Quarterbacks will be on centre-stage for the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday when they meet the BC Lions in their preseason opener.
With starting quarterback Trevor Harris set to miss the game, Mason Fine, Jake Dolegala and Shea Patterson will get their opportunity to show what they’re capable of behind centre.
Over the past week in Saskatoon, the trio have been competing for the right to backup Harris when the Roughriders open up their season in Edmonton on June 11.
For Patterson, his main focus is himself.
“I’m just competing with myself, I’m not competing with anyone else. You know I’m trying to better than I was yesterday, trying to take it day by day, just learning the offence as best as I can. I’m just trying to do my job and help this team win football games.”
When Patterson agreed to terms with the Roughriders in the winter, the move reunited the quarterback with Harris. The two spent some time together in Montreal in 2021.
One advantage the 26-year-old holds over the other quarterbacks on the roster is his athletic capabilities. He has an extensive background in playing football, baseball, and basketball until his junior season in high school. He says playing all three sports for an extended time benefitted him.
“I think it’s a great way to know yourself athletically. ”
Patterson’s baseball skills were good enough to get him drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 39th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He attended a couple of training camps with the Rangers before he returned his attention to the gridiron.
There is plenty of evidence of athletic ability inside the Patterson family tree. Shea’s grandfather, George, was a basketball player who spent time with the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks in the 1960s. Shea’s brother is currently attending Princeton as a member of the University’s football program.
In 2016, Patterson spent his freshman season at Ole Miss. where he started the season as the backup to current Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly. During the season, Kelly tore his ACL moving the Toledo, Ohio product up to the starter’s role. He says Kelly is a player who’s willing to compete.
“Can say what you want about Chad Kelly, he’s a hard worker and a gamer. ”
Following his sophomore season at Ole Miss, the program was mired in controversy as an investigation led to the Rebels being suspended from the 2018 postseason by the NCAA due to team violations. Patterson entered himself into the transfer portal and would go on to join the University of Michigan, led by former NFL quarterback and head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The quarterback would spend two seasons at Ann Arbor with the Wolverines. Patterson says the Michigan head coach has become a sounding board for him in his career.
“He’s a mentor to me, really anything as far as my professional career goes, I kind of ask him about it. He’s kind of that life-long advice giver.”
620 CKRM will have full coverage of Saturday’s preseason game between the Roughriders and the Lions. Pre-game coverage begins at 2:00, with the opening kickoff at 5:00.
