Successful back-up QBs promoted to starter?

CFL Talk
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Hey, folks:

I’ve been reading about the Montreal Alouettes signing QB Davis Alexander to a new multi-year contract. Looks like they are elevating him to be their starting QB in 2025.

This had me wondering. In the last 20 years or so how many examples are there where a CFL team successfully replaced a winning starting QB with a promising back-up? Doesn’t matter if the previous successful QB was traded, released, or demoted. Looking for examples where the back-up hadn’t had solid CFL experience (eg. Nick Arbuckle) before taking over the QB1 spot.

Calgary traded the rights to Bo Levi Mitchell to Hamilton so they could promote Jake Maier as their QB starter. Don’t think anyone in Calgary would call that a success.

I know that the Riders traded away Kerry Joseph after the 2007 Grey Cup and that Darian Durant became the starter in 2008. However, I don’t recall Durant was the obvious starter when Joseph was traded. Didn’t Steven Jyles start the first few games in 2008? So, the Joseph - Durant example don’t exactly meet the criteria of my question.

I’m sure there are better CFL minds here. Can you folks think of other examples in the past 20 years or so where promoting the back-up worked for the team?

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The only one that’s coming to my mind is when Nathan Rourke took over the BC Lions after Mike Riley retired from the game. Not sure I would call it a success yet though.

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Seem to recall Buck Pierce with the lions was one.

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In 2019 backup Cody Fajardo was promoted to number one after filling in admirably for starter Zach Collaros who was then deemed expendable and traded to Toronto.

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Some guy named Warren Moon, followed by a Matt Dunnigan, then Tracey Ham, and after that Damon Allen, Jason Maas and Ricky Ray…

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Anthony Calvillo after Tracy Ham retired, although he did share time with TH the final season.

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Mixing up Mike Riley with Michael Reilly. Not a big deal but there are some noobs in Lithuania reading this who would not know the difference.

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Closer to 30 years but Doug Flutie’s backup, Jeff Garcia, took over from Flutie when he departed to the Argos starting with the 1996 season.

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That’s very true @mallard. I remember those lucky Stamps not missing a beat with Jeff behind centre 30 years ago. But @Vipin3141 was referring to backup quarterbacks from “the last 20 years or so”.

Calgary sure knew how to develop quarterbacks back then.

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on that note, I do wish Garcia had stayed in the CFL… sigh.

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Didn’t BLM replace Burris as the starter in Calgary? That worked out pretty well if so. (or did BLM replace Drew Tate? can’t remember now)

Calvillo replacing Ham has already been mentioned. I’d add Ricky Ray replacing Jason Maas in 2002 in Edmonton.

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This order…

My vote: Willie Beamen