DUCK TIME? You may see a rookie quarterback starting for the Ottawa Redblacks on Tuesday, but it won’t be Hodges.

CFL Team No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks Dominique Davis (hamstring) and Matt Nichols (neck / shoulder) were injured Wednesday against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

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Duck’s calls have already started.

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Before Devlin “Duck” Hodges had practiced, before throwing a pass or meeting one of his teammates, some fans were asking him to be the quarterback for the Ottawa Redblacks in their next game: Tuesday at home against Edmonton. Quack all you want; it will not happen.

While Canadian Football League team No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks Dominique Davis (hamstring) and Matt Nichols (neck / shoulder) were injured during Wednesday’s home loss 24- 7 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, it is too early to expect Duck to step in and play. After being quarantined for a week, Hodges first practiced with the Redblacks on Saturday at Gee-Gees Field, with Atletico Ottawa occupying the pitch at TD Place Stadium later in the afternoon.

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The Redblacks announced just over a week ago that they had signed Hodges, who started some National Football League games for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019, to a three-year contract. He had been on the Redblacks’ bargaining list for more than four years.

“People need to lower their expectations,” Redblacks head coach Paul LaPolice said Saturday. “He’s just a guy we signed, like other guys we signed. Every year there are tons of quarterbacks that get close (to the CFL). We are not asking you to be our savior, we are not asking you to do anything but learn our system, and everything will go from there. Sometimes you create too much expectations. We don’t want to do that. I understand he’s had a couple of NFL starts, but there are a lot of guys in this field who have had a couple of NFL starts.

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“It takes 2-3 weeks to learn the systems. Good thing about quarantine: all playbooks are on video. It’s almost like they’re sitting in a meeting room. “

“(Having Hodges ready to start Tuesday) is not a reality,” said Redblacks general manager Marcel Desjardins. “We will have to see how quickly it acclimates (to the system).”

A file photo of Redblacks rookie quarterback Caleb Evans' training camp.
A file photo of Redblacks rookie quarterback Caleb Evans’ training camp. Photo by Julie Oliver /Postmedia

Neither Davis nor Nichols practiced on Saturday, they were both on the field, but wore hoodies and no jerseys, so it looks like one of rookies Caleb Evans and Taryn Christion will start at QB on Tuesday. The practice reps seemed to be pretty much the same on Saturday. While Davis is highly unlikely to be in uniform Tuesday, there is still a chance that Nichols could go. Basically, whoever is getting the initial reps in practice on Sunday will be the one behind the center two days later.

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“We’ll see where he is as we get closer to Game Day, although Game Day is pretty close,” LaPolice said.

The 24-year-old Christion’s quickness and elusiveness earned him several looks in the NFL, including a week with the Steelers in 2019, when he was hired to emulate Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson in practice. The 23-year-old Evans is also a double threat, with the ability to run and pass.

When asked about the possibility of going with a rookie, LaPolice said: “Thinking about this, the different scenario for me is that they don’t even have a preseason game. (Former Winnipeg Blue Bombers QB) Chris Streveler started out as a true rookie, but he played at least two preseason games. These guys have been through camp without a preseason game. They both have the ability to use their legs, if necessary. They have located the ball well. They made a few plays during camp. They are quite good in meeting rooms. All of that is what kept them close. Now we just have to let them recognize things at full speed … That’s a different world. “

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It also helps to have veterans like Nichols and Davis around.

A file photo from the training camp of Redblacks rookie quarterback Taryn Christion.
A file photo from the training camp of Redblacks rookie quarterback Taryn Christion. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

“As veteran leaders in the room, Matt and Dom have been very good at helping them,” LaPolice said. “When you have a good quarterback, those guys are crucial. I heard from Matt last week. We were at practice and it was our blitz period. I could hear Matt next to me, talking to Caleb. He was training those guys. “

HARRIS OFF THE INJURED LIST: Former Redblacks quarterback Trevor Harris went on the disabled list for six games on Sept. 16 (neck). A little over a week later, it’s off the list. So the Elks are taking him to Ottawa for Tuesday’s game? “We’ll see. It’s good to have 7 pitching,” said Elks head coach Jaime Elizondo, a former offensive coordinator for the Redblacks. “We’ll make a decision based on what’s best for the team.” Harris said Saturday: “One day I woke up and said, ‘I feel like myself.’ I feel great now. I’m thankful that I feel great again. It’s their decision. The organization has done a great job, sometimes they try to protect me from me. But I sure hope to play. I love playing at TD Place. It’s a great atmosphere. I loved playing in Ottawa, it’s a very passionate fanbase. It broke my heart in 2019 (that) I couldn’t play there. But you have to take it away emotions. It’s professional football. “

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THE END AROUND: The Redblacks have released catcher / returner Damon Sheehy-Guisseppi and linebacker Brad Cowan, who is from the Ottawa area… While there is a lot of frustration these days for the Redblacks, there is a game to play very soon. And, within that game, the team must try to rise to a position where it can produce a victory. “You have to play the next play,” LaPolice said. “We have been in games where at one point they have been 17-14. Let’s go ahead and make the next move. We have talked about winning games on the last play. We have to get up and get ready. We have to prepare. We face a very good team in Edmonton; defensively they are excellent. ”… Offensive linemen Nolan MacMillan (foot, knee) and Jamar McGloster were limited participants in Saturday’s practice.

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