Hogan: A pivotal decision

It’s not as important as the battle to be the starting offensive left tackle. It’s not as glamourous as the fight to be the number one ‘Sam’ linebacker.

But for two players new to the CFL, it’s a battle for their football livelihood.

To the average CFL fan, Dakota Prukop and McLeod Bethel-Thompson are little more than names on a roster. Those who follow the NCAA or the NFL may have a bit more familiarity with the pair.

Both pivots have been fighting for their roster spots since training camp opened and will finally get a chance to show their stuff on Friday night when the Argos visit Hamilton (7:30 p.m. ET | TSN 1050 Radio).

When asked by Argonauts.ca if the pair would get some reps in the game, head coach Marc Trestman grinned and answered with a single word.

“Yes.”

When pressed to find out how much playing time they’d get, Trestman expanded.

“We’re going to try and give them enough to be able to at least say they got an opportunity to play in the game and have enough series to show what they can do under the different circumstances.”

For the QBs, that’s the problem. They didn’t get on the field in the first pre-season game against Montreal, they didn’t get many reps at practice, yet have to try and convince the Argos brain trust that they’re worth keeping around.

Prukop is the younger of the two. The 23-year old spent the first three seasons of his college career at Montana State before transferring to powerhouse Oregon, where he passed for over 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns last year.

He’ll get a chance to show his stuff Friday night. Will there be a temptation to try to do too much in an attempt to show the coaching staff what he’s capable of?

“I certainly hope not,” Prukop told Argonauts.ca, “I won’t know how I feel until I get out there on game night, but when I’m prepping for it and visualizing it I’m going to visualize like I’m at practice.”

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How does the coaching staff try to make sure the QBs don’t try to do too much in order to impress the coaching staff? Trestman understands that temptation may be there.

“It’s a great question,” said the coach. “The value system is that when they leave the game that they can walk out of there saying my team and my coaches can trust me to take care of the football.”

About to turn 29 and having been a part of a handful of NFL teams, Bethel-Thompson is the more experienced of the two. Like his younger teammate/competitor, he’s anxious to get on the field but will call on his experience come game time.

“Being at this for so long you just control what you can control, that’s all you can do,” said the QB. “You can control your daily preparation and get an inch better every day. It’s been pretty awesome working with coach Marcus Brady and with coach Trestman. They’re just awesome offensive minds.”

When Bethel-Thompson signed, the most Argo-centric detail on his bio was his alma mater. He attended Sacramento State, the same school that produced another quarterback by the name of Ricky Ray.

“He’s on the posters, he’s for sure up there”, chuckled the younger of the two former Hornets. “He’s got his big picture in the hallway.”

With hair though, right?

“He has his helmet on, so I don’t know, he looks the same with his helmet on,” Bethel-Thompson laughed before saying, “It’s been great working with him. He’s a great football player obviously, but what’s more important is he’s a great man and he’s a great leader. He leads the room and he sets the tone for everybody. It’s been a great experience working with him.”

Both he and Prukop are hoping to extend that working relationship by virtue of a positive outing against the Ticats.