Chris Hofley | @chrishofley
There’s not a lot of glamour being a backup quarterback on a football team.
But that’s not to say it’s not a crucial job, nor is it a job that simply involves waiting around patiently for an opportunity to be the starter. That’s part of it for sure; a backup has to treat every game as if they could be “the guy” at a moment’s notice.
Part of being a backup QB is also about getting your nose dirty, as is the case with Ryan Lindley, who, in his first CFL season, has become Ottawa’s short-yardage specialist. He’s the guy who runs out onto the field when Ottawa is stuck at a second or third down and a yard or so to go for a first down. Nine times out of 10, it’s a brute force play: Lindley takes the snap and bowls his way forward, trying to snag that critical extra yard or two to avoid punting or turning the ball over on downs.
“I’ve embraced it, a bunch of my buddies back home are calling me the Sneak Master,” the affable Lindley said with a chuckle. “I’ve always said that being a backup is sometimes more stressful than playing. This brings it to a happy medium for me – I know I can get rid of some of those stresses by throwing my head in there and getting a yard.”
So far, Lindley has proven to have a knack for the all-important quarterback sneak. The 28-year-old San Diego native has carried the ball nine times through his first six CFL games, averaging over a yard-and-a-half each time. He’s also punched in two of those short rushes for touchdowns, the first two of his Canadian football career after making the switch from the NFL.
The quarterback trio of starter Trevor Harris, backup Drew Tate and Lindley have meshed well during their first season together in Ottawa. That all three are involved in every game – Tate is the holder on field goals – is an important aspect, said Lindley.
“All three of us are competitors and we want to help the team any way we can, I’m just happy to be the guy who can stick my nose in there and fall forward.” – Ryan Lindley
Like any good, humble athlete, Lindley is also quick to deflect the credit for his early successes as the Sneak Master.
“At the end of the day, the guys up front are the ones pushing, I just fall forward on top of them and we’re good to go.”
Lindley and company are back on the field at TD Place on Friday night when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers come to town. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
