Inside the CFL: Optimism is in order in the Land of Living Skies

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on October 17, 2024.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

“Roll on, roll on, roll on Roughriders, roll on. Bring back the Grey Cup to me.”

So sing the members of Rider nation. And indeed their team is rollin’ on with four straight wins, a home playoff date, and the possibility of finishing first in the CFL’s West division. Although their 39-8 victory over B.C. was a crushing one, Rider Priders with long memories know, like all good farmers, not to count their chickens before they’re hatched. Still, optimism is in order in the Land of Living Skies.

This is pretty much the same team that missed the playoffs last year. There are only two new faces on defence, rookie HB DaMarcus Fields from Texas Tech and six-year veteran corner Marcus Sayles, cut earlier in the year by B.C.

Because of injuries the offensive line has been retooled with newcomers left tackle Trevor Reid, right tackle Trevon Tate and right guard Jacob Brammer. Saskatchewan has four all-star calibre offensive linemen on the six-game injured list.

Kudos to GM Jeremy O’Day, as well as his assistants, Paul Jones and Kyle Carson for finding new talent. The Riders also added free agent running back A.J.Ouellette from Toronto, and receivers Keesean Johnson and Dhel Duncan Busby. Rookie head coach Corey Mace has taken just about the same personnel as Craig Dickenson had and turned an also-ran into a contender.

Of course, the big difference between the two teams is quarterback Trevor Harris. Although he hardly received a warm welcome because of the popularity of his predecessor Cory Fajardo, he won the province over with his pollyanna personality.

A third of the way through last season he was injured with his team’s record at 3-3. Jake Dolegala started nine games, Mason Fine four. They won three games between them. Saskatchewan finished the season on a seven-game losing streak.

The natives were restless. I saw a jungle poster years ago with the caption, “As the drought deepened, the animals around the watering hole began to look at each other differently.”

Such was the case on Elphinstone Street.

The finger pointing began with most fingers directed squarely at head coach Craig Dickenson. (To a lesser degree, brother Dave is going through the same thing in Calgary. Perhaps the two compared notes over Thanksgiving dinner.)

The brothers are often described as “nice guys.” “Too nice” cried the denizerns of Rider Nation, citing a lack of discipline for failing to deal with miscreants.

During this seasons’ seven-game winless streak, caused by another injury to Harris, there hasn’t been any finger pointing. Mace did a great job keeping his team on track. He kept them believing in themselves.

Since Harris’ return, the team is headed to the post season with momentum their 13th man.

After the B.C. blowout, Trevor Harris met the media. “During that seven-game slide we got these wristbands that say, ‘Don’t Flinch’. No matter what the situation … we haven’t won a game in seven weeks. No flinching. Just continue to press on no matter what the situation because we believe in who we are and who’s leading us.”

Offence sells tickets, defence wins football games. The Green defence forced six turnovers against the Lions and leads the league with 47 takeaways.

Timing is everything in sports. The Roughriders are peaking at the right time while the Lions, expected to surpass Winnipeg as the best in the West this year, have fallen apart. They’ve lost eight of their last 11 games. Nathan Rourke, mid-season replacement for Vernon Adams Jr., ranks last in the CFL in completion percentage (65.1).

Adams’ numbers weren’t much better when he missed a game to injury and then was benched in favour of the prodigal son, but he was winning.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lions’ den is deeply divided between Adams and Rourke camps. At very least, unlike the kumbaya dressing room at Mosaic, players aren’t grabbing the mic in B.C. to proclaim “Nate is Great.”

When Rourke returned to the team at Game 12, coach Rick Campbell should have said, “Vernon is our starter. You are our future but that begins next year.”

When you’re rollin’ the way the Riders are, you want to keep playing. Saskatchewan is on a bye but the timing is right. Heal those bumps and bruises and get ready for the final push.

Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 52 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.