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Former Boise State QB Jared Zabransky warms up during CFL's Eskimo rookie camp at Clarke Stadium in Edmonton on Wednesday June 3, 2009.THE CANADAIAN PRESS/Edmonton Sun- Ken ArmstrongKen Armstrong/The Globe and Mail

They like him. They like the way he runs and plays with a desperado's touch. Even his head coach thinks of him as a gunslinger - Jared the Kid.



But just how good Jared Zabransky is as a CFL quarterback is becoming an issue for the Edmonton Eskimos, one they need to get a handle on.



Zabransky, 26, is the second-stringer with first-string ambitions who needs to play more, yet is respectfully aware the starter's job belongs to two-time Grey Cup champion Ricky Ray. That said, Ray has been beaten up and hindered this summer, and the Eskimos are 2-6 heading into their Labour Day clash with the top-ranked Calgary Stampeders.



Zabransky has seen increased action over the past month, and graduated from mop-up duty to playing meaningful minutes. In some outings, the former Boise State University star has looked strong. In others, he's looked raw.



In last week's comeback win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders, he was both, leading an 11-play touchdown drive while tossing two interceptions and almost adding a third. (That prompted the coaches to put Ray back on the field, where he set up the game-winning field goal.)



So what now for the Eskimos? Do they continue to platoon the 30-year-old Ray with a quarterback who is being given more plays to call that best suit his talents? Is Zabransky good enough, polished enough to help get Edmonton into the playoffs?



All of this has moved to the Eskimos' front burner. They will start Ray against Calgary given his big-game pedigree, but head coach Richie Hall and offensive co-ordinator Kevin Strasser have shown a tendency to go to Zabransky and use him when needed.



"He gives us a different look with his athleticism, and that presents a challenge for defences," Hall said of Zabransky, who has surpassed 34-year-old Jason Maas on the Edmonton depth chart. "He's given us some spark in the last two games and he's got a great amount of confidence, but sometimes you've got to corral those gunslingers. He has to understand it's okay to throw the ball out of bounds. It's okay that we have to punt."



Zabransky has lots to learn but has shown enough to suggest he could be an effective quarterback, perhaps more than that. Already he has noticed a change in how his teammates have responded to him.



"I think the guys knew I could play from my college career and from practice, but you've got to prove yourself [in a game]" said Zabransky, who has passed for 230 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 75 yards and another touchdown.



"It builds rapport with the guys. They trust you a little more. Your words have a little more merit when you're trying to pump the guys up.



"Ricky's been here a long time. I knew I'd have to be very patient, and yet I also have to be ready to seize the moment."



Zabransky came to Edmonton last year, still carrying the mantle of his stunning performance in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. With Zabransky in charge, the Broncos scored a 43-42 jaw-dropper of a victory over Oklahoma in a U.S. college game for the ages.



But since then, Zabransky has bounced about the NFL and found himself in Edmonton, eager to play but equally eager to master the differences in three-down football. His best trait thus far has been the way he attacks defences even after making a bad play.



"You don't ever want to fail, go two and out or underthrow a touchdown," Zabransky said. "But you have to look at the situation in the right way. I had a tough junior season [at Boise State]but I rebounded by relaxing and letting the game come to me. Football should be fun. There's no reason to be stressed or dog-cussing guys out there."



The Eskimos' overall anxiety has come from losing games, some of them badly, which means they need a quarterback who can make plays and score points. As the 2010 season progresses, they also need to know what they have in Zabransky. Is he a deadeye or a shot in the dark?



The more he plays, the more the Eskimos will know.

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