Matt Nichols is in town but will not start this Sunday’s Labour Day Classic

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This article was published 02/09/2015 (3156 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Matt Nichols is here in Winnipeg with his new football team. He’s had his nose in the Blue Bombers playbook since sun-up, has a 5-2 record as a starting quarterback this season and is familiar with what the Saskatchewan Roughriders do defensively.

But he will not – repeat NOT – start this Sunday’s Labour Day Classic.

Head coach Mike O’Shea confirmed again after practice Thursday that either Brian Brohm or Dominique Davis will start for the 3-6 Bombers in Regina against the winless Riders in what will still be a sold-out crowd.

Brohm got the majority of reps at practice with Davis and Nicholls also getting limited turns at the controls.

“He’s a quick study. You understand why an experienced CFL quarterback can come in and take in quite a bit of information very, very quickly,” said O’Shea. “But I don’t think it’s the smart thing to do.

“The decision… once again we’ll just keep watching film today and tomorrow after practice and see the level of execution and go with who gives us the best chance to win the game.

“He won’t have the entire package in place. Yeah, I guess you could give him a package, but I don’t know if that would be in the best interest (for him and the team) right now.”

Robert Marve was placed on six game injured list.

Nichols, meanwhile, arrived in Winnipeg Wednesday night after being acquired for a conditional seventh-round draft pick and was in the Bomber office at 7:30 a.m. for a series of meetings with offensive coordinator Marcel Bellefeuille, QB coach Gene Dahlquist and the other pivots.

“I’ll just continue to work extremely hard to try and cram in as much as I can and learn on the fly,” said Nichols. “I’ve only been here for about six hours now and have a pretty good grasp on the offence now. I felt comfortable with the few plays I got today and look forward to building on that.”

Nichols has completed 61.2 per cent of his passes this season in his seven starts with Edmonton, throwing eight TDs against 10 interceptions. But he also lost the starting gig to rookie James Franklin and, with No. 1 gun Mike Reilly exected back soon, he became expendable.

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“It was mixed emotions,” said Nichols of the trade. “I spent a lot of time in Edmonton and obviously had developed a lot of relationships there. But, at the same time, just how the season was going it was actually welcomed for me, a kind of breath of fresh air, a fresh start. I’m very excited to get here and work with the guys and find a place on the team.

“It was a little frustrating, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that because the competitor in you always wants to be out there. Obviously there were a few ups and downs and I felt like it was a learning session for me and a lot of guys in the first year starting in this league have up and down games. That’s just the way it is. This league is crazy in terms of all the things defences can do to you and to be able to catch up to the speed of the game and the only way to do that is to get reps.

“I obviously had a different picture in my mind of how this season was going to go, but I wouldn’t change anything. I’m very excited to be here and excited to get to work.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait