chairs last season due to injuries to then-starter Zach Collaros. Canadian quarterback Brandon Bridge started five games for the Green and White last season and David Watford got playing time as well.

“It was definitely tough last year,” wide receiver Shaq Evans said after practice at Mosaic Stadium. “I played with Zach for maybe four or five plays and then (Brandon) Bridge was in for four or five games and then Zach came in and then he got hurt again. It was hard to build a chemistry last year.”

The team threw only 11 touchdown passes in 2018.

This season, the emergence of quarterback Cody Fajardo has allowed for some stability at the signal-caller position.

Fajardo found himself at the top of the depth chart after Collaros suffered a concussion on June 13 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Since entering that game, Fajardo has completed 147 of 198 attempts for 1,871 yards and seven touchdowns as well as four interceptions. He got his first start on June 20 against the Ottawa Redblacks.

The Redblacks will meet Saskatchewan at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.

Evans said players can see the improvements in the offence with a consistent face behind centre.

“(Passes) come out differently from different quarterbacks’ arms and you see it differently,” Evans said. “Now that we have Cody, it shows. We’ve won four in a row and five out of six. The results are showing on the field.”

Evans has been one of the main beneficiaries from Fajardo’s play. Evans has caught 31 passes for 607 yards and two touchdowns so far this season.

While Fajardo has been able to lead the team to a 5-3 record and third place in the West Division, he knows there’s still room to improve on his decision-making.

“(I need to be) smarter in terms of running and I think that’s one of my biggest cons right now is taking the big hit. (I need to) learn when to go down and when that one yard isn’t worth it,” Fajardo said.

Fajardo said his biggest strength so far has been to protect the ball and not throw interceptions.

“Now that I say that, who knows if a jinx happens or not,” Fajardo said.

With his second meeting with the Redblacks on the horizon, Fajardo expects Ottawa to change things up from the Week 2 game. In the first game, Fajardo threw for 360 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for a score in a 44-41 loss.

“They’ve changed a lot defensively and schematics-wise so it’s going to be a bit of a different team that we’re going to face,” Fajardo said. “We know that they’re going to be very hungry coming in.”

Head coach Craig Dickenson says people can’t look back at the first game and assume Fajardo could have the same sort of success.

“It seems like a long time ago in a lot of ways and in other ways it doesn’t seem that long ago,” Dickenson said. “(Fajardo has) gotten better each week but the challenge is always the next game.”

While Fajardo has been consistently behind centre for the team in 2019, Dickenson said the next step Fajardo needs to take as a starter is to find consistency on the field as well.

“I think he has had a couple good games and he has had a game where he has fallen off,” the head coach said. “I think the next step is to just repeat the good performances time in and time out.”

Fajardo, who’s only on a one-year deal with the team, said he’s not concerning himself with contract talks to remain with the team past this season.

“That’s for my agent and (Roughriders general manager) Jeremy O’Day to figure out,” Fajardo said. “I’m just excited to play football and the opportunity to play football.

“Whatever happens, happens. I’m excited to be here. I love this place and it has been really great for me.”

The Green Zone pre-game show gets underway Saturday at 3 p.m.

Notes: Kicker Gabriel Ferraro was moved to the practice roster to make room for defensive end A.C. Leonard. According to Dickenson, kicker Brett Lauther — who missed the past five games with a groin injury — “looks like he’s going to be able to go.”