B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke knows that taking over the starter spot isnB次元官网网址檛 going to be easy.
Not only is the 24-year-old Ohio product under the spotlight as a rare Canadian QB, heB次元官网网址檚 also stepping into a role vacated by the man who led the league in passing last season.
Michael Reilly retired in January after 11 CFL seasons, including a 2021 campaign where he tallied 3,283 passing yards. His departure means Rourke will take over the No. 1 position when B.C. kicks off its 2022 campaign at home against the Edmonton Elks on June 11.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e big shoes to fill,B次元官网网址� Rourke said at LionsB次元官网网址� training camp in Kamloops, B.C., last month.
B次元官网网址淎nd this is an offence that requires a good amount of direction from the quarterback and leadership in terms of just being able to be cool back there and make plays and get the ball to our stars. So itB次元官网网址檚 been fun so far and thereB次元官网网址檚 a long way to go still.B次元官网网址�
Rourke, who is from Victoria, made two starts and passed for a total of 754 yards and three touchdowns in his rookie campaign last season.
Despite ReillyB次元官网网址檚 big numbers and RourkeB次元官网网址檚 breakout, the Lions finished the COVID-condensed campaign with a 5-9 record and failed to make the playoffs for a second year in a row.
With some new additions and familiar faces, head coach/co-general manager Rick Campbell is confident heading into a new year.
B次元官网网址淓verybody says theyB次元官网网址檙e optimistic at the beginning of the year because no oneB次元官网网址檚 lost yet but thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of reasons for us,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think we improved, improved ourselves through the draft and free agency and I think the continuity is going to help us out.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e all a year older and the coaches know the players and the players know the coaches and IB次元官网网址檓 hoping that pays off for us.B次元官网网址�
Campbell bolstered his roster with a number of moves in free agency. He inked all-star defensive back Delvin Breaux Sr., and defensive lineman Steven Richardson, who won a Grey Cup with the Blue Bombers last season. He also brought back several former Lions, including defensive lineman David Menard (Alouettes), defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy (Roughriders), linebacker Micah Awe (Redblacks) and kicker Sean Whyte (Elks).
The new additions seemed to be fitting in easily early in training camp, particularly on defence.
Weathering a strike before hitting the field brought the group together, said veteran defensive back T.J. Lee.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e grown to be pretty close,B次元官网网址� said Lee, whoB次元官网网址檚 heading into his eighth season with the Lions. B次元官网网址淲e had the strike days to kind of unite personally, and talk about personal issues and talk about family talk about what theyB次元官网网址檙e doing in the off-season. We have a lot of veteran presence and leadership.B次元官网网址�
A healthy receiving corps will also be a boon for B.C.
The team led the CFL in passing yards (4,037) last season and had two of the top five receivers in the league, including Lucky Whitehead, who was fourth with 932 yards despite missing two games with two broken fingers.
With his hand healed, Whitehead returned to Vancouver ahead of training camp to get some work in with Rourke. The extra reps helped the duo develop their connection, the receiver said.
B次元官网网址淗e knows heB次元官网网址檚 got a guy in myself that he can count on,B次元官网网址� he said.
Wide receiver Bryan Burnham also comes back in form after suffering a broken hand last season. Despite the injury, he played all 14 games, amassing 965 yards B次元官网网址� the second most in the league B次元官网网址� and five touchdowns.
Heading into his eighth season with the Lions, Burnham is looking to grow from where the team left off last year.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of continuity and a lot of chemistry that weB次元官网网址檙e able to build off of whereas last year we were trying to build that chemistry and now we can go into camp with that chemistry and just continue to get better,B次元官网网址� he said.
Building chemistry with Rourke has been a smooth process, he added, in part because of how hard the young quarterback works.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 right there. HeB次元官网网址檚 on his way to being a great quarterback. And he puts in the work,B次元官网网址� Burnham said while watching Rourke get some solo work in after a long double practice early in training camp.
Rourke says heB次元官网网址檚 constantly putting in extra work to hone his game. ThatB次元官网网址檚 how it goes in professional sports, he said, especially when youB次元官网网址檙e the starter.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 always someone looking to replace you and the guys that we have in the quarterback room are talented guys. And so youB次元官网网址檝e got to keep stepping it up,B次元官网网址� Rourke said.
B次元官网网址淚 think the way I look at it is that I owe the rest of the 11 guys in the huddle to give them my best and be prepared. And if IB次元官网网址檓 not, then IB次元官网网址檓 selling them short.B次元官网网址�
JUST THE FACTS
GENERAL MANAGERS: Neil McEvoy and Rick Campbell (second season as co-GMs)
HEAD COACH: Rick Campbell (second season)
2021: Finished 5-9-0, fourth in the West Division
ADDITIONS: QBs Michael OB次元官网网址機onnor (Calgary) and Antonio Pipkin (Toronto), LB Micah Awe (Ottawa Redblacks), DBs DB Delvin Breaux Sr. (return from retirement) and Loucheiz Purifoy (Saskatchewan), K Sean Whyte (Edmonton), DL Steven Richardson (Winnipeg).
DEPARTURES: QB Michael Reilly (retired), WR Lemar Durant (Hamilton), LB Adam Konar (Edmonton).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Rourke, Breaux, LB Jordan Williams.
B次元官网网址擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
