ONE YEAR AGO, FAJARDO WAS POISED FOR A BREAKTHROUGH
From Lancaster to podcaster, notable Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterbacks have celebrated breakout performances.
The top three passers in the CFL team’s history — Ron Lancaster, Kent Austin and Darian Durant — all enjoyed games that served as a first glance at greatness.
In each case, there also was a subsequent standout showing that removed all doubt as to who should start at quarterback for the Green and White.
That brings us to Cody Fajardo, who is collaborating with fellow Roughriders pivot Isaac Harker on a recently launched podcast, the Rouge Report.
A year ago at this time, the Roughriders’ quarterback situation appeared to be one of utter chaos.
The opening-day starter, Zach Collaros, suffered a concussion on the CFL season’s third play from scrimmage. Fajardo and Harker handled the quarterbacking the rest of the way in a 23-17 loss to the host Hamilton Tiger-cats.
Next up for the Green and White was a June 20 road date with the Ottawa Redblacks. Following a closed practice, head coach Craig Dickenson was asked about his plans for the deployment of quarterbacks.
Fajardo or Harker?
“I’m not going to tell you who will start because I honestly don’t know right now,” Dickenson said. “We know that both of them will play in this game.”
That was the plan, anyway. Then Fajardo changed everything.
He completed 27 of 34 passes for 360 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to running for another major, in a 44-41 loss to the Redblacks.
The personable passer followed up with a 430-yard aerial eruption as Saskatchewan downed the visiting Toronto Argonauts 32-7 on July 1, in his second CFL start.
But his signature moment took place Aug. 1, when he ran for a five-yard touchdown with 24 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to give the home side a 24-19 victory over Hamilton.
“It meant a lot for me, especially with the carnival here in town,” Fajardo told reporters after the game, referencing the Queen City Ex. “I’m really excited to go get a corn dog, to be honest.
“I’m a big carnival and corn dog guy and I was like, ‘Hopefully the game goes well so I can get a corn dog.’
“That’s probably what gave me the will to score that touchdown — the little inspiration of a corn dog at the carnival.”
The game’s dramatic conclusion, followed by the victorious quarterback’s trip to the midway, signalled the beginning of Fajardo-mania.
Before too long, people were lobbying for the Roughriders to sign Fajardo — who was then on a one-year contract — to an extension.
Not long after such a deal was consummated, Fajardo was named the West Division’s most outstanding player.
Lancaster had earned that distinction three times during an illustrious, 16-season run as the Roughriders’ starting signal-caller.
He was the runner-up to the Ottawa Rough Riders’ Russ Jackson for MOP honours in 1966, when Saskatchewan captured its first Grey Cup title, before winning the coveted award in 1970 and 1976.
Early on, however, there were questions as to whether Lancaster was the guy.
Lancaster, who had been acquired from Ottawa in July of 1963, made six consecutive starts without wowing head coach Bob Shaw.
Shaw left Lancaster off the roster for a Sept. 14 game, opting to start Lee Grosscup against the Calgary Stampeders. Grosscup and Bob Ptacek saw time behind centre for Saskatchewan during a 4-4 tie at Mcmahon Stadium.
Having gone two full games without a touchdown, the Roughriders were so desperate for a starter that they brought in a warmed-over Frank Tripucka for his third stint with the team.
“I’ve only got 10 good throws left in me,” said Tripucka, who was nearing 36. “Do you want me to use them up in one quarter?”
Lancaster drew the start, but quickly was replaced by Tripucka. Three interceptions later, Shaw turned back to No. 23.
The prognosis was grim late in the fourth quarter. With the Edmonton Eskimos leading 7-1 at Taylor Field, Saskatchewan began a possession on its oneyard line. The Little General promptly marched the Roughriders 109 yards in 16 plays, the last of which was an eight-yard TD pass to Dale West with 1:35 remaining. Reg Whitehouse’s convert snapped a tie to give Saskatchewan an 8-7 victory.
Even then, Shaw was not sold on Lancaster, who did not cement himself as the starter until Nov. 13, 1963.
In the finale of the two-game, total-points Western Conference semifinal, Lancaster threw for 492 yards and five TDS in “The Little Miracle of Taylor Field.”
The cause had appeared to be lost after Calgary’s 35-9 victory in the opener. Needing to win at home by 27 points, the Roughriders did precisely that, prevailing 39-12. And a legend was born.
Austin, the next great Saskatchewan quarterback, won his first two CFL starts in 1987.
However, for most of the next two years, a debate raged as to who was best-suited to start for the Roughriders: Austin or Tom Burgess?
Burgess enjoyed a torrid start to the 1989 season, throwing 19 touchdown passes over the first six games, before cooling off. He started Sept. 9 in Toronto, but was pulled after going 3-for-8 for 28 yards, with two interceptions, in the first quarter.
In the final frame, Austin sparked the Roughriders’ rally from a 24-10 deficit, throwing back-to-back touchdown passes. The green-clad visitors won, 29-24, and Austin never again served in a backup capacity over his remaining 4½ seasons as a Roughrider.
As the Roughriders’ head coach during the championship season of 2007, Austin lauded the intelligence of Durant, who was then in his second year as an understudy.
Durant was again third on the depth chart to begin the 2008 regular season, but a hamstring injury to opening-day starter Marcus Crandell and an ineffective relief showing by Steven Jyles prompted head coach Ken Miller to call for a change-up.
Durant made his first start July 12 in Hamilton and threw for 347 yards and two TDS — including the first major scored by a rookie named Weston Dressler — while guiding Saskatchewan to a 33-28, come-from behind win.
A week later, Durant threw for 353 yards and three TDS in a 41-33 home-field victory over the Montreal Alouettes, only to suffer a rib injury in the next game. The 2008 season was never quite the same for the Roughriders or Durant.
Questions about the quarterbacking situation carried into the 2009 season. After back-to-back losses left the Roughriders with a 2-2 record, Miller volunteered the information that Jyles would receive some playing time during a looming game in Calgary, although Durant would start.
Sure enough, Jyles entered the game in the second quarter, after which Durant returned to the field.
He eventually threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Chris Getzlaf, who scored with 1:17 left. Luca Congi’s convert proved to be the difference as Saskatchewan won, 24-23.
Despite a dazzling debut in 2008, Durant never truly arrived until Aug. 1, 2009.
Ten years later, to the very day, Fajardo tasted victory … and a corn dog.