One of these days, Travis Lulay will be tabbed to make his first CFL start, and B.C. Lions fans will finally get a 60-minute look at the promising young quarterback.
But it won't be Friday when the Lions play host to the defending Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes at Empire Field.
Casey Printers participated in practice Tuesday, and was named the starting pivot by general manager and head coach Wally Buono. Printers suffered a strained quadriceps muscle last Saturday in a 37-18 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, leaving the game just before halftime.
"It takes a little time to get back strong, and to get back to being fleet of foot, but I feel pretty good," Printers said. "I can't tell you [if he will be limited by the injury]because I just don't know."
Printers said he didn't push the injury in his first practice this week, but will test it further on Wednesday and Thursday. He hopes adrenalin takes over on Friday against the Alouettes, if the ailment has not fully healed.
Printers would not declare himself fit to play, but Buono said there was no reason why he wouldn't start should he continue practising this week. Buono and Printers often made contrasting statements regarding the quarterback's injuries during his first tour with B.C. from 2003 through 2005.
"One of the reasons I'm out here right now [practising]is because my team needs me," Printers said. "To make sure I'm helping as much as I can."
When Printers collapsed near the sidelines, chased by Roughriders defensive end Brent Hawkins, all of Lions Nation held its collective breath. There were more gasps of fear as Lulay entered, and took some hellacious hits because he was so willing to hold onto the ball and try to throw downfield.
"You're down 30-10, so you have to throw the ball downfield," Buono said.
Lulay, a second-year pro from Montana State, has won many fans within the organization and fan base, and some are wondering how he would perform if handed the first-team offence. He made his CFL debut last August against the Toronto Argonauts, but had to leave because of a concussion after just a few snaps.
The Lions went through five quarterbacks last season, and as a result, never established stability at the position. On paper, their depth this year is excellent with former starter Jarious Jackson serving as the third-stringer.
But Jackson is still recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, and if he had had to enter the game last Saturday, Buono said the team would have simply handed the ball off to protect the quarterback's lame throwing arm. That's a terrifying admission at this early stage of the campaign, and it is one of the reasons why Printers was shut down, even after volunteering to re-enter the game.
"There has to be a point where you're smart," Buono said when asked if he was worried that Printers is already battling through injuries.
Taking stock of the quarterback position may seem out of place so early in the season, but the Lions are also breaking in a green-as-grass offensive line, which compounds the concern under centre. Four of the five lineman were not starters last season, two of them are playing new positions, and two more are rookies.
With Printers, a master of scrambling and buying time when the protection breaks down, B.C. should have an antidote to the expected struggles of its line. But it also means that its quarterback is often on the run, and susceptible to violent collisions.
"The misnomer is that a scrambling quarterback saves you," Buono said. "But a scrambling quarterback also causes you grief."
The Lions are also dealing with other injuries.
Middle linebacker Anton McKenzie (ankle) missed practice and looks like he'll cede the job to rookie Solomon Elimimian for at least this week. Receiver O'Neil Wilson (concussion) will likely to do the same, with converted running back Andrew Harris taking his place. Centre Dean Valli left practice Tuesday with light-headedness and was scheduled for tests, while offensive tackle Sherko Haji-Rasouli remains out while he recovers from knee surgery.