By Vicki Hall
Calgary Herald

To Kevin Glenn, the concept of job security ranks as more foreign than the Canadians referring to “tricks” instead of “books” in card games like bridge.

For the 34-year-old takes to the field Saturday afternoon as the starting quarterback of the Calgary Stampeders with Drew Tate and Bo Levi Mitchell standing on the sidelines ready, willing and able to take his place.

Not that Glenn is complaining in the slightest. In fact, he thrives under pressure many would fine unbearable.

Such is life on a team with phenomenal depth at the most vital position on the field.

“There ain’t nothing I can do about that,” Glenn said Friday afternoon in the college town of Guelph, temporary home of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “All I can handle is what I do — and that’s to prepare myself to go out and play the way I can play.

“Once you start thinking about that kind of stuff, that’s when you start messing up … You should be focusing on what the defence is doing, and you’re worried about whether or not you’re going to play next week? Man, you’ve got to go out and play.”

Glenn is expected to do just that today as the Stampeders (9-3) visit Henry Burris and the Tiger-Cats (6-6) just as the leaves start to turn crimson in the Golden Horseshoe.

The Stamps have named Glenn the starter, but don’t fall over in shock if Tate and/or Mitchell also enter the game for a series or two.

After all, the West Division standings are top-button-on-the-shirt-collar tight, and every point is vital in the Stamps’ quest to host the Western Final at McMahon Stadium.

“Like I said to my team at the beginning of the week, `it’s on,’” said head coach/general manager John Hufnagel.” We have to play good football and win as many games as we can.

“Do we have to win every one of them? Well, to guarantee first place, we probably do.”

In a repeat of the 2012 campaign, Glenn opened the season No. 2 on the depth chart but graduated to starter when Tate fell victim to the injury bug.

With seven starts to his credit, Glenn has completed 68 per cent of his passes for 1,491 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions.

Quietly, with little fanfare, he keeps getting the job done in the shadow of the two men backing him up.

“I just think he’s never been respected like he should be,” said offensive co-ordinator Dave Dickenson. “When he’s playing like we think he can play, he’s as good as anybody. He maybe doesn’t have the rushing yards and that sort of thing, but he has shown he can manage the pocket, and he’s just so accurate.

“Maybe it’s because he’s not flashy. Maybe it’s because everything looks easy for him. I don’t know. He just doesn’t seem to get as much play as the other guys.”

This week, Glenn gets the start over the other guys against the team that dealt him to Calgary in 2012 along with offensive lineman Mark Dewit for quarterback Henry Burris.

In spite of the Tabbies giving up on him, Glenn insists he feels no added motivation in facing his former employer.

“I’m not a vengeful person,” he said. “The competitiveness is what drives me. I like to go out and compete.

“It’s funny. My wife always kids me about it. In the off-season, we can be at home playing cards, and she’s like, ‘Hey, look, this isn’t football season, all right? Chill out.’”

Apparently, Glenn gets fired up over losing a book — not a trick — even in games against the love of his life.

“I am a competitor,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what I’m doing. My mindset is like that.”

That mindset matches the job description for a quarterback in Calgary this season regardless of the actual digits on his front and back — especially with the regular season winding down and the playoffs looming on the horizon.

“We’re in a profession where we’re evaluated week to week,” Glenn said. “Huff makes it clear, and there’s no second-guessing on what the deal is and what’s going to happen. As a player, when you can get that — when you can get truth, honesty …— you can’t ask for anything else. You have to respect that. He’s the head coach.

“Everybody knows what’s going on. There’s no secrets. It’s not like we’re trying to hide who’s going to start.”

As a 13-year vet, Glenn realizes every start is precious — and he pledges to make the most of every opportunity.

Lack of job security has a way of making a person grateful for every shot.