Dolegala stepping up at QB for Roughriders as COVID-depleted team hosts Argos

REGINA — The circumstances may be strange but Jake Dolegala isn’t about to pass up on the opportunity to be the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

It’s been a tough week for the Roughriders, who will host the Toronto Argonauts on Sunday at Mosaic Stadium. The game was initially scheduled for Saturday but it was rescheduled as the Saskatchewan locker-room dealt with a number of COVID-19 cases following last week’s game in Halifax.

Riders starter Cody Fajardo, who has been dealing with a knee injury, will miss Sunday’s game due to COVID while backup Mason Fine, who also has been going through the COVID protocol, will be a game-time decision.

That leaves Dolegala who will make his first professional start Sunday. After not dressing for the first six games of the season, the 6-foot-7, 242-pound Dolegala is excited about getting on the field.

“I'm just looking forward to an opportunity to get out there and play the game I love. That's really what it comes down to,” said the 25-year-old Dolegala. “No matter how we got to this point, it's an opportunity for me to play and I'm looking forward to it.”

While Dolegala did get some game experience in the pre-season, he’s been limited to practice reps once the regular season began.

Coming on the heels of a 30-24 loss to the Argonauts (2-2) on July 16 in Halifax, the Riders (4-2) are putting their faith in a quarterback who came to the CFL this season after bouncing around the National Football League for three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins.

Dolegala arrived prior to training camp to work with Riders offensive coordinator Jason Maas who has tailored Sunday’s game plan for the rookie.

“He knows what