Elks turn back to Cornelius at QB against Roughriders

Edmonton Elks quarterback Taylor Cornelius (15) makes the throw against the Calgary Stampeders during first half CFL pre season action in Edmonton, Friday, June 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

They're turning back to Taylor.

After starting Jarret Doege at quarterback in their most recent loss, the Edmonton Elks this week are giving the ball back to Taylor Cornelius, who began the 2023 season as the Canadian Football League team's No. 1 signal-caller.

Cornelius will line up under centre Thursday night (7 p.m.) in Regina against the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2-1), who are coming off a bye week and have already beaten the winless Elks (0-4) once this season.

"We've simplified the game plan. We're going to try to play as fast as we possibly can," Elks head coach/GM Chris Jones said at practice on Tuesday. "Just because you're named the starter, you've got to go out and you've got to play (well) … You've got to do the things necessary to win the game, and that's the most critical position. The quarterback probably gets too much praise, and he probably gets too much blame."

Doege will back up Cornelius, while Tre Ford – the Elks' first-round draft pick last year who won his first start before a shoulder injury knocked him out of the following game and from the lineup for weeks – will suit up as the third-stringer.

The Elks had gone with Doege in Friday's 26-7 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks, who broke a 13-game home losing skid by beating Edmonton. Their last win at home had come Sept. 28, 2021, over the Elks. Incidentally, Edmonton holds the CFL record for most consecutive home-field losses with 19. It's an active skid.

Jones went with the first-year Elk as starter after Doege came into their June 25 game against the Toronto Argonauts in relief of backup QB Kai Locksley, who had replaced Cornelius for one play and fumbled the ball. Locksley was released by the club a day later, ostensibly for refusing to return to the game for short-yardage work. He signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Wednesday.

While the Elks ultimately lost to the Argonauts, the defending Grey Cup champions, third-string Doege played effectively in relief, completing nine of 11 passes for 163 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. On Friday, he completed 19 of 33 passes for one TD and three INTs.

Cornelius, 27, has been the Elks' starting quarterback for most of the past two seasons. The Oklahoma State product signed a contract extension with Edmonton last fall worth a reported $400,000 per season through 2024.

He inherited the role after the Elks traded Trevor Harris to the Montreal Alouettes midway through the pandemic-shortened 2021 CFL season. Harris is now the starting QB in Saskatchewan.