Expect Jake Maier to be under centre when the Calgary Stampeders return to game action Saturday.
Dave Dickenson didn’t outright say his most experienced quarterback would return to the starter’s role against the incoming Montreal Alouettes.
But it does sound like he’s leaning in that direction after Saturday’s loss to the host Edmonton Elks.
“I went back with Jake to take all the (starting) ‘1’ reps (Tuesday in practice) and let all the guys have reps,” said the Stamps GM/head coach. “But I do feel like even when Jake didn’t play last game, I felt like it could be best for Jake to take a look from a different viewpoint and take a deep breath.
“And he had a good practice (Tuesday).”
Of course, it was second-year QB Logan Bonner taking over the starting duties from Maier during the Labour Day Replay — a 37-16 loss at Commonwealth Stadium.
It was the first time Maier’s been benched by Dickenson since he took over for QB legend Bo Levi Mitchell back in 2022.
“It allowed me to take a step back, get myself back to ground zero a little bit and really lean into my family and lean into some of my close friends and lean into my teammates,” Maier said. “It was a little bit strange at first, just because you put so much work into it and you care so much about your guys.
“But at the end of the day, the decision was made, and my opinion about it just doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t. What matters is that I was ready for whatever came last week. I did everything I could to try to help the guys that were playing, and going forward, that mentality is not going to be any different.”
He feels he’s ready for what comes this week.
And it’s a doozy, with the CFL’s top team in town to take on his struggling squad Saturday at McMahon Stadium (5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary).
“Matt (Shiltz) practised (Tuesday), too, which was nice,” said Dickenson, of his other veteran QB, who has battled an ankle injury in 2024. “He’s getting some starter reps, as well. And I feel like that room’s got to be at its best in order for us to win.”
Indeed, it does if the Stamps — losers of the last four tilts and five of the last six for an 4-8 record that has them in last place of the West Division — want to turn the year around and somehow reach the playoffs.
The Alouettes — at 10-2 after an historically terrific 10-1 start to the season — offer no relief in that fight and bring quite the challenge for whoever takes the starter’s snaps Saturday.
“I think that Dave wants to see the best version of me,” said Maier, who would be stepping back into the spotlight after his four-interception game in the Labour Day loss to the visiting Elks. “And if I’m the best version of me, that’ll trickle down through the rest of our offence and — hopefully — through the rest of our team.
“Quarterback is one of the hardest positions in the world in sports, and when you are not at your best, it’s very, very difficult as a football team to be at your best. So I think Dave is searching for somebody to be the best version of themself and give our team an opportunity to win. And I think as a head coach, that’s more than appropriate, and I can respect that.”
Only three QBs in the league have more passing yards than Maier — with 2,921 — on the campaign. That’s Mitchell — with 3,383 — the Elks’ McLeod Bethel-Thompson — with 3,098 — and two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player Zach Collaros — with 2,932 for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
But too many of his 11 interceptions have hurt the Stampeders.
And Maier’s inability to find a way to lead the team to more than a handful of victories each season has been met with criticism.
“I think you go back to the process of it,” said Maier, when asked how to fix the offensive woes, which are underscored by the unit not having scored a touchdown in the last two games. “I think you have to keep it as fundamental as you can. I think there’s been a lot of situations where offensively, we have forced some things when we haven’t had to. And I think that when you play some of these top teams … they don’t let you get away with that.
“So we have to be able to understand that before we go into these games and plan accordingly, execute accordingly and make decisions that allow us the opportunity to stay in the game, because the last weeks, we haven’t done that.”
That includes Bonner on Saturday, when the 26-year-old American threw five INTs in a 21-of-36, 284-yard CFL debut as a starter.
“I think at the end of day, it’s just how well can we play as a team, because it has been a while — it’s been a few games,” added Maier. “And I understand the frustration from the media. I understand the frustration from our fans. I understand all that. I understand that what we’re doing is not good enough.
“So the more we can focus on the process of how to be better, that’s going to be the most important thing going forward. Everything else is pretty irrelevant, in my opinion.”
SHORT YARDAGE
Stampeders DL Josiah Coatney (knee), DL Elliot Graham (ankle) and DB Malcolm Thompson (hamstring) did not participate in Tuesday’s practice … WR Ishmael Hyman (hamstring) was limited in the session … The Stamps signed Canadian linebacker Dan Basambombo to the practice roster Monday. The Laval Rouge et Or alum was a second-round selection by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2020 CFL Draft and played 23 games with that franchise in 2021 and ’22, recording six special-teams tackles. With Laval, Basambombo played 14 games over three U SPORTS’ seasons. Over the course of his career with the Rouge et Or, he accumulated 42 tackles, including four tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Basambomo was a Québec league all-star for Laval in 2018 after recording 31.5 tackles, including three tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in eight games. Basambombo was born in Congo and moved to Canada with his family at the age of 9. He attended École Secondaire Catholique Franco-Cité in Ottawa and played junior football with the Cumberland Panthers … Stampeders DL Mike Rose made the CFL’s honour roll for last week’s games. He was on the field for 45 snaps on Saturday and caught his first interception of the season (second of his career) and returned it 83 yards for his first career touchdown.
— With files from The Canadian Press