This is the Riders’ year
Green is the colour, the Riders are the team. The three year rebuilding plan of coach Chris Jones is about to produce a bumper crop that will be harvested Nov. 25 in Edmonton.
In his southern, shucks, golly fashion, Jones gives credit where credit is due.
“In the end, it’s not so much what we do. The coaches are a part of it but you have to have great players. You look at all the Grey Cup teams, they have great players. And when we have our workouts, we tell them the same thing. It really doesn’t have much to do with us.
“In pro football, you kind of give them some direction and they go out there and complete a simple task over and over and over again whether its running a route, getting into position to make a tackle or block, whatever it is. It’s a simple task they have to perform and you can’t have errors. That’s pro football versus college football. I’ve coached both.
“The biggest hurdle is getting the right players. It’s not always about the best athletes. Sometimes it’s about the best football players. We’ve had to go through a lot of guys and we feel very strongly about the group we’ve put together.”
The most important piece of the puzzle is quarterback. Jones got rid of Darian Durant before giving the ball to the inexperienced Brandon Bridge. He signed Ti-Cat Zach Collaros who has showed great talent but injuries have prevented him from playing an entire season since 2013. Fans even booed Ron Lancaster and Kent Austin in Saskatchewan, so his acquisition is not without risk.
“Zach is a very good player,” Jones declared. “There is absolutely no doubt about it. I’m from a small town and I know what it’s like to be faced with a lot of expectations and the scrutiny you get from the time you’re a young kid playing in high school. He had to endure that in Steubenville, Ohio, I can assure you, because all they care about is the big red football team.”
Whether it’s Steubenville, Steeltown or Saskatchewan, the expectation is simple: just win, baby. When I asked him to compare the East and West Divisions, Collaros replied, “You have to win more games to make the playoffs in the West. You can’t be 1-7 going into Labour Day and still make the playoffs.”
If he falters? “We won 10 football games last season,” said Jones, “and Brandon Bridge was a big part of why we won. I feel strongly about the quarterback position.”
The starter will operate behind an excellent offensive line: Dan Clark at centre, Brendon Labatte and Travis Bond the guards, and Thaddeus Coleman and Terran Vaughn, the tackles. Saskatchewan had three 1,000-plus yard receivers last season with Duron Carter (1,043) Naaman Roosevelt (1,035) and Bakari Grant (1,003). Rob Bagg and Caleb Holley are back.
Last year the Riders had the worst running attack in the league. It will be much better with Marcel Thigpen, Jerome Messam, Zac Stacy and former L.A. Ram, Tre Mason. The fullback should be Spencer Moore.
A great addition to the Saskatchewan defensive line is 10-year Stampeder veteran Charleston Hughes, traded to Hamilton for salary cap reasons. Much to Calgary GM John Hufnagel’s chagrin, the Cats flipped him to the Riders the same day. Last year the Riders were second last in sacks made with 27. Hughes led the league with 11. The other end, Willie Jefferson, was the CFL leader in QB pressures with 37. The inside guys should be Zack Evans Eddie Steele, Rakim Cox and Makana Henry.
The linebacking corps will have a new look with the departures of Henoc Muamba, Jeff Knox, Jr. and Otha Foster III. Jones plans to start a Canadian all season, likely former Rider and Bomber Sam Hurl, flanked by Sam Eguavoen and Derrick Moncrief. Former draft pick Cameron Judge could also start.
The secondary features All-Canadian Ed Gainey Jovon Johnson with fellow vets Mike Edem and Crezdon Butler. Newcomer Norm Marshall should start at right corner.
Josh Bartel is the punter, Tyler Crapinga and Brett Lauther are competing for place-kicker. Christion Jones is an excellent returner.
Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 46 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.