Latest news with #AdamKorsak
National Post
11-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Roughriders training camp preview: Special teams and coaching staff
Article content The 2025 Canadian Football League season is approaching as the Saskatchewan Roughriders have opened training camp. Article content Article content After previewing the offence and the defence in these recent articles, it's time to look at the special teams and coaches as training camp is underway: Article content This group features two returning starters as Brett Lauther will continue to handle kicking duties for Saskatchewan in 2025 while the longest-serving member of the team, Jorgen Hus, will continue to serve as the long snapper. National kicker Ben Hadley, who participated in rookie camp, was moved to the retired list on Saturday. Article content Article content As for the punting situation, that's something that will be sorted out in camp after the recent announcement that Adam Korsak has been transferred to the retired list ahead of the 2025 season. Article content Kosask has been a phenomenal punter for Saskatchewan for the past two seasons after he beat out Kaare Vedvik for the starting job in 2023. Now, it's up to Joe Couch, who spent the 2024 season on the Riders practice roster, or fellow Australian Bailey Flint, who was signed by the Riders this off-season after playing eight games with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last year, to win the starting job. Article content While they also drafted another Global punter in Jesse Mirco, who remains unsigned, the punting job truly looks like it will be decided in camp and be won by whoever has the best performance in practice and the two exhibition games. Additionally, backup kicker Ben Hadley has been moved to the retired list ahead of camp. Article content Article content Plenty of continuity with this group as Corey Mace is back for his second season with the Roughriders after turning the team around in 2024. Article content Article content Mace has built the culture he said he was going to establish with plenty of buy in from the fellow coaches and players. Now it's about building on that in 2025 as expectations continue to rise. Article content Former Grey Cup champion Andrew Harris joins the staff this year to lead former teammate A.J. Ouellette and the running backs (replacing Anthony Vitale) while former University of Regina Rams offensive coordinator Josh Donnelly joins the team as an offensive assistant. Article content Defensively, Mace will continue to call the play while Phillip Daniels (defensive line) and Joshua Bell (defensive backs) are also back from 2024. Travis Brown will be leading the linebackers this year as he takes over for J.C. Sherritt, who is now the defensive coordinator for the Edmonton Elks.
CBC
09-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Aussie punter finding his footing with the Sask. Roughriders
Joe Couch is a long way from home. The Aussie punter has taken the long way to Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp. "I tried Aussie rules football back home and it just didn't work out for me," Couch said after the Riders rookie training camp practice on Thursday in Saskatoon. "I had a father that played for a long time and I tried to chase that, but I got to a point where I was like, you know what, I'm gonna try something different." Couch had friends who had come over to the U.S., so he sent film to some colleges and ended up playing three years at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark. Couch said that when he came up to Regina last May, he was surprised at how warm it was. "Then you figure out a couple months later it's a little bit chilly," he said. Couch said he's been working on his consistency in his quest to be the team's punter. "I probably had the best teacher in Adam [Korsak] last year," Couch said of the fellow Aussie punter who retired this year after playing the past two seasons with the Riders. "He's the smartest punter I've ever come across. Learning from him wasn't just catch and kick, he taught me about the sport and the craft of punting." Riders head coach Corey Mace said Couch has a huge leg. "He has just a boomer of a leg and I know the thing he wanted to work on the most this off-season was just his placement," Mace said. "For him to have self reflection on that and put a full off-season into that, I'm looking forward to when we have full special teams periods to see that work come to fruition for him." Couch said having to kick in the windy conditions of the Prairies is challenging. "The wind is blowing one way and then it's going the opposite direction on the other side of the field," he said. "Playing in Saskatchewan is going to make you a better punter because your technique just has to be so spot on." Fellow rookie kicker Ben Hadley, who hails from the Maritimes, agreed the wind is something you have to contend with. "I thought I was coming from the windiest part of the the country, but I guess it's pretty windy out here too," said Hadley, who played five seasons with USport's Saint Francis Xavier X-Men. "It's definitely a different environment out here," Hadley said of his first pro experience.. "I'm just trying to come in, do my job, have some fun and and do whatever the team kind of needs me to do." He said one difference is he did a lot more kicking in practice at the university level. "They're always telling me stop kicking, don't over kick. And that's been hard to get through at first, because all I want to do is just kick, kick, kick," he said. "I have to realize that it's a long training camp and I got to be healthy at the end too." Rider placekicker and fellow Bluenoser Brett Lauther reached out to Hadley before camp. "He's a Nova Scotia, kind of, legend and to hear from him was pretty cool," said Hadley, who skipped his graduation ceremony to get ready for camp. Mace said Hadley has shown he belongs in camp. 'He's been a good kicker throughout USports and even in pre-practice you see him one-stepping some 45 to 50 [yarders]," Mace said. "So he's got the leg talent to do it and he definitely deserves an opportunity."
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Roughriders Mailbag: Expectations? New punter? Draft picks? Where's Hickson?
Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Brayden Misseri (77) is on the field during day one of Saskatchewan Roughriders rookie training camp at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park. (Credit: Michelle Berg) Welcome to another edition of the Roughriders Mailbag where we answer questions readers have about the Saskatchewan Roughriders. With rookie camp underway this week before main training camp opens on Sunday, it's time to answer some more questions about the Green and White heading into a new season. From some positional battles to watch to the status of draft picks to why running back Frankie Hickson wasn't re-signed, we dive into a few hot topics in this week's mailbag. If you'd like to submit a question for the next Roughriders Mailbag, email your inquiry to: SaskatchewanRoughriders@ ADVERTISEMENT Will this team be better than they were in 2024? From Doug It appears the Roughriders certainly could — and should — be better this year. After missing the playoffs with 6-12 records in 2022 and 2023, the Green and White bounced back in a big way last year under first-year head coach Corey Mace, who guided the team to a 9-8-1 regular season record and West final berth. At times, the Roughriders looked like a West Division powerhouse. However, at other times, the team looked reminiscent of their 2022 and 2023 selves as they went on a lengthy winless drought in the middle of the season. A big reason for their downward slide was health and the injury to starting quarterback Trevor Harris, who missed six games in the middle part of the season. The team was 7-4-1 with him in the lineup. With Harris healthy at quarterback, a healthy A.J. Ouellette at running back, a strong cast of returning receivers, an improved and healthy offensive line and a defence that has the talent to be even better than they were last year, there's no reason to think the Saskatchewan Roughriders won't be in the mix come Grey Cup time in November. ADVERTISEMENT Maybe don't plan the parade just yet but get ready to enjoy an entertaining season. Who will replace Adam Korsak? From Marnie When the Roughriders signed Global punter Bailey Flint this off-season in free agency, it was almost like the team knew Adam Korsak, who was Saskatchewan's punter in 2023 and 2024, was going to retire. Maybe they did know. Flint is certainly the front-runner to win the starting punting job for the Riders this year given his experience playing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last year, but he will no doubt be pushed by fellow Australian Joe Couch, who spent the 2024 season on Saskatchewan's practice roster behind Korsak. While the Riders also drafted punter Jesse Mirco in the Global draft, he remains unsigned so at this point it's going to be a two-horse race. Does their No. 1 pick have NFL aspirations before signing with the Riders? From Steve ADVERTISEMENT On Monday, the Roughriders announced the signing of four members of their 2025 draft class, but one of those players was not first-round pick Ali Saad, a defensive lineman who played at Bowling Green State University last season. We expected second-round pick Erik Andersen, an offensive lineman who has been invited to an NFL minicamp, to remain unsigned along with third-round pick Kurtis Rourke, a quarterback who was drafted to the NFL, but it was expected Saad would be in Saskatchewan in time for rookie camp Wednesday. When speaking with reporters on draft night after hearing his name called by Saskatchewan, Saad seemed excited about joining the Green and White as he had no NFL opportunities. Maybe something has changed from then until now but it's certainly a storyline to watch. Why was Frankie Hickson not re-signed — all he did was produce? From Clay Since his CFL debut in 2022, Hickson, 28, has been more than a serviceable running back in his three years with the Roughriders, running the ball 223 times in 32 games for a 5.3-yard average. ADVERTISEMENT In his first start last year, Hickson had a 117-yard rushing performance in Week 8 with Ouellette injured. However, Hickson's production slowly dipped from there and the writing was on the wall for him when the team signed Ryquell Armstead midway through the season, forcing Hickson back to the practice roster. With Hickson not being re-signed and Armstead being released, it's clear the team is hoping to give more opportunity to some younger running backs this year including Khalan Laborn (25), Trent Pennix (25) and Mario Anderson (24), who were all signed this off-season. tshire@ Related The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Roughriders transfer punter Adam Korsak to retired list
The Saskatchewan Roughriders will have a new punter for the 2025 CFL season. On Friday, the Green and White announced that Global punter Adam Korsak has been moved to the retired list after two seasons with the club. After being drafted by Saskatchewan in the first round, third overall in the 2023 Global draft, Korsak won the punting job over Kaare Vedvik in training camp. In his first season, Korsak played all 18 regular season games in 2023, averaging 47.9 yards per punt, while being named Saskatchewan's rookie of the year, the club's top special teams player and a West division all-star. In 2024, the 27-year-old Australian followed that up with another strong season as he averaged 47.2 yards per punt, which ranked fifth in the CFL. As the Roughriders get set to opening training camp on May 11, they currently have two Australian punters under contract including Joe Couch, 30, who spent the 2024 season on Saskatchewan's practice roster and Bailey Flint, 28, who was signed by the Riders this off-season after playing eight games for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last year, averaging 45.1 yards per punt. Additionally, Saskatchewan recently drafted punter Jesse Mirco in the 2025 Global draft but he remains unsigned. The Roughriders also announced the addition of two American offensive linemen on Friday as Payton Collins and Jake Levengood signed with the club. Collins, a 6-foot-7, 301-pound Ohio native, is coming off a six-year collegiate career at Eastern Kentucky where he set a program record by starting 56 consecutive games. Last season, he earned All-American honours for a second time in his career. Levengood, a 6-foot-4, 294-pound California native, played the last six seasons at Oregon State University, where he suited up for 49 games including 10 at centre last season. tshire@ Roughriders select QB Rourke, DL Saad, five others in CFL draft Shire: Roughriders draft QB Kurtis Rourke after listening to sage advice The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
National Post
02-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Roughriders transfer punter Adam Korsak to retired list
Article content The Saskatchewan Roughriders will have a new punter for the 2025 CFL season. Article content Article content On Friday, the Green and White announced that Global punter Adam Korsak has been moved to the retired list after two seasons with the club. Article content After being drafted by Saskatchewan in the first round, third overall in the 2023 Global draft, Korsak won the punting job over Kaare Vedvik in training camp. Article content In his first season, Korsak played all 18 regular season games in 2023, averaging 47.9 yards per punt, while being named Saskatchewan's rookie of the year, the club's top special teams player and a West division all-star. Article content In 2024, the 27-year-old Australian followed that up with another strong season as he averaged 47.2 yards per punt, which ranked fifth in the CFL. Article content As the Roughriders get set to opening training camp on May 11, they currently have two Australian punters under contract including Joe Couch, 30, who spent the 2024 season on Saskatchewan's practice roster and Bailey Flint, 28, who was signed by the Riders this off-season after playing eight games for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last year, averaging 45.1 yards per punt. Article content Additionally, Saskatchewan recently drafted punter Jesse Mirco in the 2025 Global draft but he remains unsigned. Article content The Roughriders also announced the addition of two American offensive linemen on Friday as Payton Collins and Jake Levengood signed with the club. Article content Collins, a 6-foot-7, 301-pound Ohio native, is coming off a six-year collegiate career at Eastern Kentucky where he set a program record by starting 56 consecutive games. Last season, he earned All-American honours for a second time in his career. Article content Levengood, a 6-foot-4, 294-pound California native, played the last six seasons at Oregon State University, where he suited up for 49 games including 10 at centre last season. Article content Article content
