Riders head coach welcomes change to team
Hungry players help to chase cup
REGINA — Corey Chamblin wanted the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders to change this off-season. He’s getting his wish. The Roughriders’ thirdyear head coach said Monday that he discussed his desire for alterations with general manager Brendan Taman after the 2013 season, which culminated in Saskatchewan winning the Grey Cup at Mosaic Stadium.
“Obviously you never want to lose some of your key players — or any player for that matter — but you have to have change, in my opinion, to win a Grey Cup,” Chamblin said.
“We want to make sure that the guys we’re bringing in are hungry and it gives us a chance to be successful this year.”
The Roughriders’ roster indeed will look different in 2014.
The team added two players Monday, acquiring nonimport linebacker Shomari Williams and non-import punter Josh Bartel from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Saskatchewan, which also picked up the eighth overall pick in the 2014 draft, sent the ninth and 11th overall picks to Hamilton in the deal.
But the Roughriders have lost veterans like defensive tackles Keith Shologan and Zack Evans (both in the Ottawa Redblacks expansion draft), linebacker Craig Butler (who signed as a free agent with Hamilton), tailback Kory Sheets (signed with the NFL’s Oakland Raiders) and slotback Weston Dressler (signed with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs) this off-season.
While losing playmakers like Dressler and Sheets admittedly was a blow to the Roughriders, Chamblin is confident that their departures can be overcome.
“The one thing I told the guys and told the coaches is that this year will be filled with obstacles and opportunities,” Chamblin said. “Before those guys were stars or we knew who they are, there was someone else in that spot.
“It’s an excellent opportunity this year for some of the guys who are on the roster to step up ... and even for the scouting department to find new stars. I think that’s what keeps this league going.”
The Roughriders will look to sign players off their negotiation list and perhaps offer contracts to those who impress during an upcoming free-agent camp.
As well, there’s the possibility of signing remaining CFL free agents or bringing in players deemed expendable by teams that have signed free agents over the past week.
“To me as a coach, it reminds me a little bit more of ’12 because I’m trying to find players and see what they can do,” Chamblin said of the extent of the changes.
“But we have a greater foundation than we did in 2012, so we don’t have a lot to improve on. We just have to put a couple of key guys in places and hit the ground running.”