Dolegala to start for Lions vs. Elks as Adams remains sidelined
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Jake Dolegala will start for the B.C. Lions this week against the Edmonton Elks as star quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. remains sidelined.
Adams, 31, went down in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a right knee injury in a lopsided 25-0 loss against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last week. The team labelled him week-to-week with the injury on Friday.
Dolegala replaced Adams after the injury against the Bombers, completing one pass for 12 yards on three attempts. The 27-year-old appeared in 13 games with the Saskatchewan Roughriders last season, throwing for 2,641 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He made his CFL debut with the Roughriders in 2022.
“He’s not going to be fazed by the tempo of the game or anything like that,” head coach Rick Campbell said of Dolegala Tuesday. “This is the reason we sign a guy with experience. We always talk in the off-season about how it’s going to take two (quarterbacks) to get it done. It’s no different this year.
“And I know he’s going to be excited.”
Adams is a leading candidate for CFL Most Outstanding Player this season, having thrown for 2,469 yards with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns.
The Lions, who sit tied for first in the West Division at 5-3, will face the Blue Bombers (3-6) again on Aug. 18, which could time up with Adams' return.
“Obviously, that’s a huge game. We have to take care of this one first,” Adams said Tuesday. “I’m all here for Jake and Chase and whatever they need. We take care of that and we’ll see how I feel next week and just go day by day.”