The Ottawa Redblacks are ready to see what they have in Bryson Barnes.
The rookie quarterback will make his CFL starting debut for the winless Redblacks on Friday against the visiting Toronto Argonauts, the club announced Wednesday.
"We'll see what Bryson's got," Redblacks head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said. "I feel like he's ready for this stage. Early in his career, a young kid — there's going to be some ups and downs obviously. We've got to shrink the package a little bit and do things he's comfortable with."
Barnes has seen only mop-up duty and short-yardage work for the Redblacks this season. He has completed 10 of 13 passes for 110 yards with one interception and has rushed for nine touchdowns.
The Redblacks have started veteran quarterbacks Jake Maier and McLeod Bethel-Thompson in their first 16 games, all losses.
No CFL team has ever finished 0-18.
The Argos (9-7) have clinched second place in the East and will host a division semifinal on Oct. 31 at BMO Field.
Barnes beat out former Heisman Trophy runner-up Max Duggan for the Redblacks' third-string QB job.
The six-foot-one Barnes played college football at Utah and Utah State.
He was named a second-team all-Mountain West team member last year at Utah State.
