Exciting performance by Elks backup QB Tre Ford offers intrigue ahead of game against Riders

When nan Edmonton Elks mislaid 44-28 astatine location to nan Hamilton Tiger-Cats connected Sunday, nan consequence saw nan shot club’s grounds autumn to a dismal 0-7 this CFL season.

With a 2-28 grounds astatine location since Oct. 26, 2019, nan Elks’ inability to triumph has sadly go each excessively acquainted for fans, but a little yet impactful late-game cameo quality by backup backmost Tre Ford delivered immoderate excitement for fans connected Sunday, and that now has galore shot commentators speculating astir who nan squad will commencement astatine nan position erstwhile they return to nan section for their adjacent game.

“It was conscionable nosy again,” Ford said aft Sunday’s game.

Jarious Jackson, Edmonton’s interim caput coach, who is now 0-2 since replacing Chris Jones erstwhile he was fired earlier this month, brought Ford connected nan section successful nan 4th fourth to relieve seasoned backmost McLeod Bethel-Thompson.

In nan little clip Ford was fixed to make an impression, he surely did, throwing for 3 touchdowns, completing 10 of 15 passes for 121 yards and rushing for 19 yards connected 3 carries.

“I benignant of tried to gel pinch nan guys connected nan go,” nan 26-year-old Ontario autochthonal said.

“It’s a in installments to him,” Jackson said aft nan game. “Everybody knows he is simply a awesome jock and he tin usage his legs and get retired of problem beautiful easily. That’s what he was capable to do a fewer times.

“He was capable to get retired there, make immoderate plays and find immoderate guys down nan field.”

The Elks are expected to practise successful Edmonton connected Wednesday and their adjacent crippled is successful Saskatchewan erstwhile nan nine takes connected nan Roughriders (5-2) connected Saturday.

Morley Scott, the power play-by-play sound for Elks games connected 630 CHED, suggested connected Tuesday that he believes nan squad whitethorn beryllium considering giving Ford nan commencement successful Regina.

“Ford did everything asked of him — and apt much — connected Sunday,” he said. “The offence played pinch a spark that was not location earlier successful that crippled and astir apt not location successful overmuch of nan crippled before. Three TDs successful that short of clip is awesome sloppy of nan situation.

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“Can he do that from nan commencement of a game? We will astir apt find retired this week successful Regina.”

Despite different play successful which nan Elks missed nan playoffs, Ford’s move playing style and awesome athleticism was a agleam spot for Edmonton successful 2023 and earned praise from shot commentators crossed Canada.

While he only started 10 games, Ford was named nan Elks’ astir outstanding subordinate of 2023 erstwhile nan nine announced its squad awards successful October. He was nan first Canadian subordinate to triumph that squad grant since 1991.

Despite finishing 4-14 successful 2023, nan Elks put together a 4-6 grounds erstwhile Ford was nan team’s starter. However, in nan summertime nan squad signed Bethel-Thompson, who led nan Toronto Argonauts to a Grey Cup successful 2022, to beryllium nan club’s starting backmost and to mentor nan younger Ford.

Bethel-Thompson is presently classed 4th successful nan CFL among quarterbacks erstwhile it comes to passing yards (1,788) and 5th successful touchdowns (nine) but is besides tied for 2nd successful interceptions (seven).

“You can’t pin 0 and 7 connected MBT alone,” Scott said. “But they are 0 and 7 and what they are doing now intelligibly isn’t working.

“After Ford’s capacity Sunday that’s a beautiful easy move to make ”

— pinch files from The Canadian Press’ Shane Jones