Drew Willy, T.J. Heath not expected to face their former teams following trade

WINNIPEG — Retribution will have to wait for Drew Willy and T.J. Heath.

The two players will face their former teams Saturday when the Toronto Argonauts (5-6) visit the surging Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7-4). But both are not in the starting lineup and neither is expected to play.

Dan LeFevour will make his second straight start for Toronto as Willy finds himself third on the depth chart behind youngster Logan Kilgore. Head coach Scott Milanovich isn’t expecting Willy to see any game action and realizes if the former University of Buffalo star does play, it will likely come the result of something bad happening for the Argos.

“There’s a chance but I hope that doesn’t happen,” he said.

The Argos acquired Willy from Winnipeg for Heath, a 2017 first-round pick and 2018 third-round selection. They announced the deal moments after their 33-21 home win over Hamilton on Sunday, a game that saw Heath register two interceptions to move into a tie with Winnipeg’s Maurice Leggett for the CFL lead with five.

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Winnipeg also acquired veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn from the Montreal Alouettes in another deal Sunday.

However, Heath is listed on Winnipeg’s depth chart as a backup for Saturday’s game.

“I really wanted to play against them really badly but it is what it is,” Heath said. “I will get my opportunity.

“I want to be fully ready to go when the time comes.”

Heath joins a team on a roll. Winnipeg has won six straight — including a 34-17 decision in Toronto last month.

All the victories have come with Matt Nichols under centre after Willy opened the season as the Bombers’ starter. But anchoring Winnipeg’s winning ways has been a ball-hawking defence, a fact not lost upon Heath.

“I already knew that the room’s full of ball hawks anyway so just to join those guys, man, is exciting to think about,” Heath said after Friday’s walkthrough.

Despite its win streak, Winnipeg’s offence is ranked sixth overall in scoring (25.1 points per game). Meanwhile the Bombers’ defence is allowing 21.7 points per game, second only to Calgary (21.5).

Nichols said the Bombers are simply getting the job done.

“We’ve won every different way,” he said. “We’ve had a couple of blowout wins, a couple of tight wins and a couple of game-winning drives and the defence stepping up and making plays for us.”

Head coach Mike O’Shea agrees.

“Everybody wants to score more points,” he said. “Who doesn’t want to put up 50 but . . . I don’t think it’s the right way to look at it if all you’re looking at is how many times you hit the endzone.

“You’ve got to look at the entire game and see where they’ve really helped change . . .  the field for us.”

Running back Andrew Harris suffered a lower-body injury in Winnipeg’s 17-10 win over Saskatchewan last week and will be a game-time decision.

LeFevour is Toronto’s starter with incumbent Ricky Ray (rib) on the injured list. The acquisition of Willy, who at 29 is seven years younger than Ray, gives the Argos more options at quarterback, Milanovich said.

“He’s got great size, he’s got good delivery, he’s accurate,” Milanovich said. “He’s got the ability to stand in the pocket when somebody’s closing in on him and deliver a comeback off his back foot.

“Those things you can’t teach.”

However, Milanovich isn’t anointing Willy as his future starter.

“I’m going to play the quarterback that gives us the best chance to win that week,” he said.

Willy says he’s still learning the nuances of Toronto’s offence.

“I’ve been trying to get in the playbook, learn as much as possible,” he said. 

Scott Edmonds, The Canadian Press