The Saskatchewan Roughriders turned the page on training camp and moved into regular season mode Sunday at Mosaic Stadium. The Riders held their first day one practice for the 2025 regular season without 17 players who were released on Saturday.
The workout, delayed 40 minutes due to smoke in the air, saw the team introduce a scout team to challenge both the offence and defence. On special teams, Brett Lauther worked on his kick-offs and field goals into the south end zone. Joe Couch, who was placed on the practice roster on Saturday, was the lone punter on the field and he took numerous reps working both cross-field and into the south end zone. Couch is the lone punter on the Riders’ roster after the team placed Bailey Flint on the suspended list. Head coach Corey Mace explained the punting situation is still fluid.
“We've got some other competition out there. Myself — if you see me punting, I'm pretty sweet. Sam Emilus has a good leg, but we got one in the building and we're happy with Joe. We'll see how it shakes out game day," Mace said.
Punter aside, Mace, entering his second season as bench boss, is excited about his roster.
“We're a hungry, hungry veteran team. We have the people in place who aren't afraid to do hard work in the dirty areas or do it the hard way, which certainly speaks to what a CFL season is all about. It's a physical group," Mace said.
Quarterback Trevor Harris, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Saturday, is excited for what the offence can become.
“I see a lot of ability, a lot of potential, but that doesn't mean that it always equates. Everybody's seen rooms that are very capable that don't achieve what they want to," Harris said. "A lot of times it can come down to details, it can come down to effort or execution or whatever it is, but we've got a group that's very motivated, that has that potential. You try and temper your expectations, but I think this group can do some special things.”
Harris knows a lot of those expectations rely on his right arm and getting into a rhythm on offence.
“It's me hitting my spots and trying to be a mailman, trying to deliver the mail on time and let these guys do what they do with it because they're special. Once we can get them in the open field and the ball on time, that's where I think we'll see some great things," Harris explained.
Defensively, Jameer Thurman, who is poised to play in his 100th CFL game, is happy with the defenders that surround him.
“There’s a lot of guys that are hungry to go out there and dominate on Thursday," the 30-year-old said.
Thurman knows the veteran group he is part of on defence has increased expectations after the 2024 season.
“I’ve got to go out there and do my job one play at a time, bring guys along with me and go out there and win.”
Second-year receiver KeeSean Johnson is looking to build on 2024, which saw him catch 56 passes for 746 yards and five touchdowns in his first season in Saskatchewan. He knows those individual numbers are only possible if the entire offence is working. With early injuries on the offensive line, Johnson isn’t concerned.”
“We got a lot of dogs in our offence starting from the O-line. Guys that had to step up. We got a lot of dogs and we're going to put our best foot forward each week,” the 28-year-old said.
Johnson has been catching passes throughout training camp from the four quarterbacks that remain on the Riders roster: Harris, Jake Maier, Jack Coan and Tommy Stevens. Mace believes those quarterbacks have earned the right to stay with the team.
“We love these guys. Jack played a really good preseason game and he's been showing his skill set throughout camp. We wanted to see if there was a way that we could get all four and I’m glad that we got that done to have those guys here.”
12 players didn’t fully participate in Sunday’s practice:
FB – Albert Awachie – DNP
REC – Shawn Bane Jr. – DNP
OL – Jacob Brammer – Limited
DL – Charbel Dabire – DNP
DB – Jaxon Ford – DNP
OL – Phillipe Gagnon – DNP
DL – Lake Korte-Moore – FULL
DB – Nelson Lokombo – Limited
OL – Brayden Knoll – Limited
DB – Kosi Onyeka – DNP
DL – Shane Ray – Limited
The Roughriders open the regular season on Thursday when the team hosts the Ottawa Redblacks. Kick-off is at 7 p.m. Coverage begins on the 620 CKRM Rider Broadcast Network at 4 p.m.