Bridge calls an old friend ahead of start versus Alouettes

It was pretty much same old, same old for Brandon Bridge ahead of his start for the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday — except one little thing: he called a friend.

The Canadian quarterback phoned Kevin Glenn, his former Roughrider teammate and mentor, this week to get his advice.

“When Kevin Glenn was let go, he said ‘I would still help you out,’” Bridge said. “When I actually called him, I asked him ‘what kind of defensive coordinator was (Alouettes defensive coordinator) Rich Stubler?’ He just told me what (Stubler) likes to do and if he was over there what they would do for me … I felt like it was Angels in the Outfield like (Glenn’s) right there with me.”

Bridge and Glenn maintained a close friendship during Glenn’s stint with the Roughriders last year. Several times in 2017 Bridge would come in in relief of Glenn, and Glenn would still be seen helping out the younger quarterback on the sidelines. The pair roomed together on the road and were often seen joking with one another on and off the football field. Glenn was released by the Roughriders early this year and signed with the Edmonton Eskimos.

It’s a relationship that seems to have continued — even though they play on opposing teams. However, Bridge was quick to point out Glenn wouldn’t be so willing help him in a game against Edmonton. Fortunately, that’s not the case this week.

“He was kind of just telling me what he thinks is going to happen and to definitely make the best of this opportunity,” Bridge said.

Armed with that advice, Bridge also spent the whole week working with the other offensive starters which he knows will be a big help come game time.

“Getting the timing down, working on certain routes, working on what we want to do and just being on the same page — as opposed to going in and them trying to adjust to me or me trying to adjust to them,” Bridge explained. “We’re kind of on the same page now and hopefully we can go in there and execute and get this win.”

It’s a win the team is expected to get, given the offensive struggles in Montreal. Though it’s only two weeks in, the Montreal offence has only been able to score 10 points so far in each of their first two games.

Last week, they were blown out 56-10 by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while in week one the B.C. Lions beat them 22-10.

But the Roughriders are coming off their own down week having lost to 40-17 to the Redblacks, so head coach Chris Jones said they have no business taking anything for granted.

“Overlook somebody?” Jones said incredulously. “We just got beat 40-17, so I find it hard to believe that a team that got beat that bad last week will overlook anybody.”

The Roughriders and Alouettes are in action at 7 p.m. At Mosaic Stadium. The club is asking fans to be in their seats by 6:45 p.m. as a special tribute to the Humboldt Broncos will begin promptly at 7 p.m.

Depth chart

Your #Riders depth-chart, as we take on the @MTLAlouettes at home tomorrow night from Mosaic Stadium.#RiderPride #CFLGameday pic.twitter.com/Tju6ulElV2

— Saskatchewan Roughriders (@sskroughriders) June 29, 2018