BOUNCING BACK TO SUCCESS
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are hoping to make the 2016 CFL season more than a long farewell to old Mosaic Stadium. The Riders would like to head into the new stadium in 2017 on a winning note. Murray McCormick lists the five keys to the Riders enjoying
COME TOGETHER
Patience may be the word when it comes to dealing with the results of an off-season of change among the football-operations staff and the players.
The changes took place quickly, with the Riders hiring Chris Jones as general manager, head coach and vice-president of football operations on Dec. 7, just eight days after he led the Edmonton Eskimos to a Grey Cup victory.
Jones revamped the scouting department by hiring John Murphy as assistant vice-president of football operations and player personnel. In addition, most of the Eskimos’ assistant coaches moved to Saskatchewan.
Jones also revamped roster with the off-season departures of safety Tyron Brackenridge, defensive end John Chick, and slotbacks Weston Dressler, Chris Getzlaf and Ryan Smith.
The Riders jumped into the free-agent pool by signing linebackers Greg Jones and Otha Foster, defensive ends Justin Capicciotti and Shawn Lemon, returner/receiver Kendial Lawrence and running back Curtis Steele.
All of the new faces on the roster need to come together quickly for a successful Riders season.
A HEALTHY DURANT
Two consecutive seasons ended in disappointment for the Riders after franchise quarterback Darian Durant was injured.
In 2014, Durant missed eight games and the lone playoff contest after suffering a torn tendon in his right elbow.
Last season, Durant ruptured his left Achilles tendon in the first half of the regular-season opener and was lost for the remainder of the season. Without Durant, the Riders limped to a 3-15 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
The Riders couldn’t do much about the flukey injuries, but they were a reminder of Durant’s importance.
The installation of a new offensive scheme by co-ordinator Stephen McAdoo emphasizes ball control. Durant will be able to complete shorter passes, which means he may spend less time in the pocket and avoid hits from rushing linemen.
A healthy Durant is paramount.
BEEFED-UP PASS RUSH
The Riders’ 34 sacks placed them last in the CFL last season. By comparison, the Jones-coached Eskimos were third overall with 49 sacks.
Jones began to remake the defensive line by releasing Chick, 33, for financial reasons. Chick led the Riders with 11 sacks in 2015.
Jones used free agency to infuse the defensive line with speed and youth. He signed Lemon (who is 27) and Capicciotti (26), both of whom starred with the Redblacks in 2015.
The Riders then took a chance on 27-year-old Eric Norwood, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament in the East Division final with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Norwood, who had seven sacks in 2015, could be in the lineup by August.
The signing of Jonathan Newsome, a former NFLer, further added to the pass rush.
An improved pass rush could go a long way towards making quarterbacks uncomfortable and reducing how long the Riders are in pass coverage.
GO-TO RECEIVER
The departures of Dressler (who signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after being released for financial reasons in January), Getzlaf (who signed with the Eskimos as a free agent) and Smith (who signed with the Blue Bombers as a free agent) left the Riders with three holes to fill among their receivers.
The Riders need a receiver to step up this season. Veteran wide receiver Rob Bagg returns for his ninth CFL season, and his first as a starting slotback.
Bagg and Durant had already established chemistry when Bagg was a wide receiver. That chemistry can only be enhanced with Bagg even closer to the quarterback as a slotback.
Naaman Roosevelt is another candidate. He was among the most consistent receivers during training camp, picking up from where he left off in 2015 when he had five touchdowns catches in 10 regular-season games.
John Chiles and Clarence Denmark are two newcomers who might step up.
DEPENDABLE KICKING GAME
A 2015 trade-deadline deal with the Calgary Stampeders for Tyler Crapigna seems to be paying off for the Riders.
The Riders sent running back Jerome Messam to the Stampeders for Crapigna, who was stuck on Calgary’s practice roster behind perennial all-star Rene Paredes.
Crapigna connected on all four of his field-goal attempts in 2015 with the Riders.
The Riders selected Quinn van Gylswyk with a third-round pick in the 2016 CFL draft because they felt he was the best special-teams player available. Van Gylswyk handled punting, place-kicking and kickoffs for the Vanier Cup-champion UBC Thunderbirds.
The Riders eased van Gylswyk into the kicking game during training camp to avoid overwhelming the rookie. That patience seemed to pay off for Crapigna, who grew stronger as training camp progressed.
Punter Josh Bartel returns to the Riders after being out of football in 2015.
An overall improvement in the kicking game would help to rescue the Roughriders from the doldrums.