Sinclair boosts Riders’ coaching staff
The Montreal Alouettes’ loss may prove to be the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ gain with Friday’s addition of Mike Sinclair.
Sinclair joined the Riders on Friday as the assistant head coach and defensive line coach after spending five seasons with the Alouettes. Luc Mullinder, a former Roughriders defensive end, became familiar with Sinclair after spending a portion of the 2011 CFL season and all of the 2012 campaign with the Alouettes.
“I thought after (quarterback) Anthony Calvillo and (guard) Ryan Bomben, Mike should have been their No. 1 priority to get back,’’ Mullinder said Friday. “I thought a lot of him and it was really nice playing for a guy like that. You worked as hard as you could and that’s all you can really ask for.’’
Sinclair resigned after the 2012 season because he felt it was time to move on. Riders head coach Corey Chamblin had become familiar with Sinclair through their ties to NFL Europe. The Riders had an opening for a defensive line coach after the contract of Mike Walker wasn’t renewed and Sinclair was among the leading candidates for the opening. On Friday, Chamblin confirmed that Sinclair and defensive backs coach Richard Kent were being added to the defensive coaching staff.
Mullinder spent eight seasons with the Riders before being traded to the Alouettes on Aug. 8, 2011. He was released on Aug. 22 and signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Mullinder, who lives in Regina during the off-season, resigned with Montreal at the end of the 2011 season. In 2012, Mullinder dressed for 17 games, recording 17 defensive tackles and a sack. Despite those modest statistics, Mullinder felt he improved under Sinclair’s watch.
“If I was going to play another year, I wanted to play for a championship and I wanted to be around an atmosphere that was positive,’’ Mullinder said. “Mike is that. Being in Montreal, I know how upset the younger guys will be. They’ve seen the business side take over and they will have to adjust to that.’’
Sinclair, 44, has proven himself in the NFL. Sinclair was a sixthround selection (155th overall) in the 1991 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Sinclair played 12 seasons for the Seahawks, earning Pro Bowl selections in 1996, 1997 and 1998. He recorded 73.5 sacks, which is still second among the all-time sack leaders with the Seahawks.
“There are a lot of guys who sit back on their accomplishments and Mike is a guy who could do that if he wanted to,’’ Mullinder said. “Mike approaches the game like a young guy and you can just see his work ethic. That inspires the guys around him to work equally as hard.’’
Mullinder feels that some of the Riders will benefit from having Sinclair as coach. Among the players Mullinder said could gain is Tearrius George, a defensive end who is eligible to file for free agency on Feb. 15.
“If he’s back, I can see him being the defensive lineman of the year just because of the skill set he has,’’ Mullinder said. “He’s really good with his hands and he has really good feet. All that separated George from being the best lineman in the league was a coach to bring him there. I would be excited if I was him.’’
Sinclair is excited about coaching the Riders’ defensive front. He’s also looking forward to being Chamblin’s assistant.
“Corey and I have been on the same page for a while in terms of up-front stuff,’’ Sinclair said. “That made it easier knowing someone who was on the same page philosophically.’’