Ricky Ray is a 34-year-old, battle-tested veteran.
Bo Levi Mitchell is a 24-year-old, baby-faced first-timer.
Down the road, thanks to strong arms and impeccable accuracy, comparisons between the Toronto Argonauts quarterback and the Calgary Stampeders signal-caller will be made.
But not now. Not even close.
"When I look at him, you kind of see the Peyton Manning-type guy," Mitchell said of Ray on Friday afternoon while standing inside the InterContinental Hotel, a stone's throw from Rogers Centre where the two quarterbacks will meet Saturday (4:30 p.m., TSN, News Talk 770). "The guy who's going to stay in the pocket but is still athletic enough to move around in the pocket, make plays when they need to be made and make the big plays -- that's what he does. He's a guy that controls the game and knows the CFL very well, obviously, and he's one of those guys quarterbacks look to model their career after."
The 10-year age difference may have something to do with it, but like Manning, the Indianapolis Colts turned Denver Broncos star, Ray rarely strays from the pocket.
Mitchell, on the other hand, has the ability to get out on the edge and make a play with his legs or find an open receiver on the run.
But there are similarities.
"I think we have different styles of play," said Mitchell, who's 4-0 as a starter in his career, whereas Ray holds a 93-80-1 career mark. "Mentally, we obviously think about the game a lot the same. Control the ball, take the shots when they're there. Don't be greedy and just take shots all the time, but football is a game of making big plays and making the right play, so you gotta make all the plays that are out there."
Ray's fantastic 2013 season, along with a 56-of-75 (74.7%) start to 2014, gives the Sacramento State product a career completion percentage of 67.62%, slightly ahead of Stamps offensive co-ordinator/assistant head coach Dave Dickenson's career mark (67.53%).
The 6-foot-3, strong-armed quarterback has heard about the Stampeders' young Texan.
"He's done a great job," Ray said. "In Calgary, they've all gotten a chance to play over the last few years and, I think, he's done great with his opportunities, and that's all you want to do as a young player is just be ready for that moment. So far he's seized it pretty well."
Considering his unblemished record, it's safe to say Mitchell has caught on to the CFL game quickly, even if there are bumps in the road yet to come.
Asked to recall his early-career maturation process, Ray says the bigger the game, the more you learn from it.
"It's hard to put a specific number on it but, I think, the more big games you play in is where you really build your confidence -- playoff games and really meaningful games coming down the stretch," Ray said.
Saturday's Week 3 clash could hardly be considered a big game in the sense Ray talked about, but it's, without a doubt, an early-season litmus test for both sides.
The Stamps haven't played since June 28, while the Argos have done their best Jekyll and Hyde impression, losing big to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, before hammering the defending Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders last week.
With Stampeders running back Jon Cornish sidelined by a concussion, Mitchell will be the Argos' focus.
"He's got a strong arm and he can make the down-the-field throws," Ray said. "He's got good athletic ability to get out and make some plays, and I know he's coached up really well. Our goal is to go out there and score points and make sure we can keep up with them and kind of take the lead and put the pressure on them to score more points."
Even with Cornish out and the Stamps relying on a Matt Walter-Jock Sanders combination in the backfield, Mitchell doesn't believe he needs to have a huge game to give his team a chance.
"I could throw for five yards and five touchdowns and that's good with me," Mitchell said. "As long as we're going out and winning the game it doesn't matter, man. Matt goes out there and runs for 200 yards and three touchdowns, we're good. I'm not worried about my stats.-‹
Bo Levi Mitchell is a 24-year-old, baby-faced first-timer.
Down the road, thanks to strong arms and impeccable accuracy, comparisons between the Toronto Argonauts quarterback and the Calgary Stampeders signal-caller will be made.
But not now. Not even close.
"When I look at him, you kind of see the Peyton Manning-type guy," Mitchell said of Ray on Friday afternoon while standing inside the InterContinental Hotel, a stone's throw from Rogers Centre where the two quarterbacks will meet Saturday (4:30 p.m., TSN, News Talk 770). "The guy who's going to stay in the pocket but is still athletic enough to move around in the pocket, make plays when they need to be made and make the big plays -- that's what he does. He's a guy that controls the game and knows the CFL very well, obviously, and he's one of those guys quarterbacks look to model their career after."
The 10-year age difference may have something to do with it, but like Manning, the Indianapolis Colts turned Denver Broncos star, Ray rarely strays from the pocket.
Mitchell, on the other hand, has the ability to get out on the edge and make a play with his legs or find an open receiver on the run.
But there are similarities.
"I think we have different styles of play," said Mitchell, who's 4-0 as a starter in his career, whereas Ray holds a 93-80-1 career mark. "Mentally, we obviously think about the game a lot the same. Control the ball, take the shots when they're there. Don't be greedy and just take shots all the time, but football is a game of making big plays and making the right play, so you gotta make all the plays that are out there."
Ray's fantastic 2013 season, along with a 56-of-75 (74.7%) start to 2014, gives the Sacramento State product a career completion percentage of 67.62%, slightly ahead of Stamps offensive co-ordinator/assistant head coach Dave Dickenson's career mark (67.53%).
The 6-foot-3, strong-armed quarterback has heard about the Stampeders' young Texan.
"He's done a great job," Ray said. "In Calgary, they've all gotten a chance to play over the last few years and, I think, he's done great with his opportunities, and that's all you want to do as a young player is just be ready for that moment. So far he's seized it pretty well."
Considering his unblemished record, it's safe to say Mitchell has caught on to the CFL game quickly, even if there are bumps in the road yet to come.
Asked to recall his early-career maturation process, Ray says the bigger the game, the more you learn from it.
"It's hard to put a specific number on it but, I think, the more big games you play in is where you really build your confidence -- playoff games and really meaningful games coming down the stretch," Ray said.
Saturday's Week 3 clash could hardly be considered a big game in the sense Ray talked about, but it's, without a doubt, an early-season litmus test for both sides.
The Stamps haven't played since June 28, while the Argos have done their best Jekyll and Hyde impression, losing big to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, before hammering the defending Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders last week.
With Stampeders running back Jon Cornish sidelined by a concussion, Mitchell will be the Argos' focus.
"He's got a strong arm and he can make the down-the-field throws," Ray said. "He's got good athletic ability to get out and make some plays, and I know he's coached up really well. Our goal is to go out there and score points and make sure we can keep up with them and kind of take the lead and put the pressure on them to score more points."
Even with Cornish out and the Stamps relying on a Matt Walter-Jock Sanders combination in the backfield, Mitchell doesn't believe he needs to have a huge game to give his team a chance.
"I could throw for five yards and five touchdowns and that's good with me," Mitchell said. "As long as we're going out and winning the game it doesn't matter, man. Matt goes out there and runs for 200 yards and three touchdowns, we're good. I'm not worried about my stats.-‹
