COLLAROS MEETS WITH THE MEDIA

Saskatchewan Roughriders QB Zach Collaros met with the media on Wednesday to discuss his new 1-year contract with the club.

Here are some notes and quotes from the gathering:

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE NEW DEAL?

ZC: I feel great. I'm excited to be back here today, back in this province and this facility. It's good to be back in town and excited to get back to work.

DID THE CONTRACT OFFER SURPRISE YOU?

ZC: I'm not surprised. I talked to coach Dickenson several times after he got the job and he mentioned how he felt about me. This is a place I really enjoyed playing in last year and regardless of the outcome of some things, I'm excited to be back.

ARE THERE THINGS YOU CAN DO BETTER?

ZC: Yeah of course. You want to improve every season. TD-to-INT ratio. I'm not going to stand up here and defend myself on things and I'll have to watch film and improve on things. But all that matters is wins.

WHAT'S YOUR CONCUSSION STATUS?

ZC: It's understandable that there'd be some worry about that. I took a bad hit in the preseason. A situation I shouldn't have been in in the first place. I took a bad hit in Week 20. There was a lot of time between those games. Retirement crossed my mind in the off-season, but not very much. I love this game and I'm a competitive person. I just want to get out there and play.

I love Coach Dickenson and have a great relationship with him. J.O. as well. The opportunity, when it presented itself, was just too good to pass up.

DID YOU HAVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

ZC: There were a couple other teams calling after everyting sorted itself out yesterday. But the people here, the people here in the building, and the chance to build some continuity. Just the plan J.O. and Coach Dickenson laid out, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

WHAT DIDN'T WORK ON OFFENSE LAST YEAR?

ZC: I don't want to really get into discussing all those things. Trying to keep that in-house. It would be a better question for Coach McAdoo. I just can control what I do and how I play. I just need to go out and manage and win games for this team.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT CRAIG DICKENSON?

ZC: I really enjoyed the 3 or 4 minutes of meetings that I could sit in with him on special teams. The little tidbits and nuggets you learn go a long way in leading men. He always had command of the room. Guys love him, want to play for him, and thats the first thing you need as a head coach.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE TEAM DO IN FREE AGENCY?

ZC: I don't know what else is out there right now. Again, I sound like a broken record, but talking to Coach Dickenson and J.O., they have a great plan and that gives you confidence going into a season, to win games.

DID ANYONE SAY YOU SHOULD RETIRE?

ZC: Not really. Just moreso outside people that don't really know me very well. My friends and family know me and know I wouldn't put myself in harm's way. They know that if I felt it was time, I'd say it's time. But I feel I have a lot of good years left in me.

RP
@rodpedersen

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