As anyone who follows any professional sport can tell you, it’s difficult to find a coach who is completely satisfied with their team and how things are progressing through a season.
There’s always something to work on, something to improve to get things to an even higher level, no matter how much success they might have.
Saskatchewan Roughriders offensive coordinator Marc Mueller is firmly in that camp.
Mueller spoke with the Voice of the Roughriders Dave Thomas at practice earlier this week and offered that while there have been plenty of positives, there’s still an equal amount of work to do in order to get back to the Grey Cup-winning level of last year.
“if the outcome was different in Hamilton, I'd probably be a little happier, but I think we're getting better,” Mueller said, pointing out that a ton of players have seen action this season due to injuries, but Saskatchewan has still found itself in contention with a 6-3 record at the halfway mark.
“It shows that in the CFL you can say it as much as you want, that it's going to take everyone in this room to get to where we want to go, but until they have something like this, you might not believe it. So I think we're a work in progress, just like anyone at the halfway point should be.”
A major factor in the Riders’ success has been their balance. Four times Saskatchewan has crossed the 100 yard mark in rushing this season, and all four games have ended in wins. That shows that when things are going on all facets of the offence, the Riders are a dangerous team.
Much of that comes from just how well the offensive line has played in those games, Mueller said, with the combination of protecting Trevor Harris and opening holes for the backs helping on all fronts.
“I think it's important for the offensive line so the defence just can't pin their ears back and rush the passer,” he explained. “We have a great quarterback, a guy who's going to the Hall of Fame, but you still need to be able to help the offensive line protect him.
“Running the ball helps the receivers get open more, it helps the offensive line protect better, it helps the quarterback have bigger windows. They can't just be one-sided, all run or all pass. It’s very important for victory at all levels of football, but especially here in the CFL with the three downs.”
As for Harris himself, Mueller had nothing but praise. The veteran pivot is on pace to pass for close to 6,000 yards this season, sitting at 2,862 yards at the midway point of the campaign.
“From a fan standpoint, I admire the way he plays, it's very impressive,” Mueller said. “He has great eye level, he stands in the pocket, he'll hold on to the ball a half second longer to get hit and make a big play. From a coach and teammate point of view, I'm very grateful to have him. I think he's playing at the highest level and I think the best part about Trevor is he works so hard that he should continue to get better.”
The second half of the Roughriders' season begins on Sunday night when the Riders travel to B.C. to face the Lions. The Rider Broadcast Network pregame show begins at 2 p.m. and Thomas and Luc Mullinder will have the call at kick-off at 5 p.m.
