Riders ready to kick off at new Mosaic Stadium
Team looks to protect turf as it hosts Winnipeg Blue Bombers in home-opener
The Saskatchewan Roughriders didn’t look like a team that lost its regular-season opener on Tuesday.
The mood was upbeat as the CFL squad conducted its first on-field workout since losing 17-16 to the host Montreal Alouettes on Thursday in the regular-season opener for both squads.
The Riders are preparing to kick off their regular-season homeopener on Saturday at Mosaic Stadium against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. It’s the first CFL regular-season game to be held at the $278-million Mosaic Stadium.
“You could feel the excitement around town and in the lockerroom because everyone is getting excited,’’ Riders quarterback Kevin Glenn said Tuesday. “The one thing that is good is that we actually got a chance to play a preseason game in here, so it’s not new to us. At the same time, come Saturday, the atmosphere is going to be electric.’’
The Riders and Blue Bombers tied 25-25 on June 10 in the first CFL game at Mosaic Stadium. It was the third and final test event at the stadium, attracting a sold-out crowd of 33,500.
Saturday’s game is also expected to be a sellout.
“It’s going to be one of those things where everybody is going to be excited,’’ Glenn said. “For those first couple of plays we have to make sure that we get out of that excitement, calm down and play the rest of the game. It will be one of those type of games.’’
Brendon LaBatte is familiar with playing all sorts of games at different levels at old Mosaic Stadium. The Riders’ left guard played at the stadium in high school with Weyburn and with the University of Regina Rams before moving to the CFL with Winnipeg in 2008 as the sixth-overall pick in the draft.
He joined the Riders as a free agent in 2012 and re-signed with the Green and White prior to the 2016 season. LaBatte then missed the last 15 regular-season games in 2016 while dealing with a neck injury.
“I really didn’t get to close down the old stadium, but I did get to be part of the final team to play in there,’’ LaBatte said. “To be part of the inaugural team to come over here (to the new stadium) is a cool feeling. Once I knew it was going to be attainable, it was something that I wanted to do.’’
The Riders have four practice days to prepare for the Blue Bombers, who had a bye in the first week of the season. The Riders don’t feel that the hype leading up to the game is a distraction.
“We just have to do our jobs because we’re coming off a tough loss last week,’’ said defensive back Ed Gainey. “The emphasis now is for us to lock in that much more. It’s their first game of the season so we know they are going to come out fresh and ready. Everybody will have to collectively do their jobs.’’
The Riders plan to savour some of the atmosphere around the game.
“I’m embracing the first regular-season game in the stadium,’’ Gainey said. “Any time that you’re playing at home, it’s definitely an edge that you have, especially with it being in Saskatchewan, because Rider Nation has us whether we win or lose.
“I know that they are tired of us losing, but it helps us to be more locked in on our jobs because we have that crowd behind us. It’s just about protecting this new stadium. We want to make history and we have to start it off right.’’
NOTES: Sports Illustrated’s cover story on former collegiate and NFL star Vince Young was posted online on Tuesday. The story follows Young from his high school, collegiate and NFL days through to his failed comeback with the Riders at 34 … Chris Jones, the Riders’ head coach and general manager, said Tuesday that international returner Ricky Collins could be sidelined for at least a month with a shoulder injury that he suffered Thursday. Nationals Nic Demski and Greg Morris are expected to handle the return duties on Saturday … On Tuesday, the Riders signed international linebacker Cameron Ontko to the practice roster and released Jordan Burton, another international linebacker. Ontko dressed for 15 games in 2016 with the B.C. Lions and registered 18 special-teams tackles.
For those first couple of plays we have to make sure that we get out of that excitement, calm down and play the rest of the game.