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Postmedia beat writer Gerry Moddejonge reported: “There are indications Maas is losing his locker room, if it hasn’t happened already. One Eskimos player called the approach in the second half … ‘the definition of insanity.’ ”

If nothing else, the Eskimos return from their bye week answered that question and none more vocally than quarterback Mike Reilly.

“That’s (crap),” said the quarterback.

“Whoever said that didn’t come out of our locker room. I don’t see it that way. How our guys came out and practiced (Monday) … If he’d lost our room I wouldn’t have witnessed what I saw out there (Monday).”

Maas had his own reaction.

“I don’t know how anyone could say that. We’ve played 17-games right now and in 15 of the 17 of them we had a chance to win them right down to the very end. You give us six plays back on the year — six plays not six games — and we’re singing a different tune around here.

“I don’t think the locker room has lost faith in what we’re trying to do. I look at our guys. I look at how they perform and how they came to work every day and none of that has changed. If that is the case, I haven’t seen it. And if that is the case, I don’t believe in that.”

As for remaining his own offensive coordinator, Maas didn’t say he wouldn’t go back to having somebody else in the job, as was the case with Carson Walch last year.

“I think you evaluate everything. Obviously there is room for improvement in all three phases of our football team. I’ll look at who calls plays next year. I’ll look at the offence. I’ll look at all of those things. I’ll hold myself accountable to what I need to do.”

As an impending free agent, Reilly is in an interesting position of influence when it comes to any off-season changes here because of his contract status.

Having Reilly return is likely more important than anybody else on the property, general manager, head coach and offensive and defensive coordinators included.

Mike Reilly will want to believe he’ll have an excellent chance to succeed going forward.

E-mail: tjones@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @ByTerryJones