Bombers eager to dust off cleats, take on Alouettes in 1st game of preseason
Montreal plays Winnipeg at Investors Group Field Wednesday
The Blue and Gold hit Investors Group Field Wednesday against the Montreal Alouettes in Winnipeg's first exhibition game of the 2016 season.
Despite the team's abysmal record in 2015, Bombers' head coach Mike O'Shea said he's confident quarterback Drew Willy's "leadership intangibles ... grit and toughness" will show through this season and help the team rebound.
"He hasn't played as many games as we'd all like, but the ones he's played he's played very well," he said, adding Willy will start at QB Wednesday. "He doesn't have anything to prove to me."
Willy doesn't totally agree with O'Shea on that front.
"I always have something to prove to myself," he said. "There's pressure in the position, pressure in the job and that's what you have to enjoy as the quarterback."
Willy said that regardless of how long he plays Wednesday, if he gets pulled off the field his plan is to provide guidance and help the younger quarterbacks get their bearings.
"I remember being one of those guys and a lot of times it comes down to those two preseason games [in terms of] making a team or being active," he said.
Itching to 'fully tackle somebody'
The rest of the squad is eager to prove themselves to O'Shea and club management in the preseason and the anticipation has been giving 6-foot-2 Winnipeg linebacker Khalil Bass itchy feet.
"It's been over seven months since we've played an actual game, and I actually got to fully tackle somebody," he said.
Bass said most of the team has been together for at least a year now, and they're excited to work with some of the young blood acquired in the off season.
"We had a couple younger guys in. We welcomed them in, taken them under our wings, so we're a good group," he said. "I'm bringing my same attitude, my same emotion, my same swagger and just taking more of a leadership role."
The Bombers added Adrian Hubbard to the roster in the off-season, and the 6-foot-6 defensive end said despite having to play two preseason games in six days, he plans to leave it all on the field.
"I wouldn't tell any athlete to hold anything back," he said.
Getting off to good start
Wide receiver Darvin Adams said he plans to put his best foot forward in the opening game and see how his off-season work with his new trainer will pay off on the field.
"We just really got to do what we do, and prepare well, and come out every game and just play," he said. "We're just going to work harder and try not to make it [happen] the same as last year."
The game Wednesday will also be about trying out different combinations of players to see "who can get the job done" and get the team off to a good start this season, O'Shea said.
"It's very important to the fans that we start off fast and keep going," he said. "It's about focusing in and making sure that the execution is there tomorrow. I mean, you'll be able to tell by the energy level on the sideline how much fun the guys are having playing football."
Kick off at IGF is at 7 p.m. CT.