B.C. Lions to start Kaidon Salter at quarterback in regular-season finale
The Lions are resting Nathan Rourke as they host Winnipeg, which needs a win to make the playoffs.
SURREY — The B.C. Lions will start Kaidon Salter at quarterback for their regular-season finale against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday.
Head coach Buck Pierce said he is giving regular starter Nathan Rourke the night off.
"You're always thinking team first in the situation that you're in," Pierce said after practice on Tuesday. "And we feel confident with the guys, and we feel good about where we're at."
B.C. has a 10-7 record and has already locked up second place in the CFL's West Division and the right to host the divisional semifinal on Oct. 31.
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Winnipeg, with an 8-9 record, needs a victory to secure a post-season berth.
Why is Nathan Rourke not playing?
Rourke is the CFL's reigning outstanding player and outstanding Canadian.
He has put up 4,614 passing yards for the Lions this season with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, despite missing two games with a shoulder injury.
He has also rushed for 356 yards with three majors.
Pierce said the decision to rest Rourke is about putting the team first.
What experience does Kaidon Salter have?
Salter stepped in for the injured Rourke and led the Lions to a 35-19 road victory in Winnipeg on July 30.
The 23-year-old American also came in for Rourke in the second half of B.C.'s 32-13 loss to the Stampeders in Calgary on Saturday.
Salter has 330 passing yards with one touchdown and one interception this season, his first CFL campaign.
The experience in Winnipeg came with lessons, Salter said.
"Just being able to take my time and go through my reads, and whenever something wasn't there, I was able to use my legs," he said. "So just knowing that they have a very big and physical defence, they're going to come out and they're going to fight and they're going to play hard."
Salter added that the Blue Bombers are a team that plays to the end.
"They're a team that plays to the end, so we just got to go out there and do the same."
Could another quarterback play for B.C.?
Salter could share snaps with B.C.'s latest quarterback addition on Friday.
The Lions signed former Kansas City Chiefs QB Chris Oladokun to the practice roster on Sept. 21.
The 29-year-old American has yet to get into a game.
Oladokun said he has learned a lot about the CFL in recent weeks.
"It's a lot of fun," Oladokun said on Tuesday. "I'm still getting caught up on some of the clock stuff because that's a little new. But there's just so much space out there."
He said quarterbacks are like a point guard trying to dish the ball out to playmakers.
"And when you have great playmakers like we do, the quarterbacks … are really just like a point guard. You're just trying to dish the ball out to your playmakers and let them go be special guys. So that's been the thing that's stuck out the most being up here."
What is at stake for Winnipeg?
Winnipeg enters the game with an 8-9 record and needs a win to secure a playoff berth.
Garbutt Disposal reported earlier this month that Zach Collaros led the Blue Bombers past the Stampeders to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The regular-season finale is scheduled for Friday.
With files from The Canadian Press, Sportsnet and Yahoo News