Riders vs. Bombers: Saskatoon Preseason

Saturday the Riders take the field in Saskatoon for their preseason finale. This is a case of the Riders getting something very right. The managed to take what would be a boring preseason game here in Regina that would be almost as sparsely attended as the Melania documentary and turn it into an event that people want to be at. I mean, it will likely still be a boring preseason game but it will be a fun atmosphere nonetheless. 

After enduring a not-so-great game on Monday, we should see quality pick up as the starters get some playing time. With the stupidity of the CFL schedule makers and our upcoming 21 days off, I expect the starters to get at least a half. Offense is going to look a lot better when you add back in Ferland, Harris, Emilus and Keesean. Don’t need to see them light it up but a few good drives to show they are ready for the season is all we are after. There are really only 2 spots on the offense up for grabs. Left guard where Fry is most likely the guy but Andersen could also be an option. American receiver Sexton was about the only guy to improve his stock in the first game. Jaylen Johnson still intrigues me as does newcomer Johnny Johnson III (who is about the closest thing to a real-life Joey Jojo Jr in terms of names). A buddy of mine characterized him as the next Duron… both on and off the field. 

Second half will be most interesting for offense as guys jockey for backup roles. Is Mimbs ready to step into a fulltime roster spot? Can Djete finally get on the field? We saw a bit from McBean on Monday, is there more? O-line depth was downright scary on Monday hopefully we see guys like Darius Bell improve with the benefit of some experience and film. Big one will be seeing is Jack Coan can show any spark. 

Defense will be interesting from the beginning. The secondary is set (yes just accept another season of Fields and Lokombo, you don’t have to like, just accept it) but lots up for grabs outside of that. Josh Woods seems to be the starter at outside LB, it will be interesting to see how he fits in with Thurman and Brooks. I still think Aubrey Miller is making a case for more playing time. 90% of my attention on D will go to D-line. Evans was ok but missed a lot of tackles. Can Vaughters be more than the rotational guy I think he is? Can Chico Bennett step up and grab a starting spot? Will it be someone else like Weaver? At this point I don’t care who but please show me some pressure so I can sleep a bit easier. 

Lastly, it appears Kim has all but won the kicker job, hoping he can keep being steady and not introduce any unneeded doubt. 

I am told the refs will be following standard CFL protocol and cramming all penalties into the first 5 minutes of the half and then taking the remaining 20+ off. CFL research has clearly shown this is what people want. 

If you are going to the game, enjoy it should be a great event.

Tuesday Morning Sentmonies: Preseason Thoughts

Riders 15 – Stampeders 20

Ah the preseason. The mounting excitement of a new season that is almost immediately crushed when you are reminded 3 secofds in that the preseason is terrible football. What Monday’s game lacked in excitement… well I’m not really sure how to end that sentence without outright lying. It was, as the Germans say schrecklich (seriously, google it).

Here are my random thoughts on the game:

-       I think we were all shocked that CFL+ didn’t crash. I mean yes, it was briefly 2^nd and 84 and later 0^th and 0 but the league as set the bar so low with its technology that anything better than total failure is viewed as a resounding success.

-       Even the scoreboard guys don’t understand the new CFL rules quite yet as they initially scored a punt single that would have counted in 2025 but not 2026 before needing to correct it.

-       VA opened the game by throwing a pass so off target that it found its way directly into the hands of Nelson Lokomobo… meaning it was not close to where it was supposed to be.

-       Had Jack Coan been a rookie, I would not have critiqued his performance too hard. But as a second year guy I was definitely underwhelmed by what he showed. He was hurt by some drops and a weak OL but what concerned me is that his reads were slow and often wrong. Not ready to write him off just yet but he certainly did not put a stranglehold on the #2 spot when given the chance.

-       Comparing Coan and Schager is not apples to apples as Schager played against crappier defender. But for a rookie he at least showed me a spark.

-       No receiver separated themselves from the pack (which is not ideal) some good catches, some drops. I guess Sexton was the best. With Djete yet to step on the field nice to see that McBean could be an emergency depth option.

-       Morgan Runge had a terrible day and is lucky that as a veteran special team guy, his job is safe. In Runge’s defense, how on earth do we end up with 2 pass plays to a blocking FB??

-       RB Conley put the Quali in “not of a good enough quality to keep on the roster”. Anderson’s job is quite safe.

-       Spencer Brown is another guy I hope they just left in the Calgary airport. Seems rude to fly a guy back to Regina only to cut him and make him fly back home through Calgary.

-       Defensively I did not see near the impact at DE I was hoping for. Kendy Charles was probably the best at DL. Things will likely get better when we have starting DTs in to help with pressure but I remain moderately concerned for now.  

-       Malcolm Bell was noticeable in a good way. His brother Darius is going to need a lot more work before being a viable option at centre.

-       Jonathan Kim did his job, including a nice 45 yarder. Unless something wild changes, the kicking job his.

-       Jesse Mirco remains just mediocre enough not to lose his punting job.

-       It was preseason for the Calgary announce team as well. They once referred to us as the Argos and then briefly forgot that Calgary had scored a second TD.

The quality of the game was about what you expect and we seem to have emerged without injury. But usually one or two guys will make an impression and that really did not happen. Hopefully Saturday changes that.

Riders vs. Stampeders: Preseason Game 1

Monday the CFL preseason opens with the Riders in Calgary. At this point I do feel obligated to join the masses who point out that giving the Riders a bye in the final week of the preseason and the first week of the regular season, such that your defending champions disappear from the spotlight for close to a month is so stupid it would not even make the cut in the Manitoba education system. 

With 2 preseason games in 5 days (also stupid) I expect a heavy dose of the newer players in the first game and saving the veterans for the “home” game. That means plenty of opportunity for the young guys… and likely plenty of reason why the game won’t be shown on TV.

Offensively all eyes will clearly be on the QBs. Can Coan establish himself as a viable #2? Can Stevens be more than just a runner? Can Schager shown enough to stick around? How many reps will old man Harris try and sneak himself in for against coach’s wishes? Normally RB would be something to watch but there is no battle there. Ouelette will start, Hudon is the utility back up and Anderson is waiting in the wings in case of injury. This game will be a good chance to evaluate what we have for OL depth. Our starters will be rock solid. But I would feel better seeing at least one or 2 of the back-ups hold their own (preferably without actually holding). In particular Andersen and Bell our 2 most recent draft picks is what I will be watching. American receiver remains a wide open competition. Janneh and Jaylen Johnson are the ones that most intrigue me. 

Defensively its all about D-end. I have been harping on it all offseason and will continue to until I have seen some consistent pressure off the end. The reports out of camp are that Desmond Evans is the guy to watch. As the tallest guy on defense he should be easy to spot. I’ll be curious to see who gets significant reps at AJ Allen’s old LB spot. Woods appears to have the inside track on the starting spot but Miller is still in the mix. Also curious to see what guys like Straker and Wiebe can do with some time on defense. Both have bided them time as special teamers and like Allen could be ready to step into a larger role. Secondary is all about seeing what we have for depth. We all want to see first round pick Malcom Bell but I’m tempering expectations given that he was a late arrival camp and played American ball his whole career (he'll need some time to adjust to things). Oladipo and Hollis are also names that keep popping up so keep an eye out for them. 

More than even special teams will be a focal point. Not only do we have a kicker battle going on between Kim and Hale. We have a new snapper. He may get better in year 2 but Jesse Mirco was never more than a mediocre punter last year. Will Chapman push him? Can either of them hold? With the consistency of Hus and Lauther (ok not towards the end but generally speaking) we have been spoiled these last few years. Prepare yourself for some sloppiness (and I’m not just talking about me after I try and drink a preseason game pretty).

I am just happy football is back. Even if its low grade preseasons ball being played by the future unemployed it it’s a great way to spend a holiday Monday.  

Sunday Morning Sentimonies: Three Lists of Three

Football is back! And in honour of the new season you get a special Sunday edition of my Sentimonies. Truth be told I was pretty sure that if I waited until Monday that something would happen Sunday that would force me rewrite everything. 

**This post did not even make it an hour before the Riders annouced their first round of cuts and rendered part of this post irrelevant. This is what I get for trying***

Training camp opens today and the quest for the first ever repeat in franchise history is on. Today I want to highlight some of the things I will be watching for throughout the camp and the preseason. It specifically excludes Saskatchewan’s most talked about position (back-up QB) because quite frankly if it matters this season who our backup is then we better be petitioning the CFL to expand the playoff format early.

To get you primed for training camp I present 3 lists of 3.

Three Position Battles To Watch

Defensive End

I have said all offseason that D-End is the most important position coming into 2026. Offseason departures of pretty much anyone to ever have a sack leaves us without one established starter at DE… let alone the 2 we actually need. If we can’t find a solid DE rotation amongst the 19 D-lineman we have in camp then our defense is going to regress to the point it won’t matter how many all-stars you have in the secondary and linebackers. There’s a mix of veterans like Vaughters, Korte-Moore; second year guys Patrick, Bennett, Charles; and ton of new recruits. Finding 2 solid starters amongst this group is priority number one for training camp

American Receiver

We will be returning largely the same starting offense as last year so there are very few legitimate openings for starters. But with Meyers in the NFL and Robustelli in Edmonton, American wide receiver is more open than whoever Nelson Lokombo is supposed to be covering. There’s guys with NFL experience like Freddie Swain, Jaylen Johnson, Juwann Winfree and Tyrie Cleveland. Guys with time on our practice roster like Abdul Janneh and Siaosi Mariner. And raw rookies like Ali Jennings. A few of these guys impressed in rookie camp but it will be interesting to see who can still hold their own when lined up against veterans.   

Linebacker

AJ Allen’s departure leaves not only a vacant starting spot, but a decision as to whether or not the position is filled by an American or Canadian. I think odds are we go American and Aubrey Miller is favourite with a veteran like Josh Woods there to push him. Seth Hundeby’s retirement is less than ideal but we have Wiebe, Straker and newly signed Ryder Varga if we wanted to go Canadian.

Three First Year Players to Watch

WR Daniel Wiebe

He is making the team. He caught my eye multiple times last year. After another year developing in university (where he was one of the top WR’s in the country), he’s back and catching eyes again already. We are desperate for Canadian WR depth. I think Wiebe not only makes this team but when he gets a chance to get reps with the starting offense he will make plays.

WR Tyrie Cleveland

We are looking to replace an explosive player in Meyers. While I inherently distrust anything bearing the name Cleveland, Tyrie has the speed to step into that role as well as a number of years bouncing around the NFL.

DL JJ Weaver

A productive college career but undersized by NFL standards, Weaver is the kind of guy that excel in the CFL. Why I have my eye on him is that we know that Coach Mace likes character guys, and per his bio “Weaver has been consistently recognized for his outstanding commitment to the community”. This the kind of guy that fit very will in this province.

Three Second Year Players to Watch

** Antoine Brooks would obviously top this list but to me he is already a bona fide starter so I am excluding him.

DL Ali Saad

Last year’s first round pick had a solid rookie season rotating at D-tackle. He even got to sack Zach Collaros. He’s a guy I think is poised for a big jump in year two. Much like Keith Shologan who took until his second year to really show why he was a first round pick, Saad is ready to take on a larger role this season.

DB Benny Sapp

Had he not retired, this space would have gone to Sheldrick Redwine. While not to the same degree as Redwine, Sapp still did not look out of place in his limited playing time in 2025. Sayles, Milligan and Campbell are all great but the wrong side of 30. The only DB under 30 is far from solid. Having a guy like Sapp step up would help with depth now and have us ready for the future. 

DL Chico Bennett 

**This was orginally Aaron Patrick but he was released within an hour of me posting. Sorry Aaron. The Prophet curse is a real thing**

Guys who spend a season on the practice roster and then get brought back the next year are always worth watching. Obviously the team sees something in them to keep them around. With 2 games played in 2025, Bennett finds himself as one of the most experienced guys vying for a DE spot (yes that is sad). Other than a mini-camp invite from Philly Bennett has not been through the NFL ringer. He's young and ready to make a name for himself. 

Monday Morning Sentimonies: 2026 Draft Class

Last week both the Canadian and Global Drafts went down. In an amazing stat per @CFLStats it marked the first time since 1986 that every team made a first round pick. While we likely won’t know the true value of this draft for 2-3 years, at first blush it looks like O’Day did what was needed, addressing depth at OL, WR and getting a potential playmaker on D. The only thing that really surprised me was that we took zero DL. But that may have just been a product of picking late and not having anyone available worth reaching for.

In the CFL to have sustained success you need to hit on 2 of your first 3 round picks and hope to get lucky by finding 1 or 2 depth guys in the later rounds. Year over year O’Day has been doing that, which is a major reason we had the Canadian depth we had last year.

Round 1 - DB Malcom Bell

Based on how the first round went this was a very logical pick for the Riders. We start 2 Canadians in the secondary and don’t have much for depth, particularly behind Campbell. All Rider fans should collectively thank O’Day for taking steps to prevent Exume from ever needing to line up a corner again. 

Bell was a starting corner in D1 NCAA. He has good size and knack for making plays. He has a mini-camp invite from the Cleveland Browns but odds are good he will be in camp following that. Bell can immediately contribute on teams and provide depth. He also has a high enough ceiling to be a starter down the road. 

Round 2 – WR Dylan Djete

While I’m somewhat bummed that the guy taken before Djete was named Shakespeare, he is a good pick nonetheless. With Ajou, Picton and Neild all gone (off-field issues, retirement, banished to Winnipeg respectively), we need to start restocking our Canadian depth at WR. O’Day says they liked Djete from the beginning of their evaluation process. Given his recent track record in identifying and drafting WR that bodes very well. He’s a smaller WR but speedy and described by O’Day as “a willing blocker”. 

Round 3 – OL Darius Bell

In an effort to draft all the Bell’s O’Day added Darius (who I can only assume is Malcolm’s brother). For a 3^rd round pick this Bell offers potential good value for a team in need of OL depth. He can play centre which is important. He is not the most refined in terms of technique but certain has the size and athleticism needed. With a coach like Edwin Harrison he could be developed into a solid depth option. 

Round 4 – LB Osasere Odemwingie

The surprise retirement of Seth Hundeby makes this pick even more important and creates an immediate opportunity for Odemwingie. He made a ton of tackles for Calgary. He didn’t test well at the Combine but the Riders like his game film (which quite frankly is about 100 times more important than the combine) 

Round 5 - OL Jez Janvier

When you draft an OL this late in the draft it means they are a long-term development project. Janvier played some D-line in college in addition to OL. He started 5 games in 2024 and played sparingly in 2025. We are banking on his measurables… long arms, solid speed, impressive broad jump. Odds are he never develops into a contributor but the Riders like him enough to give it a try.

Round 6 – OL Albert Reese IV

As he has done every year, O’Day once again showed that he is more than willing to take a chance on a guy with an NFL contract. Reese would have been a first round pick if not for signing a free agent contract with the Carolina Panthers. He may never play in the CFL but if he does, securing his rights for the low price of a 6^th round pick is well worth it.

Round 7 – WR Shemar McBean

McBean was a Can-West all-start last season who put up impressive numbers in his career with the Thunderbirds. But obviously falling this far down tells you that GMs have some concern about his ability to develop into a pro. Best case scenario is either practice roster or sent back to school (like Daniel Wiebe last year).

Round 8 – TE Ryan Speight

8^th round picks are always just lotto ticket picks. Overwhelming odds are they don’t pan out but great value for the few that do. Speight is coming off major injury so we might have to wait on him. He would project as a special teams/FB (think Awachie/Runge) if he makes it.

Global Round 1 – LB Mapalo Mwansa

As you can clearly guess by his name, Mwansa is from England. This is a futures pick. Mwansa was also a part of the NFL International program and currently on the Carolina Panthers.

Global Round 2 – K Kansei Matsuzawa

Whether or not he ever comes to Saskatchewan, Matsuzawa is likely the most interesting story you will read. Known as the Tokyo Toe, he taught himself to kick by watching YouTube while working at a restaurant to pay for college. He ended up becoming a star at the University of Hawaii and was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders. Let that be just another reminder that no job in North America is safe from outsourcing to cheaper and more productive Asian labour.

Thursday Morning Sentimonies: Playoffs?!?

What a week to take a couple days off!

I had planned to give an overview of the Riders’ draft picks but that will have to wait until Monday because Stewart Johnston (a guy who somehow is making people walk back their hatred of Randy Ambrosie) came out with another bombshell to rock the CFL world. 

First let me explain something that I think is super important to understanding Stewart Johnston and what he is doing. There is another commissioner I know who is universally reviled by fans… Gary Bettman. You know who loves Gary Bettman? The NHL Owners. Why? Because he makes them crazy amounts of money. No one at the NHL gives two craps about whether the Commissioner is liked as long as he makes money. 

Enter Stewart Johnston. As CFL Commissioner he exists to do what the owners tell him. And I can assure you that that owners have not told him to work on being viewed as a likeable guy. The owners have told him “make us more money”. 

That is the entire context of the playoff format change… $$$$$. More playoff games means more ticket sales and most importantly more games to market to broadcasters and advertisers. It’s the same reason the NFL expanded their playoff format. Playoff games make money and more games equals more money. No matter what anyone says, this and this alone is the reason for the change. 

Now do I personally like it? 

Like most people I don’t love that all but one team makes the playoffs. It cheapens the regular season and will mean that a 5-13 team can make the playoffs despite sucking for the entire regular season and still have a shot at a championship. If you miss the playoff now the head coach of that team should need to parade through the streets while people yell “Shame” like on Game of Thrones.

 

I don’t mind the page playoff system (non-curling fans will need to Ask Jeeves, anyone under the age of 30 will first need to google Ask Jeeves, maybe try Alta Vista). I like the reseeding to ensure the top seeds always play the lowest seeds. The advantage to finishing 1^st is greatly reduced (2^nd is almost as good) but the risk of a top team being one and done is removed so that part is ok.

So while I am generally a traditionalist and would have been fine with the old system I am open to given this a try. But as I mentioned in the opening the only measure of success for this will be $$. If it makes the league more then Stewart Johnston will gladly let you call him all the bad names in the book as he lights cigars with $100 bills. Whether Johnston will be right in the end I do not know. But I do know doing nothing different will make the League $0 so the owners are more than will to risk it. 

Monday Morning Sentimonies: Draft Musings

A week from tomorrow the CFL Canadian Draft goes down. The next day is the Global Draft.. or as it is more accurately known the Kickers and Punters from British Colonies Draft. To start getting you primed for the draft(s) here are some of my random draft musings:

 

-        I see many writers saying that the Riders will target a linebacker due to the departure of AJ Allen. This is nothing but lazy writing (and I know a thing or two about lazy writing). I don’t buy that logic for a number of reasons. First, there is no guarantee we plan to continue playing a Canadian in that spot. Second, we just so happen to have the best defensive players in U-Sports from both 2023 (Wiebe) and 2025 (Hundeby) so its not like our cupboards are suddenly bare. We also have Malique Straker who has been playing very well on special teams… which is exactly how AJ Allen started his career.

-        I am not saying that any of those guys are guaranteed to be the next Allen. I am just saying that if O’Day drafts an LB in Round 1 or 2 it will be because someone was too good to pass on, not because of any particular need.  

-        I have to think the priorities are OL, DL and WR in that order.

-        We have 5 Canadian OL on the roster and need to dress a minimum of 3. Given that we lost 2 OL before the first preseason game last year I would have to think that either O’Day has a line on some reinforcements (McEwen, Gagnon, Hergel) or he intends on drafting a couple.

-        As I said last week, it appears to be a draft thin on top end OL so I expect by the time we draft the top ones will be gone and we will have to use a second rounder on a guy with NFL interest (ala Hergel) or a guy we send back to school for one more year (ala Andersen)

-        Ajou’s unfortunate life choices don’t suddenly create an emergency at WR. We still are fine with Emilus, Baker and Duncan-Busby. But unless both Mimbs and other Wiebe pan out depth is starting to look a little thin there. I expect O’Day to take at least 2 WR in Rounds 3 through 7 and hope his string of always finding a Canadian WR late continues.

-        Speaking of the Punter draft… err I mean Global draft, as much as this is a much maligned initiative I still stand behind it. It may be slow moving but it is progressing. In the inaugural Mexican draft in 2019 we took an O-lineman (Rene Brassea) who was only good enough to stand on the sidelines for all but 1 snap (where I'm oretty sure he just snuck on the field). Now we have guys like Baldonado who are legitimately good players.  

-        Not sure anyone cares but we nailed the 2023 Global draft with Adam Korsak and Baldonado.

-        It balances with the 2024 Global draft where neither pick has ever reported to the CFL (Tyrone Taleni, Jordy Sandy)

CFL Draft Preview: Saskatchewan Roughriders

The CFL Draft is two weeks away. Much like March Madness its amazing how many people suddenly become experts on a college sport they did not previously pay attention to and have no intention of paying attention to in the future. 

While the Riders enter the draft with no glaring holes, they do need to restock the shelves a bit as offseason departures: Allen, Nield to other teams; Picton and Hus likely to retirement will impact depth.   

Based on O’Day track record we should be very confident. He has done pretty solid with his top picks (Emilus, Saad, Korte-Moore) but where he excels is the back half of the draft. Just look at what he has been able to find after the first 3 rounds. Dalke (6), Ajou (7), Baker (4), Betrand-Hudon, (4), Daniel Johnson (5), Straker (4). 

Picks: 8 picks, first selection is 9^th Overall

Potential Pipeline: DL David Oneymata (NYJ/Never coming to the CFL), DL Neville Gallimore (Chicago, probably never coming to the CFL), OL Sidy Sow (Houston), DL Tavius Robinson (Baltimore), OL Kyle Hergel (Chicago), QB Kurtis Rourke (San Francisco)

Current Strengths:

Overall the Riders have some elite talent at the top end. Emilus, Campbell and Ferland are among the best at their positions regardless of passport. Biggest strength has to be receiver. We have enough to comfortably start 3 Canadians. Emulis is a stud. Add in Baker, Duncan-Busby and Ajou and you are pretty solid.

Specials Teams and depth is another strength. Straker and Exume are studs on teams. We have guys like Hudon, Dalke, Wiebe, Marion, Ford, Awachie who contribute on teams but can step in and play meaningful snaps as well (not Exume clearly but the others). 

A big strength I see is the pipeline that O’Day is building. He built up solid Canadian depth and no longer has to rush new draft picks into action. Just look at the 2025 draft class. We sent the following players back to their final year of University:

OL Erik Andersen – J.P. Metras Trophy winner as the top lineman in U-Sports in 2025

LB Seth Hundeby – President’s trophy winner as best defender in U-Sports in 2025

WR Daniel Wiebe – Hec Creighton nominee in 2025

Those guys would all be drafted higher this year than what O'Day got them for in 2025. The ability to invest in development is massive. This means we can be patient with the 2026 class if needed too. 

There were long stretches were our draft was questionable and we had no ability to retain any of our prospects long-term. Credit to O’Day and his scouting staff for flipping the script (probably one of the reasons they won an award recently). 

Current Needs:

As mentioned no glaring needs but depth is definitely needed. 

I know we only start 2 Canadian OL so ours needs are a lot less than most teams but we only have 5 Canadian OL on the roster currently. That is an insanely low number. There have been times where that would not last us through June. Unless Hergel unexpectedly shows up we need to build some more depth here. 

With Saad expected to take on a greater role with the retirement of Micah, we will want to build depth there. In theory Korte-Moore can be added back to the D-line rotation but beyond that we ain’t got much (espicially with Dabire now gone). 

If last year taught us anything its that it would be nice to have someone not named Exume as depth behind Campbell. 

Prediction:

Would not surprise me to see us follow a similar script to last year. Target an impact defender in Round 1 (DL Wesley Bailey, DB Malcom Bell) and then look to get an O-lineman in Round 2. Like Andersen it could be a guy who could go back to college, or it could be a guy likely to try the NFL who we need to wait on.  I think our preference would be OL in round 1 but with picking 9 the top end ones will be gone before it gets to us. 

Speaking of NFL guys, the Potential Pipeline above shows that O’Day is not afraid to roll the dice on a guy in the NFL. He will do it again in 2026 and I love it. Other than Hergel all it has cost is 3^rd round picks or later (CFL late round picks are no guarantee anyway). If just one of those guys shows up it worth it. It’s like a lottery ticket. Most won't every amount to anything but just one is a potential game changer.

Tuesday Morning Sentimonies: 3 and 3

We are a month out from training camp, let that one sink in. As we start to turn our heads to the 2026 season there is a wide range of views on what to expect this season. Some will say the Riders are gonna run it back. Some are saying we are gonna take a big step back. And pretty much everything in between. 

Rather than definitively answer the question (where would the fun be in that?), I will instead give you 3 reasons to be hopeful that the first repeat in franchise history is possible and 3 reasons why you should stock the liquor cabinet and expect a season that ends pretty much like every other one of the 100+ ones in our existence. 

3 Reasons To Be Skeptical

 

1)    D-End

I quite like how our roster is shaping up at pretty much every position… except one. The current state of our D-ends instills hope in about the same way that American politicians instill hope that the Stright of Hormuz will soon be opened. In passing league you need the ability to disrupt the passer. I don’t want to say the state of our D-ends is dire but if the Riders signed me today I would rank 5^th on the team in career sacks by a D-end, 3^rd if you only count sacks as a Rider. Until one of the new recruits or guys who spent last year on the practice roster prove they can be an impact starter, this remains the biggest question mark on this team.

 

2)    Depth

You need depth to maintain success over the length of a season. Last year the Riders had unbelievable depth. Maier stepped in for Harris; Baldonado stepped in for Ray; Nield and Robustelli made key contributions when called on; Allen stepped in for Avery; Reavis moved positions to balance out our roster. Those guys are all gone. Our depth is by no means completely eroded, but is has taken a hit.

 

3)    Special Teams

When he makes his retirement official, there will be Jorgen Hus appreciate post coming. But for now consider that we will enter the new season with a new snapper and new kicker. The most “veteran” member of special teams is a mediocre punter. Other than returner we have a lot of question marks. I am at least happy we brought in a veteran snapper. But anyone not named Hus will unfortunately be a downgrade.

3 Reasons To Be Hopeful

 

1)    Offensive Continuity

Harris, Ouelette, Johnson/Emilus/Baker/Ajou/Duncan-Busby, Tommy Stevens. They are all back. Harris is coming off one of his best years. You gotta go back a while to find the last time we had the same OC and QB 3 years in a row. Most importantly, almost all of our O-line is back (an o-line that tied for second in sacks allowed last year). This team is far from an offensive juggernaut but they did finish 3^rd in offensive TDs.

 

2)    Secondary

Speaking of continuity, the entire secondary is back. While you can debate whether the Lokombo/Fields part of that is a good thing or not, amid a lot of defensive changes we should benefit from continuity in a group where communication is paramount.

 

3)    Coach Mace

The number reason you should be hopeful is the man leading the team. Mace has won everywhere he went (except Buffalo but no one wins there so its hardly a him issue). He has a ring as a player, as a D-line coach, as a D-coordinator and now a Head Coach. He has never had a losing record in his entire CFL coaching career.  The improvement in his game management from his first year as a head coach to last year was visible and significant. The only knock against the guy is he curses too much… and personally that makes me like him more. With a quality coach like Mace at the helm there is good reason to expect sustained success.

Monday Morning Sentimonies: Products I Might Like to Purchase

While green paraphernalia and Rider logos are now the norm across the province, and the world, there was a time dear reader when it was decidedly not cool to wear Rider gear. Today you might get chided for not wearing Rider gear. Back when I was in school, it was decidedly the opposite. There is a “what were you like in the 90s” trend going around social media, well merch sales were not great and Rider gear ranked slightly below itchy sweater your grandma knitted in terms of things you wanted to wear back then. 

Fortunately since the Riders’ resurgence in 2007 its been a very different story. They have stuck a Rider logo on pretty much everything imaginable and people how thrown many at the team to acquire it. 

But even in an age where the Rider store is lined with more hat and shirt options than you can count and pretty much every kitchen implement you could imagine, I believe there remains untapped potential and suggest the follow items be added. 

Bobby Jurasrin Bandana – I can’t fathom how at no point in the past 20 years this has not been available. Bring him into town for legends night. Sell it as a limited edition and just print money.

Cereal – Gone are the days of Fantuz Flakes, DariOs and whatever cereal Getzlaf had (berry crunch or something). This should be an ongoing thing. We need a new generation of player cereals to fill our pantry: Rolan Milligan Agent Os, Ajou AjO’s. I would add LokombO’s but they would probably never end up in the bowl, just fall inconveniently slightly away from where they are supposed to be. 

Condoms – Roughrider condoms seems like low hanging fruit.

Spinners – I would never by these and would make fun of anyone who did but in a province of 2x4 spoilers and Walmart underglow kits you can’t tell me that a set of low quality Rider spinner rims would not sell. Cavaliers would be lining up to get them installed.

Parachute and Zubaz pants – The fact that I can’t buy green novelty pants directly from the Riders is ridiculous. Give the people (me) what they want.

Shake and Bake (Kian edition) – How is they not a line of Shake and Bake (or at least imitation Shake and Bake) with KSB’s face on it?

Tommy Stevens Plungers – When you want the best plunger in the business reach for a Tommy Stevens.

Trevor Harris Icy Cold – To me there seems like no better spokesperson for pain cream than an old man who gets hit for a living.

What Rider products would you like to see? 

Monday Morning Sentimonies: Random Quasi Coherent Thoughts

There is not a whole lot going on the CFL world. That means you get the pleasure of my random, quasi-coherent thoughts. Strap in... 

-        We signed an O-lineman by the name of Dartanyan Tinsley. Not only does he immediately become my favourite player name, I would go one step further as GM and be actively searching for OL named Porthos, Athos and Aremis. Try and field an all Musketeers line.

-        Hell I we can find a dude named Albert then we could do all 5. That is a very obscure Saturday morning cartoon reference. So if you have no clue what I am saying that’s probably a good sign for you.

-        The Miami Dolphin’s have so much salary tied up in dead cap dollars that it would be enough to cover every CFL contract , reactivate all former American franchises and establish a Mexico team for good measure. The only group willing to pay more than the Dolphins to let their exes go enjoy their lives with other people is divorced husbands.

-        The Riders are looking for a new Gainer. I would imagine there is some pretty heavy screening to that job. By nature of the position you get ready access to a ton of children without the danger of your face being seen. That’s gotta attract from applicants you probably don’t want.

-        The Saskatoon preseason game is an example of the Riders doing something right from a marketing perspective. You can barely pay people to come to the preseason game here in Regina. The majority of season ticket holders don’t even bother. But now that its in Saskatoon, something new, something different. There is actually some demand for tickets.

-        I know there is a ton of logistical barriers but I would seriously be looking at ways to make future preseason neutral site games around the province a reality.

-        Hey Wisers, when will I be able to get my Grey Cup whiskey? 2007 and 2013 have been lonely on the shelf for a while. They need some company.  

Monday Morning Senitmonies: Same Old Themes

We are getting to the time of the year where the Riders will soon announce their theme nights for the upcoming season. Each year their best and brightest marketing experts get in a room and spend hours of effort (and billable time) to basically just end up dusting off the same list they do everyone year just in a different font (that’s how we got the Goth Labour Day Classic). I can tell you now that the list will include Home Opener (which isn’t really a theme), Retro Night, Orange Shift Game, Legends Nights, Labour Day (which is also not really a theme), Family Day, Fan Appreciation Night and whatever the online thesaurus they use comes up with as an alternative wording for Country Night. 

Now in fairness to the Riders, they did actually try a couple new ones last year. Christmas in July was a unique idea… it was not so great in practice. It could maybe work for an afternoon game but it just made an evening game feel really lame. They also tried Vegas night… though other than the title and couple on screen graphics they really didn’t do much with this one. But credit where credit where credit is due. I would rather they try new things even if they flop than just recycle the same old drivel. Unfortunately based on the new ideas flopping I do expect them to double down with the same old drivel again this year. 

As always I have some ideas (patent pending), on ideas that people might actually enjoy.

Actual Retro Night – Pitched this last year and I will continue to until they get it right. And yes, I get the irony of criticizing the Riders’ lack of creativity only to open by rehashing an existing idea. But the Riders’ current version of retro is half assed at best. A real retro night would have old school Gainer (pre- drugged out eyes), Cousin Leonard, the old faceless Worksafe Bob, paper game tickets, paper 50/50 tickets that get drawn from a raffle drum from a 50’s bingo hall. Retro prices on booze that require me to purchase drink tokens that get me my choice of beer, rye, rum or Pink Drink. Rename Pil Place Hemorrhoid Hill. Re-create a one night only university section that offers cheap tickets. Put a hot tub beside and assume nothing bad will come of that.  Riders in 90s style jerseys. Mysterious dripping water throughout the stadium that no one really want to ask too much about. Find me the dancing chicken suit guy. Play the Audio Warehouse theme that we all still know the words to. Bring back the direct west sling shots. I want the full Taylor Field experience. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons – On October 17 we play the Als at 1pm. A matinee game is the perfect opportunity for a cartooned theme game. Encourage fans to come in PJs or dressed as their favourite cartoon character. Sell sugary cereal, pop tarts and Eggos at the concession. Air old commercials and cartoon clips. Make it a family oriented day. 

Bi Mon Sci Fi Con – For the non-Simpsons fan among you that stands for Bi-Monthly Sci-Fi Convention. Set it up like a Sci-Fi convention. Bring in some b-list stars from Sci-Fi shows for a meet and greet before the game. Have people dress up as their favourite Sci Fi character. Sell green lightsabers and phasers. Have Gainer show up in a Green tardis. If you can’t find a marketing cross over between green baby Yoda and the Riders you should give on life (and yes I know his name is Grogu). 

Backwards day – This is not fleshed out at all but I feel like when we host what is technically a home game for the Argos this season there has to be a way to make it backwards day.

Wrestling Night – I maintain that this would be epic. Encourage fans to come dressed as their favourite wrestler. Have Bret Hart do the coin toss. Better yet have someone dressed in a Bomber jersey about to do the coin toss then have them get hit with a chair and then have Bret step in. Have players cut promos leading up to the game. Sell green Hitman-style sunglasses. Partner with the local wrestling promotion to put on a match at half time. Make it a couple celebrities teaming with wrestlers and build hype leading up to the contest. Sell Rider branded championship belts and luchador masks. Have a ref get “knocked out” inadvertently at some point (say when a measurement is required) and have another ref come sprinting from the tunnel. Invite the Road Dogg to do intros in the traditional New Age Outlaws way “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the Saskatchewan Roughriders proudly bring to you…”. Last but not least, gratuitous crotch chops.

Social Media Night – I actually shocked that the Riders haven’t done this yet. Generally when companies run out of ideas they assume social media is the answer. And in this case they would actually be right.  Now understand I know very little about all of this so someone younger and more with it would need to fully flesh this out. Have alternate streams of the game on YouTube or Twitch. Have local influencers take part. Encourage fans to post on IG Live, have hashtag contests. Release a dance on the Ticky-Tokies that everyone needs to learn and do instead of the 4^th quarter stretch. Have people’s Myspace page talk about the game (that’s still a thing right?). Basically turn the game into something that everyone over the age of 40 would hate/not understand. 

Purolator Tackle Hunger Night on Steroids – Tackle hunger has been a long-standing and highly valuable promotion that greatly benefits food banks across Canada. But if you want people to really get into it you need a big draw. So I say make it a contest. Say that we are trying to create the world’s largest pyramid of canned goods and encourage all fans to bring as much as they can to help us build it. Like I want a stack of canned goods that would make an OHS inspector nervous. People love contests and something this visible and simple would for sure get attention.

What do you want to see for theme nights?

Monday Morning Sentimonies: Ridiculously Early Award Predictions

As the title of this post suggests, today I will be taking a look at potential year end award winners for the Riders. Some might think its too early since we don’t even know who will be making the game day roster. Some might think this is a desperate attempt to create content during a dead zone in the CFL offseason. Some might think that based on my track record I may end up inadvertently cursing anyone I mention as a potential winner. Well just because you may be right doesn’t mean you shouldn’t shut up and just go along with it.

To make things a bit more interesting for each award I will make two predictions: a favourite and a long shot.

Most Outstanding Player

Favourite: Obviously Trevor Harris is the betting favourite. Not only does this award have a general bias towards QBs, but when he is on his game Harris remains one of the best in the league. His issue is not talent but longevity (happens to the best of us). If he strung together 18 games of his best (well let’s be more realistic and say 16 at his age) then he’d not only be our MOP but also in contention for the league award.

Long Shot: Mario Anderson. After last season, I am fairly confident in Ouelette’s durability but I could see a scenario where Ouelette gets hurt and Anderson steps into the starting role. He rushed the ball 24 times in 2025. 20% of his carries went for 10 yards or more. 20%! Now I know that is not sustainable over a full season but if he finds himself in a starting role, Anderson has all the potential to be a breakout star.

Canadian

Favourite: Without a doubt Sam Emilus is our top Canadian on the roster. Injuries were the only reason he did not post his third straight 1000 yard season. His pace over 7 games in 2025 could have positioned him for his best season ever over a full season.

Long Shot: Nelson Lokombo. Just kidding. I have a better chance at being named this team’s top Canadian. My actual pick is Lake Korte-Moore. We are in desperate need of people to step up a D-end with the departure of Carney, Baldonado and Ray. Entering his 4^th season, the former 3^rd overall pick should see his role grow. Following a year cut short by injury I expect him to have a career year and see no reason why he could not be the one to step into Baldonado’s role. 

Defensive

Favourite: This is a two horse race between Milligan and Thurman (the team nominees the past 2 years). I am going to go with Milligan. After what should have been an MOP season in 2024 he had a “down year” in 2025. Ho hum, he only had 4 interceptions. I don’t think he gets back to 2024 numbers but I think his stats trend up enough that he gets the vote once again (CFL voters are not exactly the most enlightened out there so unless there are flashy numbers they tend not to vote even if the on-field play is at an elite level). 

Long Shot: Not sure this is a super longshot but I’m going with Antoine Brooks. People lamenting the loss of Reavis are quick to forget that Brooks was our starting Cover LB to end the season and through the playoff run. He has NFL caliber talent (with a Super Bowl ring to prove it). Even Reavis himself praised the abilities of Brooks. I think he is going to have a breakout season. 

O-Lineman

Favourite: Take your pick between Hardrick and Ferland. Hardick is the reigning League Most Outstanding Lineman. Ferland is so good that I think he could legitimately win this award regardless of which position he starts in. If its not one of these two then something has gone horribly wrong (and I am probably coping with rye). 

Long Shot: Going with Daniel Johnson here. Injuries cut his first season on the active roster to just 7 games but in that time he was deemed good enough to start at tackle… and he played pretty darn good. Coming out of college he got an invite to mini-camp with Indianapolis and was always viewed as having all the athletic ability but being raw as a prospect. In 2025 we saw him start to take a leap forward in his development. I think he is poised cement himself as fulltime starter in 2026. 

Rookie

Favourite: This one is the hard by far to figure out in March. We know next to nothing about the rookies currently on the roster and the winner could even be someone we will be drafting in May. Given that our offseason plan at D-end seems to be sign a million new recruits and hope at least one turns out awesome, I am going to play the odds and say whichever rookie emerges from that D-end competition has great odds at being our Rookie of the Year (great movie by way... Rookie if the Year). Of that group I am going to go with Sundiata Anderson… in doing I have most likely cursed to Anderson to be an early cut in rookie camp. I apologize.

Long shot: With the amount of Canadian WRs we start, depth is going to be needed. That makes a guy like Daniel Wiebe very interesting to watch. He caught my eye during his time in training camp last year and ended being a finalist for the Hec Creighton trophy in 2025. He could be an injury away from legitimate playing time and he strikes me as a guy that will not relinquish his spot once he gets it.   

Special Teams

Favourite: This one is easy. We currently have no long snapper. Kicker is an open competition. And while our punter from the end of last season is back, he is anything but a lock to keep his job. So by virtue of being the only legitimate guy in the group, new returner James Letcher is the overwhelming favourite to win this one. I expect him to have a good year and be an upgrade over what Alford was by the end of the season (which was still pretty good).

Long Shot: Ending with the most outrageous long shot prediction. The winner of this award will be none other than Brett freakin’ Lauther. Hear me out!

Yes, we did just cut him and yes, he is currently unemployed. But there is a very real scenario where the Americans we brought in to replace him flame out. And then what are we going to do? Call Cambell Fair again? Just like an ex-girlfriend at 2am on a lonely night, Lauther could suddenly start getting "you up?" texts from O'Day. Hell, Paul McCallum got a second go round with the Riders and for those who weren’t around in the early 2000’s I assure you his break-up from the Riders was far messier than Lauther’s.