Hughes celebrates his sacks against Stampeders in style
Charleston Hughes won’t be doing the Charleston while celebrating a sack.
The veteran Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end has adopted a celebration that is better suited to expressing how he feels about his position in the CFL.
That’s why Hughes punctuated his two sacks in Saturday’s 34-22 loss to the Calgary Stampeders by pretending to surf on the Mosaic Stadium turf.
“I’m just riding the wave, baby,” Hughes said Saturday. “I’m in a good position and I feel I’m where I want to be.”
What the Riders want from Hughes is for him to pressure the quarterback. That’s why they traded backup quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. to the Hamilton Tiger-cats for Hughes during the off-season. The transaction took place just hours after the Stampeders traded Hughes to the Tiger-cats.
Hughes spent 10 seasons with the Stampeders, sharing in Grey Cup victories in 2008 and 2014.
Saturday’s game marked Hughes’ first regular-season action against the Stampeders. He did make an impression, sacking Bo Levi Mitchell in the second and third quarters.
Both sacks took place while the Riders were rushing only three defensive linemen. Hughes also fought through an attempted triple-team of blockers to get to Mitchell for the second sack.
“That was all get-off,” Hughes said. “I had a good get-off there because I had a bead on when they snap the ball”
Hughes, 34, had spent many practices tracking Mitchell. The difference on Saturday was Hughes was allowed to the Stamps’ quarterback.
“All I told Bo was ‘good job’ because he won the game,’ ” Hughes said. “The only thing Bo said to me was I was too old to be doing that. I can pass rush in my sleep.”
Hughes leads the CFL with eight sacks and is currently 10th among the league’s all-time sack leaders with 106. Hughes was the CFL’S sack leader in 2016 (with 16) and 2017 (11). He’s on pace to eclipse those totals in 2018.
“I’m just doing what I do, man,” Hughes said with a laugh.
Hughes wasn’t the only Riders defensive player to make a contribution on Saturday. And it was a major contribution at that.
Defensive end Tobi Antigha intercepted a Mitchell pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown. It was the second interception in a span of three games for Antigha, who dropped back into pass coverage as a safety on both picks.
“I dream about all of that stuff,” Antigha said. “I dream about making plays and I told my roommates that I would make a play (Saturday) and I was able to make a play.
Antigha was a receiver before being converted to a defensive lineman by Chris Jones, the Riders’ head coach and general manager. Antigha used some of the skills he developed as a receiver to be in position for the interceptions.
“Playing receiver, you understand route concepts,” Antigha said.
“You anticipate where the throws are going to go. If you can anticipate, you will always be in good position to make a play.”