The Calgary Stampeders raised plenty of eyebrows on Thursday when they announced that rookie Jake Maier would be getting the start at quarterback on Friday against the Montreal Alouettes — beating out Canadian backup Michael O’Connor for the job — but one man without any doubts on the decision is the quarterback himself.
Speaking to the media before his first ever CFL start, Maier was self-assured and in control, reveling in the opportunity in front of him.
“Everybody assumes because it’s your first start in pro football and you’re a rookie that you’ve got all these extra nerves, but I’m actually the opposite. My personality is very relaxed and very confident. I believe in the work that I put in the last couple of years. When the game was taken away from all of us, I stayed in it and I stayed with the studying and sharpened my physical abilities,” Maier said.
“I feel very, very good. I feel very confident. That’s not arrogant and that’s not just me being cocky or anything. It’s just that I believe in myself, I believe in this team, I believe in the work that I put in, and now it’s up to me to go out there, trust my eyes and let it rip.”
Confidence that verges on cockiness has been a recipe for success in Calgary for almost a decade, with Bo Levi Mitchell never lacking self-belief. But with the two-time Most Outstanding Player sidelined for six weeks with a broken leg, his replacement may be even brasher.
The pair had drawn comparisons to each other in training camp for both their build and play style, with Mitchell providing plenty of advice to the true rookie out of UC Davis. The connections run deeper as Maier was named the Offensive MVP of the Big Sky Conference in 2018, the same award won by Mitchell back in 2011. Other recipients include fellow CFL starters Matt Nichols and Vernon Adams Jr., whom Maier will face Friday.
Mitchell’s guidance has been invaluable to the youngster and Maier has taken advantage of their similarities to prepare himself for CFL action. He’s well aware of his own limitations and sees his mentor as a shining example of someone who has maximized his potential.
“I want to be the absolute best version [of myself]. I want to squeeze every ounce of potential out of what God intended me to be,” Maier explained.
“For guys like Bo and myself, we are undersized guys, we don’t run 4.4s, we’re not superb physical specimens by any means, but we know how to execute offences and we know how to go through progressions. We know how to move in and out of the pocket to make sure that we’re staying upright and getting rid of the ball and not taking sacks. That’s a huge part of my game and obviously studying Bo play and watching film on him has made it even easier to get adjusted to the style of the game.”
Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson isn’t a fan of player comparisons, but he has more than enough faith in Maier as an individual to hand him the keys to the offence for the time being. He doesn’t need his new quarterback to mirror Mitchell’s leadership style or even his own, just be the best version of himself.
“I just want the guys in the huddle to have faith in their quarterback. That’s the big thing,” Dickenson said.
“You can be calm. You can be jacked. Everyone has their own personality. I know I was different than Jeff Garcia in the huddle and it felt like both of us got the job done. I’m similar with this group. Go out there and be yourself, make the plays that are there, trust what you see and let it go.”
The head coach was quick to point out that Michael O’Connor will be ready to go if called upon, but the American leapfrogged him on the depth chart with a strong practice Wednesday. The Stamps remain high on both quarterbacks, but for now it is Maier’s time to shine.
“The confidence that the coaching staff and the team have in me, it means everything to me,” Maier grinned. “Obviously I’m excited. I’m confident. I feel really good about where I’m at in this process. I know family and friends that I’ve told are super excited as well. I mean, shoot, when I found out yesterday, I almost wanted to just play today.”
With the Stamps sitting 0-2 for the first time in recent memory, the pressure is on the team to deliver quickly and yet their new signal caller is unfazed. Maier is ready for his moment.
“I have no regrets. I have no fear. This is a game. Just execute at the highest level that you possibly can every play. Good play, bad play, doesn’t matter. You’ve got a game to win.”
J.C. Abbott is a University of British Columbia graduate and high school football coach. He covers the CFL, B.C. Lions, CFL Draft and the three-down league's Global initiative.
