Latest news with #CoreyMace
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Davis: Got any change, Saskatchewan Roughriders? Not really, no ...
Article content The Saskatchewan Roughriders just went through three-plus weeks of rookie/training camps, lost two CFL pre-season games while scoring only one touchdown and emerged without really changing anything. Article content Article content Change, evidently, isn't needed for a team intending to be better than a West division finalist. Article content After falling one game shy of qualifying for the 2024 Grey Cup, Riders general manager Jeremy O'Day and his staff along with head coach Corey Mace and his assistants spent the off-season configuring this season's roster. They secured all eight of last season's all-stars, let some backbenchers leave and signed a few newcomers to key positions. Article content Article content The starting rosters were certainly predetermined before camp. The Roughriders' current roster is basically identical to what they envisioned in March. Article content Article content 'From the totality of it, yeah,' Mace said after the team's practice Sunday at Mosaic Stadium. 'But there was heavy competition for guys to solidify their spots.' Article content No breakout stars forced the Riders brass to change their minds. Return specialist Drae McCray was the most captivating of the prospects, but suffering an injury during Saskatchewan's 27-20, smoke-delayed loss to the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers may have kept him from unseating veteran Mario Alford. The Roughriders said 26,293 tickets were distributed for Friday's game but it looked like nearly half of them went unused. Article content All nine CFL teams announced their final cuts Saturday night. Article content The Roughriders cut 17 players, signed 11 to their practice roster, put five Canadian draft choices on their retired list (so they can return to university) and suspended one. Many of the moves are administrative, designed to protect players from rival teams until the Roughriders begin their regular season Thursday against the visiting Ottawa Redblacks. There will be roster tinkering before the opener. Article content Article content The suspended player is punter Bailey Flint, who likely lost a challenge against Joe Couch for the only starting spot available when the Riders began practising May 7 in Saskatoon. That spot opened because dependable punter Adam Korsak unexpectedly retired during the off-season. The Roughriders initially auditioned Flint, but after he averaged only 40.6 yards per punt in their first pre-season game they recalled Couch, who averaged 45.2 yards on six punts in the pre-season finale. Article content
Ottawa Citizen
a day ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Davis: Got any change, Saskatchewan Roughriders? Not really, no ...
Article content The Saskatchewan Roughriders just went through three-plus weeks of rookie/training camps, lost two CFL pre-season games while scoring only one touchdown and emerged without really changing anything. Article content Article content Change, evidently, isn't needed for a team intending to be better than a West division finalist. Article content After falling one game shy of qualifying for the 2024 Grey Cup, Riders general manager Jeremy O'Day and his staff along with head coach Corey Mace and his assistants spent the off-season configuring this season's roster. They secured all eight of last season's all-stars, let some backbenchers leave and signed a few newcomers to key positions. Article content Article content The starting rosters were certainly predetermined before camp. The Roughriders' current roster is basically identical to what they envisioned in March. Article content Article content 'From the totality of it, yeah,' Mace said after the team's practice Sunday at Mosaic Stadium. 'But there was heavy competition for guys to solidify their spots.' Article content No breakout stars forced the Riders brass to change their minds. Return specialist Drae McCray was the most captivating of the prospects, but suffering an injury during Saskatchewan's 27-20, smoke-delayed loss to the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers may have kept him from unseating veteran Mario Alford. The Roughriders said 26,293 tickets were distributed for Friday's game but it looked like nearly half of them went unused. Article content All nine CFL teams announced their final cuts Saturday night. Article content The Roughriders cut 17 players, signed 11 to their practice roster, put five Canadian draft choices on their retired list (so they can return to university) and suspended one. Many of the moves are administrative, designed to protect players from rival teams until the Roughriders begin their regular season Thursday against the visiting Ottawa Redblacks. There will be roster tinkering before the opener. Article content Article content The suspended player is punter Bailey Flint, who likely lost a challenge against Joe Couch for the only starting spot available when the Riders began practising May 7 in Saskatoon. That spot opened because dependable punter Adam Korsak unexpectedly retired during the offseason. The Roughriders initially auditioned Flint, but after he averaged only 40.6 yards per punt in their first preseason game they recalled Couch, who averaged 45.2 yards on six punts in the preseason finale. Article content
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
‘The outcome absolutely matters': Roughrider back-ups get chance to prove themselves as team rests starters in preseason finale
Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Corey Mace looks down during the first half of CFL football action in Regina, on Sunday, June 23, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu
CTV News
4 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
‘Everything I ever wanted to do in my life': Riders' Hardrick still young at heart
Jemarcus Hardrick was a participant in practice sessions this week, as the Riders prepare for their final pre-season game on Friday. (Jacob Carr / CTV News) Saskatchewan Roughriders offensive lineman Jermarcus Hardrick was one of the team's biggest free agent signings in 2024. Unfortunately, his season was ended by a quad injury after only five weeks, but 2025 is a new year. 'It's amazing, at the young age of 23 still being able to do what I love,' Hardrick joked. 'No, I actually enjoy the game and just being able to miss it last year and watch it from the sidelines and just thinking it was over, this is everything I ever wanted to do in my life.' Hardrick was a participant in practice sessions this week, as the Riders prepare for their final pre-season game on Friday. However, the team's coaching staff knows that at 34 years old and coming off a serious leg injury, they need to be smart about getting Hardrick up to full speed again. 'We're trying to be smart in how we deploy him,' Saskatchewan Roughriders Head Coach Corey Mace said. 'It's a fine line of knowing if he's going to be in game shape too even as big of [a] man that he is, but also just being cognizant of him coming off an injury last year.' Mace said Hardrick has an infectious personality and is one of the team's unquestioned leaders. 'He always comes out with energy but he's the guy that's 15, 20 yards down the field chasing the football whether it's a run or pass. He's communicating his tail off with his offensive line and even the receivers and backs. He's just a consummate pro and has all the intangibles that we look for.' The Riders have already lost two offensive linemen to long-term injuries before the commencement of the regular season. Philippe Gagnon to a torn bicep, and Sean McEwen to a torn ACL. You won't hear excuses from Hardrick or any of his linemates, though. 'Everything is perfect, we can't control anything and whatever comes is perfect, that's the mindset. And Logan is doing a great job, he's the best example of it just last year playing everywhere. if Logan's not complaining, nobody should complain,' Hardrick said. Hardrick will not be on the active roster for Friday's preseason finale at Mosaic Stadium. The Riders then have a quick turnaround for the CFL season opener on Thursday June 5.
CTV News
6 days ago
- General
- CTV News
New year, new attitude and a new number for Riders Jaxon Ford
WATCH: After missing most of his sophomore season due to injury, Jaxon Ford is ready to make an impact. Jacob Carr has the story. Saskatchewan Roughriders' defensive back Jaxon Ford was forced to miss a large portion of the 2024 season with a broken bone in his wrist. But all that time off gave Ford an opportunity to see the defensive side of the game through a different lens. 'Last year definitely helped me learn the defense from a different perspective. I wasn't taking too many reps, so I was taking a lot of mental reps, and just asking and talking to the guys about it definitely helped, just a different perspective,' Ford told CTV News. A clean bill of health isn't all that's new about Ford in 2025, he also switched numbers, from 17 to 21. It was a three-way trade of numbers formulated by Ford and Riders' quarterback Tommy Stevens. Stevens wanted 17 and Ford wanted 21, which was already slated to Nelson Lokombo. According to Ford, after several text messages to Lokombo from both Stevens and Ford, they finally wore him down and Lokombo agreed to switch to his current number 25. 'A win for everyone,' Ford said. The defensive back now gets to wear the same number as his grandfather Al did back in his Riders playing days from 1965 to 1976. 'It means a lot, not only to me but the whole family. I remember when I told him about it, he was very emotional, me too, so yeah it means a lot,' Ford said. Riders Head Coach Corey Mace said that if Ford's stellar preseason performance was any indication of his play moving forward, the switch to number 21 should have happened earlier. 'Yeah, I think we should have changed his number years ago. I didn't [get] to watch Al out there, if he was anything like that, Jaxon looked like a different guy, and he had the sidelines going. He played really well,' Mace noted. 'So really pleased with his effort and again he's kind of set a new bar for himself and that's the expectation that we all expect from him.' Ford registered four defensive tackles and two tackles for a loss in Saskatchewan's first preseason game against Winnipeg last weekend and displayed a high level of physicality. 'The new me, smarter, more aggressive – that's how I would describe the new me for sure,' he said. Ford's goals are team-oriented in 2025, and after watching from the sidelines as the Riders lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in last year's western final – he wants to help Saskatchewan finish the job. 'I think every year is important for me, but yeah this is an important year for us, for the franchise,' Ford explained. 'We have to take that next step this year.'
