Published Aug 28, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n They\u2019ll be facing one of the smartest quarterbacks in the CFL this weekend, a man who\u2019s pretty much seen and done it all and is the top-rated passer in the league, at age 39.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive columns by Ryan Stelter, Paul Friesen, Ted Wyman, Scott Billeck, Lorrie Goldstein, Warren Kinsella and others. Plus newsletters: Gimme Stelter for your beat on the city, The Exit Row for all your Jets news and On the Rocks for curling.Unlimited online access to Winnipeg Sun and 15 news sites with one account.Winnipeg Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive columns by Ryan Stelter, Paul Friesen, Ted Wyman, Scott Billeck, Lorrie Goldstein, Warren Kinsella and others. Plus newsletters: Gimme Stelter for your beat on the city, The Exit Row for all your Jets news and On the Rocks for curling.Unlimited online access to Winnipeg Sun and 15 news sites with one account.Winnipeg Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account<\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how Winnipeg Blue Bombers boss Mike O\u2019Shea described Saskatchewan\u2019s Trevor Harris on Thursday:<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s delivering the ball with amazing accuracy,\u201d the Bombers head coach said. \u201cHe makes it very tough on defensive fronts to get near him. He just makes such a quick decision and studies all the CFL defences and coordinators \u2026 he knows a ton about everybody he\u2019s playing against.\u201d<\/p>\n The importance of the last line can\u2019t be overstated going into the Labour Day Classic in Regina.<\/p>\n Because Harris will face a Winnipeg defence with a patchwork secondary that might have yet another patch stitched in this week: Safety Redha Kramdi has missed practice with an ankle injury.<\/p>\n If Kramdi can\u2019t play, rookie Cam Allen will start in just his third CFL game, joining fellow rookie Trey Vaval at one cornerback spot.<\/p>\n The Winnipeg Sun’s Daily Headline News<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n They may as well be wearing targets below the names on their backs.<\/p>\n \u201cI already know I\u2019m going to be tested,\u201d Vaval said. \u201cI\u2019m a rookie. Every game, it doesn\u2019t matter who we\u2019re playing. If I\u2019m returning the ball, defence, they\u2019re going to try and test me.\u201d<\/p>\n The man continually stitching the pieces together knows his pass defence, improving of late, is in for a test.<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely, man,\u201d coordinator Jordan Younger said. \u201cNo matter what level we\u2019re at, we\u2019ve been really good and struggled with Trevor. With young guys out there, just trying to keep them composed. Understand they\u2019re going to make some plays. That\u2019s part of it. And then just staying up, staying positive, and keep plugging away.\u201d<\/p>\n Vaval knows the mental part will be as important as his footwork and anticipation.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n He may be just 25, but he\u2019s the type that seeks out information like it\u2019s a pass up for grabs late in a close game.<\/p>\n \u201cYou get too high and excited, then you\u2019re all over the place,\u201d Vaval said. \u201cYou think you might make another play, and then you mess up. Or you get too low and you\u2019re giving everything up. You\u2019ve got to stay right in the middle, stay levelheaded and one rep at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018EVERYTHING HITS\u2019 FOR VAVAL<\/p>\n After starting the season as the primary returner \u2013 he already made Blue Bombers history with a punt-return and kickoff-return touchdown in the same game \u2013 Vaval has made big strides in his five starts at corner.<\/p>\n He\u2019s coming off his first interception of the season in the Blue Bombers\u2019 win over Montreal last week.<\/p>\n Ten games into his first year in the CFL, the product of Blue Springs, Missouri, just east of Kansas City, says the level of play hasn\u2019t taken him by surprise.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cI thought this is how it would be,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s dudes here that played in the NFL, there\u2019s dudes that are playing their whole career here and they\u2019re ballers. Hard-nosed football, great receivers, great quarterbacks, great returners \u2013 everything hits everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Vaval\u2019s passion for the game is as easy to spot as his talent, his dedication fitting right in on a team that demands it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s what we live for,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s what we do every day. This is what we are mastered in. Some people don\u2019t know what they want to do in life. This is what we want to do, what we work towards every single day. So the level of play here is exactly what I thought it was going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Vaval\u2019s biggest surprise as a rookie came off the field, as the Bombers left for their pre-season game in Saskatchewan.<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cPulled up to the airport and our airplane had propellers on it,\u201d he said. \u201cThat was crazy. It was actually a smooth ride. But I was so in shock.\u201d<\/p>\n At least he won\u2019t be surprised if it\u2019s the same plane when the team leaves for Regina on Saturday.<\/p>\n WILLIE\u2019S KID GLOVES<\/p>\n Defensive end Willie Jefferson took some time this week to revisit one of his favourite Labour Day weekend memories.<\/p>\n It was a few years ago when he had an interesting exchange with a young fan in the stands.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was talking smack the whole game,\u201d Jefferson recalled. \u201cAnd then after the game he asked me for my gloves, and I told him no \u2013 unless he took off his Riders jersey and threw up the W.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd he took it off and he threw up the W, and I gave him my gloves.\u201d<\/p>\n paul.friesen@kleinmedia.ca<\/p>\n X: @friesensunmedia<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Breadcrumb Trail Links SportsFootballCFLWinnipeg Blue Bombers Get the latest from Paul Friesen straight to your inbox Sign Up…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":104524,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[437],"tags":[49,48,521,522,520,82],"class_list":["post-104523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cfl","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-canadian-football-league","tag-canadianfootballleague","tag-cfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104523"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104523\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/104524"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Saskatchewan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SptsWB1_TrevorHarris-scaled-e1756433063528.jpg\")
Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris throws a pass during a CFL game on Aug. 2, 2025. Photo by Graham Hughes \/The Canadian PressArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Winnipeg](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/19.4.3\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-wsun-new.svg\"){kind=logo}
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