Riders’ Carter to play both sides of the ball

Duron Carter is going to be very busy Friday night.

Head coach/GM Chris Jones said Wednesday that Carter will see action on both sides of the ball Friday night when Saskatchewan visit the Calgary Stampeders. Carter, the Roughriders’ leading receiver, practised at cornerback with the starting defence Wednesday as well as with the second-team offence.

“He’s going to play a bunch of football,” Jones told reporters in Regina. “He’s going to be a tired young man after this football game.

“Will he play every snap on offence? No. Will he play every defensive snap? No. But he’s going to play a lot of football.”

Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell took to social media to warn Carter that he can expect a lot of action when he’s on defence.

“Don’t do it Duron.. you’ll get 25 balls thrown at you,” Mitchell tweeted.

Carter is Saskatchewan’s receiving leader with 1,037 yards from 72 catches with eight TDs. It marks the first time in four CFL seasons Carter has cracked the 1,000-yard plateau.

But the six-foot-five, 205-pound Carter — whose father, Cris, is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame — is being pressed into duty on defence with defensive backs Sam Williams — who’s listed on Saskatchewan’s practice roster — Kacy Rodgers II and Chris Lyles all down. As well, veteran defensive back Otha Foster III is on the six-game injured list.

Carter has never started on defence but has seen action in the secondary. He played there in Saskatchewan’s 41-8 win over the B.C. Lions on Aug. 13 as well as its 27-24 road win over the Toronto Argonauts on Oct. 7.

“He’s been practising there all year,” Jones said. “He’s played in different games this year for us defensively.”