EDMONTON 鈥� As the Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders prep for Saturday鈥檚 Labour Day Classic rematch, the fortunes of their veteran quarterbacks are trending in opposite directions.
Elks鈥� pivot McLeod Bethel-Thompson has re-established himself as the No. 1 choice in Edmonton. Meanwhile, the Stampeders have decided to demote Jake Maier.
Bethel-Thompson was in vintage form in the Elks鈥� 35-20 Labour Day win over Calgary, throwing for 486 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Maier threw four interceptions, and the Stamps鈥� offensive unit generated just one of the team鈥檚 two touchdowns.
When the Stamps practised Thursday, four quarterbacks all got a look from coach Dave Dickenson. On Friday, Logan Bonner was at the top of the quarterback depth chart, with Maier relegated to the backup role.
Bonner has completed eight passes for 94 yards this year as a backup.
Dickenson said there could be a chance that short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens could get more reps. Matt Shiltz is on the injured list but was a full participant in practice this week. He was listed as questionable but wasn鈥檛 on the Stamps鈥� depth chart.
鈥淚 did rep a lot of people today,鈥� Dickenson said after Thursday鈥檚 practice. 鈥淚鈥檝e got faith in Jake 鈥� you guys know I do. But I鈥檝e got to explore a little bit.
"Matt鈥檚 trying to get in the mix, as well. Tommy wants a package. Logan has shown up and looked good from the get-go. I鈥檓 just trying to have the best roster I can.鈥�
The Elks (4-8), once left for dead at the bottom of the Western standings, are very much alive in a division where a .500 record gets you first place. They can pass Calgary (4-7) in the standings if they win Saturday鈥檚 rematch at Commonwealth Stadium.
Meanwhile, Bethel-Thompson is looking like the quarterback who won a Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts two seasons ago. It鈥檚 a far cry from when he heard boos as the Elks started the season 0-7, and he lost the starting job to Tre Ford.
Bethel-Thompson got the starter鈥檚 job back in mid-August when Ford went down with a rib injury. Ford is healthy again, but head coach Jarious Jackson has kept Bethel-Thompson atop the depth chart.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got some tweaks, but it鈥檚 not a full wholesale change,鈥� said Jackson, who, like Dickenson, instituted a two-game plan ahead of Labour Day, knowing the teams only had five days between Monday鈥檚 tilt in Calgary and Saturday鈥檚 rematch in Edmonton.
Bethel-Thompson said he鈥檚 developed a comfort level with the Elks big-three receivers 鈥� Tevin Jones, Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and Eugene Lewis.
鈥淚鈥檓 a rep guy. The more reps I can get throwing to a guy, the more comfortable I get," Bethel-Thompson said. "I鈥檓 a feel thrower. So, I throw off of guys鈥� body languages, and we鈥檝e got a great receiving corps and great (running) backs.鈥�
Gittens hauled in 115 receiving yards on Monday, while Lewis had 112 and a touchdown. And Jones, who has quickly become one of the league鈥檚 top big-play threats, went off for 205 yards and two majors.
鈥淚 love it here, so far it鈥檚 been great,鈥� said Jones, who played the past two years in Saskatchewan but had nowhere near the impact he鈥檚 having in Edmonton. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait for this game and watch the stands go crazy when we score 鈥� and we win.鈥�
While the Elks are soaring, the Stamps are licking their wounds. Dickenson admitted that it鈥檚 not easy changing the team鈥檚 mindset after a resounding loss to their fiercest rivals.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to flush the negativity,鈥� said Dickenson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard. It鈥檚 out there. I told the guys we鈥檙e playing and coaching the game we love for a living. We also understand that losing can have an effect on that 鈥� your livelihood. We鈥檝e got to get back to our winning ways.鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to come back with a vengeance, they鈥檙e going to come back with a purpose,鈥� Bethel-Thompson said of the Stamps. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really hard to beat a really good team back-to-back weeks.鈥�
HOME STRETCH: Because of big concerts 鈥� Pink and Metallica 鈥� scheduled at Commonwealth in August, the Elks have played just five games at home so far. That means four of their last six are at home.
REED RELEASED: The Stampeders released American defensive back Kenyon Reed this week. The rookie played three games this season for Calgary.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
Steven Sandor, The Canadian Press
