With a new kicker, long snapper, and punter, Saskatchewan Roughriders' special teams coordinator Kent Maugeri shares how they are adapting to the system.
"It takes time. It's reps, it really is, and the same thing. Even a lot of our cover players are new. So it's taking time, taking reps, and you have to learn from the good. You learn from the bad. Hopefully, we don't have much more bad, but the guys that we have are great, and that's all you can ask for," Maugeri told hosts Teagan Witko and Dave Thomas on the SportsCage.
"They care. They want to be pros. They want to be elite. So they come to work every day; they're early, they stay late. They're trying to improve, which is the key."
The Riders' new kicker is Alex Hale, and Maugeri reflected on his latest performance against the Toronto Argonauts.
"He's getting more time with the new long snapper, with the holder. We had Aaron Crawford out there, he got injured. So Mike Benson comes and it's different. Everything is new. It's like a quarterback throwing to a receiver. When there are sight adjustments and things like that, you have to build up and get used to the guys you're playing with," Maugeri said.
"So I think it's time now. He's getting into a rhythm. He's got a real clean swing. He's got good power and gets great lift. I think he's got a bright future."
Saskatchewan lost to Toronto 40-34, and Hale finished the game making both of his field goals and converting all four of his extra point attempts.
As for punting, Maugeri shared his opinion on the team's new punter, Oscar Chapman.
"He's going to be special, he really is and he'll prove that here soon," Maugeri detailed.
"I think when it's not so dang windy every game… we've had two game plans, one with the wind in our back and one going into it in the kicking game, which has been challenging. But for him, he's a special talent. He's got great hands. He's got poise. He can see things. He's got a bunch of different shots, powerful leg accuracy, and he's a great athlete. Everything in a punter that you want, he's got."
The punter Chapman beat out was Jessie Mirco, who was on the team last year. Meanwhile, Hale replaced Brett Lauther, who is now with the Ottawa Redblacks.
While Maugeri is excited about the team's future in special teams, one of his players, Nick Wiebe, wants to reassure fans that the team won't allow back-to-back-to-back weeks with returns for touchdowns.
"We're not leveraging the ball well on punts. Guys need to understand their job, me included. Everybody needs to tighten up their lanes a little bit better and leverage the ball," Wiebe told Dave Thomas.
"We're going against dangerous returners and they'll make you pay if you don't, so it's what we've got the last two weeks. We're going to make that one the last one."
The first touchdown happened against the Calgary Stampeders when Tyreik McAllister returned a missed field goal 120 yards to finish out the second quarter. As for the Toronto game, their returner Janarion Grant returned a 68-yard punt in the first quarter.
Looking at Ottawa, Maugeri knows they will face a challenge when it comes to their special teams.
"They got a special returner [Kalil Pimpleton]. They got a really good kicker [Brett Lauther]. He's healthy this year, which I'm happy for him. Their punter [James Burnip] is a really good player. He's similar to ours. He's got a lot of talent, a lot of leg strength, and they've got a good nucleus of core teamers," Maugeri explained.
"It's going to be a tough, physical, hopefully exciting brand of football. We'll be ready to roll."
This season, Pimpleton already has a kick-off return for a touchdown and Lauther hasn't missed a field goal going 10-10 in 2026.
As for the weather, Maugeri knows that in Ottawa it will be unpredictable.
"I check the forecast every day, and it changes every day," Maugeri joked. "I wait until it gets a little bit closer, but we're preparing to have that bucket of water out there for practice, and we'll get ready to roll. I'll bring my rain jacket."
Saskatchewan travels to Ottawa to take on the Redblacks Friday. Catch the Rider Broadcast Network pre-game show at 2:30 p.m. Dave Thomas and Luc Mullinder have the game call at 5 p.m. You can either watch the stream or listen on the 620 CKRM Co-operators Rider Broadcast Network.
