CRAPIGNA COMES THROUGH AS SOLO KICKER

Musings from Day 10 of the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ training camp at the University of Saskatchewan’s Griffiths Stadium:

Tyler Crapigna handled the kicking duties by himself Tuesday. Crapigna had to look after place-kicks and punts while his special-teams colleagues were nursing injuries.

Punter Josh Bartel has been sidelined since the opening of training camp with an undisclosed injury. Backup punter and placekicker Quinn van Gylswyk missed Tuesday’s practice with a minor injury.

The special teams didn’t miss a beat with Crapigna looking after all of the kicking.

Warren Gatewood is a ball hawk. The first-year defensive back intercepted two passes on Tuesday, increasing his unofficial training-camp total to four.

The Baltimore product was released after attending training camp with the Green Bay Packers in 2016.

Murray’s Monster for Tuesday was University of Regina Rams product Mitchell Picton, a fifthround selection (37th overall) in the 2017 draft. Bryan Bennett rifled a dart to Picton, who caught the pass in stride for a touchdown. It was a perfect pass from Bennett and a great reception by Picton.

Picton was also practising with the starters on Tuesday, with veterans Rob Bagg and Naaman Roosevelt resting on the sideline. Picton didn’t look out of place, even though he dropped a couple of passes. Those types of mistakes occur when a rookie receiver is adapting to the CFL.

Eddie Steele handled a surprise position change on Tuesday when the defensive tackle was told he was playing right guard.

Riders head coach and general manager Chris Jones said he wanted to simulate game conditions when multiple injuries could force them into playing a defensive lineman along the offensive line. Jones felt Steele fit in nicely as an emergency replacement.

Reggis Ball was in a feisty mood

Tuesday. The first-year defensive back and younger brother of Toronto Argonauts safety Marcus Ball was involved in a couple of skirmishes with receivers.

Reggis Ball always seems to be talking and there are times when his non-stop chatter annoys the receivers. Talk is good, but a player had better be able to back it up on the field. Ball had backed up his play until Tuesday, when he was beaten on a couple of pass completions.

Those things happen, but when a player is as talkative as Bell, the miscues are magnified.