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Overall, it has been a marked contrast to last season, when the same five offensive linemen started all 18 regular- and post-season games for the Redblacks.

“Continuity is very important in football with whatever unit you’re talking about,” Campbell said Wednesday following practice at TD Place stadium. “It’s no different with the offensive line. We always strive to keep it the same, but, if injuries happen or (other) things happen, then you need to be able to adapt and adjust.

“The good news is we have enough guys around here that have played, so it’s not like we’re throwing a rookie into the fire.”

The Redblacks have allowed the second-highest total of quarterback sacks (34) in the nine-team CFL, and they’re in the middle of the pack in rushing (83.0 yards per game) after being at or near the top of the list in that category earlier in the season.

“We really got spoiled last year, not having to worry about those five guys, just knowing that they were going to be OK. It seems like this year (that) Lady Luck has caught up to us,” offensive-line coach Bryan Chiu said.

“It’s a lot more work in terms of making sure we get the right guys taking the right reps at the right spots and getting the continuity right, so it’s a lot more concern and focus on those things that didn’t have last year.”

Mateas (left and right guard) and Jason Lauzon-Séguin (left guard, right tackle) have seen action on both sides of centre Jon Gott, which matters in the sense that pre-snap stances vary and there’s no way to gear up practice enough to match the speed of a CFL regular-season contest.