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The Roughriders are heading into Year 2 under head coach, GM and vice-president of football operations Chris Jones — and are hoping for their long-awaited turnaround. MICHAEL BELL

PLAYING CATCH-UP Riders resolve to make amends following 2016’s Farewell Season M U R R AY M C C O R M I C K

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are hoping that the 2017 season makes up for a forgettable 2016 campaign.

The Riders are to kick off the 2017 regular season Thursday against Darian Durant and the host Montreal Alouettes. On July 1, the Riders will play host to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the first CFL regular-season game at the $278-million Mosaic Stadium.

It replaces Taylor Field, which had been the Riders’ full-time home since 1936.

The Riders didn’t fare well in what was dubbed the “The Farewell Season.” The 2016 Roughriders lost 10 of their first 11 regularseason games en route to finishing with a 5-13 record and missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

“There are always lessons to be learned from a winning season or a losing season,’’ said Riders receiver Rob Bagg. “You don’t want to completely forget last season because there were reasons why we only won five games. You want to acknowledge those so you don’t repeat them. At the same time, it’s a fresh start and we’re excited about that.’’

Last season was Chris Jones’ first as the Riders’ head coach, general manager and vice-president of football operations. He was introduced to the Rider Nation on Dec. 7, 2015, eight days after coaching the Edmonton Eskimos to a Grey Cup championship.

Shortly after the introductory media conference, Jones announced that all but one member of the Eskimos’ Cup-winning coaching staff was following him to Regina. While Jones and Co. were inheriting a team that won only three games in 2015, it was felt they could turn around the Riders.

However, there wasn’t any quick turnaround as the 2016 season marked the first time that Jones had missed the playoffs since making his CFL debut in 2002.

It was also a remarkable fall for a coaching staff that went 26-10 over its two seasons with the Eskimos.

“It gets me grey hairs and I lose sleep,’’ offensive co-ordinator and assistant head coach Stephen McAdoo said of the rare losing season. “It makes everyone in the offseason hungrier and they all want to work harder. They are trying to learn more and working on their craft more.

“As coaches, we’re trying to find every play or anything that we can do to make our guys better. We critique everything right down to the release of a route to the drop of a quarterback to the steps of a lineman to anything it may be as we try to hit every nook and cranny.’’

Craig Dickenson, the Riders’ special-teams co-ordinator, was left with mixed emotions after the 2016 season.

“For me, it was humbling because I thought we would be better,’’ he said. “It was also very motivating because it’s no fun going home in November. You want to keep play-

ing and then you see guys playing on Sundays in the West Division final and the Grey Cup. “It was a humbling experience but it wasn’t the first time because I have been on some teams that have struggled. For myself, it’s motivating because you want to do as well as you can.’’

Last year was a lost season for many reasons. Injuries were an issue from the opening day of training camp, especially along the offensive line. The 2016 Riders reportedly lost 249 man-games to injuries.

Jones and the Riders’ footballoperations staff had scouted hundreds of players leading up to the 2016 season. Many of the players who survived the free-agent camps and earned contracts weren’t able to come together in a timely manner.

The Riders also had to deal with distractions. In August they were fined a total of $75,000 and had $26,000 deducted from the salary cap for ratio and roster violations that included having unsigned prospects practising against players who were under contract.

Later, the CFL team was fined $5,000 for standing on the Calgary Stampeders’ logo for too long before a game at McMahon Stadium.

The Riders put the distractions behind them and got healthier in the second half of the season.

Things also began to click at key positions like the offensive line and in the secondary.

There were still issues, but the Riders closed out the season by

winning four of their final six games.

The ending provided the Riders with optimism that things might change in 2017.

“We have a new identity this year,’’ said cornerback Kacy Rodgers. “It started in training camp with the conditioning, the physicality and the mental toughness.

We had it last year, but we were inconsistent. We would have a couple of good weeks and we might have taken a couple of plays off and

If you let whatever pressure there is get to you, then you will never be successful.

I know what’s at stake and everybody on our football team knows what’s at stake. We just have to do our jobs.

CHRIS JONES

that ended up in losses for us. We can’t do that this year.’’

There is pressure on the Riders to avoid another season like 2016, especially considering the new stadium.

“There is pressure every year because it’s pro football and there is pressure to win the first football game,’’ Jones said. “If you let whatever pressure there is get to you, then you will never be successful.

I know what’s at stake and everybody on our football team knows what’s at stake. We just have to do our jobs.’’

The new stadium looms over multiple aspects of the Riders’ 2017 season and beyond.

“It’s a beautiful place and it’s certainly something that our province and our fans should be proud of,’’ Jones said. “Our players love it. I’ve tried to warn them that it’s only as good as the players we put in it.

They need to do the things they have always done, regardless of if we’re playing in an empty parking lot or a brand-new stadium.’’

The keys to a successful inaugural season for the Riders are simple. They need to stay healthy.

They will also require solid quarterbacking and appear to have that with veteran Kevin Glenn as the starting pivot.

The offensive line has to be more cohesive and that should take place with the addition of veterans like Derek Dennis and Peter Dyakowski and the return of Brendon LaBatte. The defence also has to be better, with the secondary improving its ability to cover.

“We have to have a little luck in sports,’’ Dickenson said. “You have to stay healthy and have the right guys in the right spots. We feel that we have good leadership on this team and there is a different vibe in the locker-room and you can already feel it.” mmccormick@postmedia.com twitter.com/murraylp

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Roughriders boss Chris Jones incurred the wrath of many by releasing popular slotback Weston Dressler, shown making a catch for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last season. MICHAEL BELL

ROUGHRIDERS NEED TO TRY WINNING FOR A CHANGE RO B VA N S T O N E

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have won 10 of their past 45 meaningful games. Talk of a dynasty is premature.

They have an expensive new stadium and a pricey (inhale) head coach, defensive coordinator, general manager and vice-president of football operations (exhale), but generally have difficulty cashing in on the field.

Enough of this.

Try winning for a change — a significant chunk of change, in fact.

Give the fans, and the taxpayers, bang for their bucks.

Or start all over again.

The honeymoon is over for Chris Jones, who leads the CFL

in job descriptions and controversial coaching/personnel moves.

He has had one full season in which to tear apart and restock a team that finished with a leagueworst 3-15 record in 2015.

He is employed by a team that has seemingly infinite financial resources, but even modest success on the gridiron would be an improvement.

Jones is coming off a 5-13 season as the Roughriders’ vicepresident of everything. The dismal record actually flattered the Green and White, which was 1-10 before posting four victories that did not influence the playoff picture.

So much more should be expected — no, demanded — in Year 2 of the Jones regime.

The mantra, after all, is “sustained success.”

After 2 ½ years of “football” that has often bordered on the unwatchable, the Roughriders are poised to launch their

2017 season — their first at the $278-million Mosaic Stadium (which replaces what is now the $2.78 Mosaic Stadium).

On Thursday against the host Montreal Alouettes, whose quarterback is somebody named Darian Durant, the Roughriders will take their first shot at atoning for a somniferous stretch that dates back to mid-September of 2014.

The looming matchup with Montreal will serve as an early barometer as to whether Jones acted prudently by opting against re-signing Durant and instead trading him.

Jones cannot afford to swing and miss with this one. Sans Durant, the Roughriders must receive playoff-calibre quarterbacking.

If not, the Roughriders will almost certainly experience another difficult season, and the buzzards will be circling around Jones.

In today’s CFL, with the prevalence of one-year con-

tracts, reality hardly allows for a lengthy rebuilding process. Two years is an eternity — more than enough time in which to field a contender.

As a classic example, consider the Ottawa Redblacks.

In their maiden season of 2014, the Redblacks posted a 2-16 record.

The next year, Ottawa advanced to the Grey Cup before losing a nail-biter to the Jonescoached Eskimos.

Ottawa took the next step last November, registering a 39-33 overtime victory over the favoured Calgary Stampeders to capture Earl Grey’s grail.

The Redblacks are ideally positioned to enjoy sustained success — to borrow the mantra of Roughriders president-CEO Craig Reynolds.

Reynolds raided the Eskimos shortly after the 2015 Grey Cup, making Jones the highest-paid employee in team history.

The Roughriders then plucked reputed personnel-player savant John Murphy away from Calgary, enriching him to the tune of six figures.

A single-digit victory total ensued.

Larger totals related to dollars relinquished in league-issued fines and squandered on signing bonuses (see: Shawn Lemon and

the well-named Maurice Price).

Price retired shortly after being acquired from Ottawa.

Lemon went on to enjoy an allstar season — with the Toronto Argonauts.

The East Division’s other all-star defensive end was the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ John Chick, whom Jones had released in January of 2016.

Concurrently, Jones dumped popular slotback Weston Dressler. Chick and Dressler were released for financial reasons, we were told, by a management team that proceeded to pay receiver Shamawd Chambers a reported $170,000 to be virtually invisible. Dressler, meanwhile, enjoyed his sixth 1,000-yard season, and his first as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Dressler and Chick demonstrated that they had plenty left in the tank. The Roughriders, for their part, tanked in Year 1 of the new regime, under which the losing got old.

As the Roughriders’ secondyear football-operations supremo, Jones has engendered precious little goodwill.

Keep in mind, though, that Saskatchewan fans are a forgiving lot. All the Riders have to do is win. And wouldn’t that be novel? rvanstone@postmedia.com twitter.com/robvanstone

FUN FACT! The Roughriders’ first touchdown in the 1966 Grey Cup game featured two graduates of tiny Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. Ron Lancaster found tight end Jim Worden, a fellow Wittenberg product, in the end zone during the Riders’ 29-14 victory over the Ottawa Rough Riders.

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2017 CFL SCHEDULE REGULAR SEASON WEEK 1 Thurs., June 22: Saskatchewan at Montreal, 5:30 p.m.

Fri., June 23: Calgary at Ottawa, 5:30 p.m.

Sat., June 24: Edmonton at B.C., 8 p.m.

Sun., June 25: Hamilton at Toronto, 2 p.m.

WEEK 2 Thurs., June 29: Ottawa at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Fri., June 30: B.C. at Toronto, 5 p.m.; Montreal at Edmonton, 8 p.m.

Sat., July 1: Winnipeg at Saskatchewan, 7 p.m.

WEEK 3 Thurs., July 6: B.C. at Montreal, 5:30 p.m.

Fri., July 7: Calgary at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m.

Sat., July 8: Toronto at Ottawa, 5 p.m.; Hamilton at Saskatchewan, 8 p.m.

WEEK 4 Thurs., July 13: Toronto at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m.

Fri., July 14: Calgary at Montreal, 5 p.m.; Ottawa at Edmonton, 8 p.m.

Sat., July 15: B.C. at Hamilton, 5:30 p.m.

WEEK 5 Wed., July 19: Montreal at Ottawa, 5:30 p.m.

Thurs., July 20: Edmonton at Hamilton, 5:30 p.m.

Fri., July 21: Winnipeg at B.C., 8 p.m.

Sat., July 22: Saskatchewan at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Mon., July 24: Ottawa at Toronto, 5:30 p.m.

WEEK 6 Thurs., July 27: Montreal at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m.

Fri., July 28: B.C. at Edmonton, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., July 29: Toronto at Saskatchewan, 4:30 p.m.; Hamilton at Calgary, 7:30 p.m.

WEEK 7 Thurs., Aug. 3: Calgary at Toronto, 5:30 p.m.

Fri., Aug. 4: Winnipeg at Ottawa, 5 p.m.; Hamilton at Edmonton, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 5: Saskatchewan at B.C., 5 p.m.

WEEK 8 Thurs., Aug. 10: Edmonton at Ottawa, 5:30 p.m.

Fri., Aug. 11: Toronto at Montreal, 5:30 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 12: Winnipeg at Hamilton, 5:30 p.m.

Sun., Aug. 13: B.C. at Saskatchewan, 6 p.m.

WEEK 9 Thurs., Aug. 17: Edmonton at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m.

Fri., Aug. 18: Ottawa at Hamilton, 5:30 p.m.; Calgary at B.C., 8:30 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 19: Montreal at Toronto, 2 p.m.

WEEK 10 Thurs., Aug. 24: Winnipeg at Montreal, 5:30 p.m.

Fri., Aug. 25: Saskatchewan at Edmonton, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 26: B.C. at Ottawa, 1:30 p.m.; Toronto at Calgary, 7 p.m.

WEEK 11 Thurs., Aug. 31: Ottawa at Montreal, 5:30 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 3: Winnipeg at Saskatchewan, 2 p.m.

Mon., Sept. 4: Edmonton at Calgary, 1 p.m.; Toronto at Hamilton, 4:30 p.m.

WEEK 12 Fri., Sept. 8: Montreal at B.C., 8 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 9: Saskatchewan at Winnipeg, 1 p.m.; Hamilton at Ottawa, 4 p.m.; Calgary at Edmonton, 7 p.m.

WEEK 13 Fri., Sept. 15: Saskatchewan at Hamilton, 5 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 16: Edmonton at Toronto, 2 p.m.; B.C. at Calgary, 5 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 17: Ottawa at Montreal, 11 a.m.

WEEK 14 Fri., Sept. 22: Ottawa at Winnipeg, 6 p.m.; Hamilton at B.C., 9 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 23: Montreal at Toronto, 5 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 24: Calgary at Saskatchewan, 2 p.m.

WEEK 15 Fri., Sept. 29: Saskatchewan at Ottawa, 5 p.m.; Montreal at Calgary, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 30: Toronto at Hamilton, 4:30 p.m.; Winnipeg at Edmonton, 7:30 p.m.

WEEK 16 Fri., Oct. 6: Hamilton at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 7: Saskatchewan at Toronto, 2 p.m.; Ottawa at B.C., 5 p.m.

Mon., Oct. 9: Edmonton at Montreal, noon.

WEEK 17 Fri., Oct. 13: Calgary at Hamilton, 5 p.m.; Ottawa at Saskatchewan, 8 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 14: B.C. at Winnipeg, 2 p.m.; Toronto at Edmonton, 5 p.m.

WEEK 18 Fri., Oct. 20: Saskatchewan at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 21: Winnipeg at Toronto, 2 p.m.; Edmonton at B.C., 8 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 22: Hamilton at Montreal, 11 a.m.

WEEK 19 Fri., Oct. 27: Hamilton at Ottawa, 5 p.m.; Montreal at Saskatchewan, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 28: B.C. at Winnipeg, 2 p.m.; Calgary at Edmonton, 5 p.m.

WEEK 20 Fri., Nov. 3: Montreal at Hamilton, 5 p.m.; Winnipeg at Calgary, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 4: Edmonton at Saskatchewan, 5 p.m.; Toronto at B.C., 8 p.m.

PLAYOFFS Sun., Nov. 12: East semifinal, noon; West semifinal, 3:30 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 19: East final, noon; West final, 3:30 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 26: Grey Cup at Ottawa, 5 p.m.

Bo Levi Mitchell of the Stampeders was the CFL’s MVP last season. T ODD KOROL/ T HE CANADIAN P R ES S/FILES

Looking at the CFL’s quarterbacks Kevin Glenn will seek to rebuild Riders following Darian Durant’s departure B I L L B E AC O N

While most CFL teams enter the coming season stable at quarterback, a couple come into 2017 with a new look under centre. Darian Durant moved from Regina to Montreal in the off-season, and in the wake of his departure the Saskatchewan Roughriders are turning to veteran Kevin Glenn to fill the void.

Here’s a look at the quarterbacks for the nine CFL teams this season: B.C. Lions: Jonathan Jennings had a breakthrough year as the starter last season with 5,226 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, as well as 363 rushing yards. Now Travis Lulay, the 2011 CFL and Grey Cup game MVP who has had injury troubles in recent seasons, serves as perhaps the league’s best backup.

Calgary Stampeders: 27-year-old Bo Levi Mitchell was the CFL’s MVP last season, completing 412 passes for 5,385 yards and 32 TDs. With Drew Tate moving to Ottawa, Canadian Andrew Buckley has a

shot at the backup job after playing almost entirely as a short-yardage QB. They also signed Mitchell Gale, who played in Saskatchewan and Toronto last season.

Edmonton Eskimos: Veteran Mike Reilly started all 18 games in 2016, passing for a career high 5,554 yards and 28 TDs. James Franklin returns as a backup, but the Eskimos also signed former Ottawa third-stringer Danny O’Brien.

Saskatchewan Roughriders: Last year, veteran Glenn was brought in to stabilize Montreal’s quarterback position. Now, with Durant gone, Glenn has the same job with the rebuilding Riders.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Matt Nichols was eye-catching after taking over as the starter from Drew Willy last season as the Bombers finished the season on a 10-3 run.

For the first time in seven seasons, Nichols will begin as a starter.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats: The Ticats have a proven starter in Zach Collaros, who missed the start of last season with an injury but came back to throw for 2,938 yards in

10 appearances. Jeremiah Masoli went 3-3 as the starter in his absence.

Toronto Argonauts: Three-time Grey Cup winner Ricky Ray is expected to flourish under new coach Marc Trestman, but the 37-yearold was limited to nine games last season. Ray is fourth in all-time CFL passing with 54,883 yards but has struggled with injuries in recent years. Willy gives him an experienced backup.

Ottawa Redblacks: Henry Burris retired after leading the Redblacks to a Grey Cup, which left the starting job open for a more than capable replacement in Trevor Harris, who passed for 3,301 yards and 16 TDs in 12 games last season. And they have a top backup in Tate, himself a former CFL starter.

Montreal Alouettes: Durant felt unwanted by Saskatchewan head coach Chris Jones and now the two-time Grey Cup winner will try to make the Alouettes into contenders again. The signing of Durant, who has had injury trouble in recent seasons, put Vernon Adams’ ambitions on hold after he led the club to three wins to end the 2016 campaign.

The Canadian Press

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FUN FACT! The Roughriders did have a No. 34 after George Reed retired. During training camp in 1977, the Roughriders assigned No. 34 to a running back named Morris LaGrand, who didn’t make the team. A Roughrider has not worn No. 34 in a game since the 1975 season.

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Montreal Alouettes quarterback Darian Durant says he would raise the salary cap and league minimum wage if he was to become CFL commissioner for a day. JOHN MAHONEY

IF I WERE COMMISSIONER FOR A DAY ...

The CFL is conducting a search to fill the soon-to-be vacant position of commissioner. Vicki Hall caught up with several CFL stars and asked what their first priority would be if they were in charge for a day. The answers ranged from silly to sublime.

Darian Durant, quarterback, Montreal Alouettes: “First priority is to raise the salary cap. Make sure the minimum wage is way higher than it is. With what we do, the high risk of injury, guys deserved to be paid a little bit more. And then you look at the TV deals and the entertainment aspect of it and how this league has evolved and grown, I think the minimum wage should go up.”

Chad Owens, receiver-returner, Saskatchewan Roughriders: “I think I would eliminate the challenging of pass interference. I would take that out. It’s slowing down the game. Let the refs do their jobs and make judgment calls. They’re not going to catch every foul. That’s just the way it is. There’s probably

a foul on every play. The way the game is going is, ‘Wait, let’s look at the film,’ instead of letting them do their jobs. We really don’t want to slow the game down for fans. It’s going to cost more money for TV, too, because the length is going to be longer.”

Emmanuel Arceneaux, receiver, B.C. Lions: “I would do something about the dress code where I’m not fining guys. I know you can’t compete with a different brand, but I would also like to add a little bit of extra flavour and colour to it and not be so strict on that part. I’m saying that because I’m a guy who gets fined routinely for my gloves and stuff like that.”

DaVaris Daniels, receiver, Calgary Stampeders: “I’m definitely having

Adidas send a lot more gear to all the players to keep all the players happy. And no salary cap. Definitely no salary cap. I think that’s the biggest one, because everybody needs to be paid a lot. Everybody.”

Shawn Lemon, defensive end, Toronto Argonauts: “I’m adding halfsacks, because it’s very frustrating when you get there at the same time as someone else and then they give the sack to Charleston Hughes instead of yourself. So just add .5 sacks in there as well for the other guys.”

Simoni Lawrence, linebacker, Hamilton Tiger-Cats: “Ooooh (rubs hands together). Make Shawn Lemon stop wearing tight jerseys. And give everybody who plays for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats a pay raise.”

Bear Woods, middle linebacker, Toronto Argonauts: “I’m bringing the flow of the game back by eliminating illegal contact after five yards and I am going to make sure players have health insurance after 12 months’ time. That’s what I would do, those two things immediately.

Right now, if a player gets injured – and my (former) teammate Jonathan Hefney has lost the use of his arm – after 12 months, he’s no longer covered … That’s what I would do first — figure out within the CBA if we can correct that.”

Odell Willis, defensive end, Edmonton Eskimos: “Get us some dental benefits. We don’t have none. We’re covered fully except for dental. You cover your own dental.” (Willis has undergone two root canals that cost him a combined $5,000.)

Mike Reilly, quarterback, Edmonton: “For me, I try to listen to what the fans are saying. I know there’s been some challenges with our whole challenge procedure — how we challenge penalties or non-penalties over the course of the game. I think we’re

very innovative in our league, and I think we’ve taken a lot of steps that maybe the NFL hasn’t been so quick to jump on. We’re kind of pioneering in that regard. But I don’t know if we’ve maybe taken it too far or how we can refine it. I know that halfway through the season, last year, they made a change where you lost your timeout on your first challenge if you didn’t get it right. But reffing is a tough, tough job. It’s always been part of the game, and there’s judgment calls that happen. I don’t think we can make those judgment calls based on slow-motion replay frame by frame. Let the guys who are paid to be refs do their jobs out there.

You can’t second-guess them.

And that’s probably funny coming from me, because I’m always yelling at the refs out there, and I think I know better than them.

Half the time, when I think a call was bad, it wasn’t.”

Comments have been edited for clarity and length.

Postmedia News

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Kerry Joseph, shown celebrating the Roughriders’ Grey Cup victory in 2007, says that after the Labour Day game that season “we didn’t expect to lose.” P OST MEDIA FILES

Storybook ’07 season ranks at the top for Joseph R O B VA N S T O N E

One former Saskatchewan Roughriders passer marvels at the passage of time.

Kerry Joseph cannot believe how quickly a decade has elapsed since he helped the Roughriders capture the third Grey Cup championship in franchise history.

“I was actually in my house, cleaning out some drawers, and I came across a stack of DVDs from the 2007 season,” Joseph says. “It was actually all the TV cuts from the season, so I’ve got every game.

“I just pulled them out and it was, ‘Wow.’ It’s 10 years. It doesn’t seem that way, but it has passed by.”

The Roughriders of 2007 enjoyed a storybook season with Joseph, first-year head coach Kent Austin and then-general manager Eric Tillman leading the way.

Saskatchewan posted an 11-7 record and staged its first home playoff game since 1988. The 2007 Roughriders won all three of their post-season contests, culminating with a 23-19 CFL-championship victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Toronto.

Three days before the Grey Cup victory, Joseph was named the CFL’s most outstanding player.

The highlight reel at the awards presentations showed one of the signature plays from that season.

In the Labour Day Classic, Joseph scored from 27 yards away on a quarterback draw in the final seconds to give Saskatchewan a 31-26 comeback victory over Winnipeg.

“I think the turning point was the Labour Day game,” Joseph says. “After that, we didn’t expect to lose.”

The season before, when Joseph was a first-year Rider, Saskatchewan had posted its third consecutive 9-9 record under head coach Danny Barrett.

Barrett was succeeded by Austin in December of 2006. Roy Shivers, who was named the Riders’ general manager in late December of 1999, was replaced by Tillman in August of 2006.

“If you really look at that team, Danny and Roy had a lot to do with that football team and putting the guys in place,” Joseph says. “Then you bring in Kent Austin and Eric Tillman and they tweak a few

things and add a few pieces here and there. Then we take off.

“With what Kent brought in there with the attitude and the coaches, I think everything just gelled together. Everybody had that one word, and that was to ‘believe.’ Regardless of what happened, we always stuck with that one word — believe. And that’s what’s in the inside of our Grey Cup rings — BELIEVE.” Tillman agrees that the mindset was crucial.

“So many factors contributed to our success, but, one of the biggest was simply creating an expectation of success,’’ the current Hamilton Tiger-Cats GM says.

“We preached positivity from Day 1, championship goals and aspirations, and, everyone bought in — from the board, to (presidentCEO) Jim Hopson, to Kent, his coaches, to people in every facet of our organization.

“Those expectations, though, were never clearer than on the opening night of training camp when Kent spoke to the team for the first time. You could hear it in his voice and see it in the play-

ers’ eyes. You could have heard a pin drop. And, when the players walked out of that first team meeting, they knew it was the beginning of something very special.”

A decade later, there is a special feeling when Tillman recalls that season.

“It’s important to remember championships are always a collective effort,”w’’ he says. “There were several players on that 2007 team that Al Ford and Roy Shivers brought to Saskatchewan.

“And, remember, Kent and I wouldn’t have been with the club without being given the opportunity by Jim Hopson and (former chairman of the board) Graham Barker, and without having total support from the entire board (which was chaired by Rob Pletch).

“All of those people, and others throughout the organization, played significant roles in our championship run. Certainly, that includes people like Tony Playter, Ivan Gutfriend, Normie Fong, Joe Womack, Cheryl McLean-Keil and a ton of people on the business and marketing sides, and our ticketoffice staff, too.

“We won it together as an organization, and, looking back, we should give due credit to everyone, including those who came before us, like Al, Roy and Danny.”

Considerable credit should also go to Joseph, who enjoyed his finest CFL season in 2007.

“Even with my years in the NFL and my years in the CFL, 2007 has to rank at the top,’’ says Joseph, who is now the wide receivers coach and co-offensive co-ordinator at his alma mater, McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La. “Every time I look up at my TV at home, my MVP trophy is sitting right there. I still wear the Grey Cup ring, especially when I’m out recruiting, because I try to show people — especially where I’m coaching — and encourage these young men that, ‘You can make it anywhere. I have a championship right from this place here.’

“In my office, you see the plaque of me holding up the Grey Cup with my teammates. So it’s at the top — definitely at the top.” rvanstone@postmedia.com twitter.com/robvanstone

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Game-breaking receiver Naaman Roosevelt will be a major part of the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ offence in 2017. M I CH AEL BE LL

Breaking down the 2017 Roughriders’ lineup Offence in capable hands of QB Glenn and receivers Roosevelt, Bagg and Carter M U R R AY M C C O R M I C K

There’s a twist to the marquee matchup of quarterbacks Darian Durant and Kevin Glenn in Thursday’s CFL regular-season opener.

Glenn will lead the Saskatchewan Roughriders into the game against Durant and the host Montreal Alouettes. Glenn was Montreal’s starting quarterback when the 2016 season began, at which point Durant was the Riders’ starter for the eighth straight season.

Durant’s status changed Jan. 13 when he was traded Montreal for draft picks after talks regarding a contract extension reached an impasse. Chris Jones, the Riders’ head coach and general manager, eventually signed Glenn to replace Durant.

The Riders have also undergone other roster changes during the offseason. With that in mind, here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the Riders. Internationals are denoted by an asterisk.

Q UA RT E R B AC K S

Returnee: Brandon Bridge.

Newcomers: Kevin Glenn* Marquise Williams*.

The skinny: Glenn was the undisputed starter heading into training camp and heads into the regular season entrenched in that role.

Glenn, 38, is the oldest active player in the CFL and that’s not necessarily a bad thing with the recent championship performances of quarterbacks in their late 30s and early 40s.

Glenn has been a reliable backup as of late, but the Riders are counting on his experience to lead them

through the 2017 season. He had better come through because Bridge has limited CFL experience and Williams is a raw rookie.

RU N N I N G B AC K S / F U L L B AC K S

Returnees: FB Spencer Moore, RB Greg Morris.

Newcomers: RB Kienan LaFrance, RB Cameron Marshall*, RB Jonathan Thebaud, FB Albert Awachie.

The skinny: A lingering hamstring injury to LaFrance altered the Riders’ plans to start a national running back, at least heading into regular-season opener. Watch for the Riders to make a move when LaFrance is healthy and Morris’s role will also increase. For now, Marshall should be the starting running back after beating out Anthony Allen for the job. The Riders don’t run the ball a lot, or very effectively. Jones would like to see that improve, but is willing to settle for solid pass protection for the time being.

RECEIVERS

Returnees: WR Rob Bagg, WR Ricky Collins Jr.*, SB Nic Demski, WR Caleb Holley*, SB Naaman Roosevelt*, WR Josh Stanford.

Newcomers: WR Duron Carter*, WR Antwane Grant*, SB Bakari Grant*.

The skinny: The Riders didn’t stand still when it came to upgrading their receivers, a position of strength, during the off-season.

They signed Carter, one of the league’s most electrifying receivers, and Grant, a solid physical slotback with sure hands. Their signings further boost a receiving

corps led by veterans Roosevelt and Bagg, sophomores Holley and Collins, and third-year Rider Demski.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Returnees: C Dan Clark, OT Thaddeus Coleman*, OL Dillon Guy, G Josiah St. John, G Brendon LaBatte.

Newcomers: G Dariusz Bladek, OT Derek Dennis*, OL Peter Dyakowski, OL Eddie Meredith, OL Brendon Philogene, OL Ryan White.

The skinny: The Riders addressed a void at left tackle by signing Dennis, the 2016 CFL’s most outstanding offensive lineman while with the Calgary Stampeders. The re-signing of Coleman further solidified the right tackle position.

LaBbatte returns at left guard after missing 15 regular-season games in 2016 with a neck injury. Dyakowski, who the Riders acquired from the Toronto Argonauts for receiver Armanti Edwards the night before training camp opened, looks like the starter at right guard with St. John dealing with a head injury that he suffered in training camp. Clark is back at centre after making his CFL debut in 2012. The Riders have depth along the offensive line, which should help them withstand injuries.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Returnees: DE A.C. Leonard*, DT Linden Gaydosh, DE Willie Jefferson*, DT Makana Henry, DT Ese Mrabure, DE Jonathan Newsome*.

Newcomers: DE Tobi Antigha*, DT Zach Minter*, DE D.J. Pettway*, DT Eddie Steele, DE Davis Tull*.

The skinny: Six players will be part of the rotation at defensive end and defensive tackle. Jefferson, Leonard and Newsome are expected

to rotate at defensive end. Rookie Tull may also fit into the picture down the road. The Riders have options at defensive tackle with the possibility of starting Steele and Minter and Mrabure seeing action in the rotation. Gaydosh could also play a role in that scenario. How quickly the line comes together will determine just how effective Saskatchewan’s defence will be in 2017.

L I N E B AC K E R S

Returnees: Samuel Eguavoen*, Dillon Grondin, Kevin Francis, Henoc Muamba.

Newcomers: Brandyn Bartlett, Jordan Butler, Erick Dargan*, Glenn Love*, Cameron Judge, Derrick Moncrief*, Myke Tavarres*, Sam Williams*.

The skinny: Muamba is entrenched at middle linebacker, providing the Riders with relief on the international/national ratio. The Riders had big hopes for Eguavoen, who missed 12 games in 2016 with a knee injury. Eguavoen spent all but the first day of training camp on the sideline with an ankle injury. The good side to the injury was more repetitions for Francis, a converted receiver and safety, at outside linebacker. Even with that experience, the Riders will likely start the season with Dargan and Williams as outside linebackers and wait for Eguavoen to recover.

D E F E N S I V E B AC K S

Returnees: CB Tevaughn Campbell, S Jeff Hecht, HB Ed Gainey*, CB Kacy Rodgers*.

Newcomers: DB Mike Dubuisson*, S Mike Edem, CB Jovon Johnson*, DB Chris Lyles*, S Denzel Radford.

The skinny: The boundary side of the Riders’ defensive backfield looks solid with Gainey at halfback and Rodgers at cornerback.

Rider Pep Band celebrating 25th anniversary D OY L E F O X

In the last 25 years, the Saskatchewan Roughrider Pep Band has played hundreds of shows across the country — bringing countless smiles to the faces of football fans.

“Over the years, membership has gone up and down, but the love of being ambassadors for the Roughriders, the city and the province is still there,” says Rhonda Kerr-White, the group’s band director.

“We are very proud to be a part of this community and to add to the game-day excitement and the excitement year-round.”

Kerr-White, who has been with the band since its formation, remembers playing with many gifted musicians while entertaining prime ministers, Olympic athletes, and Roughriders legends.

The band has also played in all sorts of events and celebrations throughout Canada, including 25 Grey Cup festivals. Kerr-White recalls being especially busy when the Roughriders were playing in

the CFL championship games, saying they play up to 70 separate shows throughout the entirety of those festivities. “(The Grey Cup in) 1995 was good, 2003 was good, but 2013 was amazing,” she says, highlighting the Roughriders’ home-field win in the 2013 Grey Cup. Passion is something that fuels the members, all of whom are volunteers. Many of them travel from out of town to play in the band.

Tuba player Grant Hoffman and his wife and band photographer Janet travel two hours from Springside for every game. With family and friends in Regina, Hoffman — a seven-year veteran of the band — says they often take advantage of their hospitality.

“It takes a commitment and it’s certainly a passion,” he says. “With the number of games and other events, we have to make some adjustments in our schedules, certainly.”

Witnessing the Roughriders winning the Grey Cup at home is one of his favourite memories with

The Saskatchewan Roughrider Pep Band waves flags during the 2013 Grey Cup Parade in Regina. M I CH AE L BE LL/F I LES

the pep band, but he also mentions a game several years ago when the power went out and the band started up while the fans waited for the game to resume. He also enjoys the curiosity of the kids who he sometimes will let play his tuba.

Recruitment is an important part of the band, but Kerr-White says attracting newer and younger members hasn’t been difficult.

Jasmine Brooks, who at 20 is one of the younger members of the band, was eager to join and

The field side was a question mark with no players really stepping forward to fill the holes created with the releases of Justin Cox and cornerback Fred Bennett. Cox was among the league’s elite defensive halfbacks and led the Riders with four interceptions. The signing of Johnson, a veteran of 10 CFL seasons, may address some issues at cornerback. Lyles, a rookie, could start at defensive halfback. That personnel may change while Jones searches for options. The Riders could go with Hecht or Edem at safety. Regardless, both are such solid special-teams players that they will both be on the roster.

S PE C I A L T E A M S

Punter: Josh Bartel, Quinn van Gylswyk.

Placekicker: Tyler Crapigna, Quinn van Gylswyk.

Long-snapper: Jorgen Hus. Returners: Chad Owens*, Ricky Collins Jr*, Nic Demski, Jovon Johnson*.

The skinny: The Riders head into the 2017 regular season with the same trio of kickers from 2016.

Bartel was the starting punter and Crapigna handled the place-kicking duties with van Gylswyk backing up in both roles. The scenario worked last year, so why would the Riders change in 2017? The Riders are stronger at long-snapper because Hus has recovered from off-season wrist surgery. Owens was signed as a free agent to address the Riders’ returning issues in 2016. Owens missed most of training camp while recovering from a broken foot that he suffered in 2016 with the Hamilton TigerCats. The absence of Owens led to more opportunities for Collins and Demski to showcase their talents. mmccormick@postmedia.com twitter.com/murraylp

play alongside her aunt, Naomi Woods-Henry.

“It’s a really good experience knowing that as one of the younger members, I can be able to do this for so long,” says Brooks, a trombone player.

For the 25th anniversary of the band, a celebration is being held on July 7. The band will also honoured at halftime of the Roughriders’ July 8 home game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Aside from the celebration, the band will be playing in a new venue — the $278-million Mosaic Stadium — and that is a source of excitement for the musicians.

“Being in the new stadium and being our 25th year is just really over the top, so we’re looking to be part of starting some new traditions in the stadium,” Hoffman says, “and we’re really looking forward to just seeing how it’s going to go.”

“Moving into the new stadium is exciting,” Kerr-White adds. “There are some changes happening and we will see how they pan out, but we are really looking forward to the new digs and will still continue to cheer on the Roughriders like we have for the last 24 years.”

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Revamped Redblacks hope to repeat as champs DA N R A L PH

Ottawa Redblacks general manager Marcel Desjardins isn’t one to dwell on the past, even if it involves a stunning Grey Cup victory.

The Redblacks will kick off the 2017 CFL season as the team to beat following last year’s thrilling 39-33 overtime championship win over the Calgary Stampeders. Ottawa begins its title defence Friday by hosting the Stampeders in a Grey Cup rematch.

“I don’t look back,” Desjardins said. “I try to be, and we try and be, proactive in what we do day to day and try to have an answer before a question is asked.

“Our goal every year at this time is to get to the Grey Cup and see what happens from there. It’s worked the last two years ... let’s just hope we’re able to get it done again this year.”

The regular season opens Thursday with the Saskatchewan Roughriders visiting the Montreal Alouettes.

It has been a meteoric rise for Ottawa, which has appeared in consecutive Grey Cups after a 2-16 inaugural 2014 season. Ottawa lost 26-20 to the Edmonton Eskimos in the 2015 title game before upsetting a 15-2-1 Calgary team after finishing atop the East with a 8-9-1 mark.

The Grey Cup win was Ottawa’s first since 1976, when Tony Gabriel’s late 24-yard TD grab earned the-then Rough Riders an exciting 23-20 victory over Saskatchewan.

The Montreal Alouettes (2009-10) were the CFL’s last repeat champion while no team has won a title on home soil since Saskatchewan in 2013.

But Ottawa will field a much different team in 2017 than the one that finished last season in November at Toronto’s BMO Field.

Quarterback Henry Burris, the Grey Cup MVP, has retired while veteran receivers Chris Williams (B.C. Lions) and Ernest Jackson (Montreal) along with running back Kienan LaFrance (Saskatchewan) were among those who left in free agency. Kicker Chris Milo and American linebacker Damaso Munoz were released.

Desjardins re-signed offensive lineman Nolan MacMillan — the first player drafted in franchise history — then added linebackers Khalil Bass (Winnipeg Blue Bombers) and Ron Omara (Hamilton Tiger-Cats), receivers Kenny Shaw and Diontae Spencer and defensive back A.J. Jefferson (all Toronto Argonauts), kicker Brett Maher (Hamilton) and defensive back Adam Berger (Calgary) in free agency.

Arguably Desjardins’ biggest move came last year when he

signed former Toronto quarterback Trevor Harris, who is now Ottawa’s starter. Veteran Drew Tate, obtained in the off-season from Calgary, is expected to assume backup duties upon recovering from a concussion.

Here’s a look at some of the other CFL storylines heading into the season opener:

L E O S S H O RT O N D E F E N C E

B.C. faces opening the season minus two defensive stalwarts.

Linebacker Adam Bighill — who formed a dynamic tandem with 2014 CFL outstanding player

Solomon Elimimian — joined the NFL’s New Orleans Saints this offseason while veteran defensive back Ryan Phillips was released before resurfacing with Montreal.

The Lions were second in the

West Division last season with a 12-6 record and had a defence that allowed the fewest yards and tied for the league lead with 52 sacks but had a CFL-low nine picks The Canadian Press

N EW C O M M I S S I O N E R

Jeffrey Orridge will start the season as the CFL commissioner but he is leaving the post by mutual agreement with the board of governors. League chairman Jim Lawson will serve as interim commissioner until Orridge’s replacement is hired. Lawson feels a new commissioner will be appointed sometime in July.

T O R O N T O : N EW C O AC H , G M

Jim Popp and Marc Trestman are together again, this time with the Toronto. Popp hired Trestman as Montreal’s head coach in 2008 and over five seasons he posted a 59-31 regular-season record, appearing in three Grey Cups and winning two.

Popp spent 21 years as the Als’ GM, leading the team to eight Grey Cup appearances and three wins. He also earned a Grey Cup ring in ’95 as the Baltimore Stallions’ GM. The Argos were last in the East Division last year with a 5-13 record in their first season under new ownership playing at a refurbished BMO Field.

Ricky Ray, 37, entering his 15th CFL season, is the starter after enduring injuries the last two years.

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R E E D, DU R A N T L E A D A L S

It has been a busy off-season for rookie GM Kavis Reed. Since being promoted this off-season from the coaching ranks, Reed has overhauled the roster. He has released veterans like linebacker Bear Woods — the East’s top defensive player last year — and let others go. The biggest move was acquiring quarterback Darian Durant from Saskatchewan as Montreal looks to reach the CFL playoffs for the first time since 2014.

SUNDERLAND GM F OR ESKS

Jason Maas returns for a second season as Edmonton’s head coach but has a new boss in GM Brock Sunderland. He was hired to replace Ed Hervey, who was fired in the off-season.

Sunderland inherits a solid roster anchored by CFL passing leader Mike Reilly. Adarius Bowman, the league’s top receiver last year, also returns but Derel Walker — who was second overall to Bowman — is now with the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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REGINA LEADER-POST

D9

Canadian veteran receiver Rob Bagg is entering his 10th season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and is the longest-serving member of the team. MICHAEL BELL/FILES

Bagg is ‘the constant’ with the Roughriders K EV I N M I T C H E L L

It’s been a half-decade since Rob Bagg surveyed the wreckage: Three knee surgeries, rehab piled onto rehab, months and seasons on the shelf.

Bleak? Yes. But Bagg’s conclusion was different. Football, he decided, was still very much in his future, despite the many onlookers who expected he’d never resurface on a CFL field.

That’s why Bagg was hustling through his 11th training camp, in his 10th season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, a survivor through and through.

“I’m sure none of the other players give two craps about it, but it’s something I take pride in,” Bagg — who played his first CFL game in 2008 — said when asked about his new-found role as the longestserving Roughrider.

He’s watched the Roughriders

shed good friends through the years: Darian Durant, Weston Dressler, Chris Getzlaf, and on, and on, and on.

“The torch gets passed,” Roughriders receivers coach Markus Howell said. “Those guys leave, the locker-room changes, but Rob’s the constant.”

Nothing about Rob Bagg’s life in professional football is easy. Nobody drafted him in 2007 when he played at Queen’s University, but Saskatchewan invited him to camp. He made the team, but opted to return to university for one more season, after which he was named the most dedicated player at Queen’s while earning second-team all-Canadian status.

Then Bagg rejoined Saskatchewan in 2008, where he soon took on a prominent role.

He tore his left ACL in 2010, injured the same ligament on the eve of the 2011 campaign and missed

the entire season, then tore his right ACL three games into 2012.

But Bagg’s played no fewer than 17 games every season since 2013, and last year hauled in 57 passes for 658 yards and four touchdowns.

The veteran has no shortage of internal motivation: There’s the naysayers from those years when his knees put him on the operating table, and that 2007 CFL draft, when nobody called his name.

“The fact I wasn’t drafted still burns me today, because I know I was one of the best Canadian receivers in college, and that’s why I went back for my fifth year,” said Bagg, 32.

“Even though I only played six games in my last year, I had 800 receiving yards. I think it was pretty evident I was one of the top Canadian receivers. I’m proud to say me and Getty (Chris Getzlaf, chosen in Round 5) are still the only Canadian receivers playing right now,

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from that draft. The other eight or nine guys they took ahead of us ... it just goes to show that sometimes, the experts aren’t always right.”

Bagg has earned, the hard way, respect from his teammates and coaches. But he’s also earned it in an easier and more fundamental way: through hustle and hard work.

“Some guys, you’ve got to tell them, ‘Hey, come on, pick it up.

We need a better tempo from you,’” Howell remarked. “You never have to say that to Rob. Everything he does is fast. Waggles, stretches, running, everything. He just plays at a different tempo.”

Bagg says he remains thankful to the Roughriders — both for giving him a chance to play pro football, and for keeping a steady, trusting hand on his career as he missed most of the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

“I certainly want to be a Rider for life,” Bagg said. “Those deci-

sions aren’t always up to you, but I love this organization. They’re the ones who gave me a chance 10 years ago. I feel like I’ve repaid them, but they’ve given me a lot of opportunity over the course of trying times. It’s been a good relationship both ways.

“Fortunately,” he added, “(the knee injuries) happened fairly early in my career, and they were all together, basically. It was kind of a lump in the middle I had to battle through. I know a lot of people didn’t think that after tearing my knee in my third year I’d be still standing here in Year 10, but I’m proud to say I am — and even prouder to say I feel better than ever. I’m faster and stronger, more confident than ever. It’s fun to go out there with guys 10 years younger than you and show them you still have it.” kemitchell@postmedia.com twitter.com/ kmitchsp

FUN FACT! Former Roughriders quarterback Ron Lancaster doubled as a defensive back early in his CFL career. In 1960, as a rookie with the Ottawa Rough Riders, Lancaster had three interceptions in one game. Lancaster and Russ Jackson split Ottawa’s quarterbacking duties that season.

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W E D N E S D A Y, J U N E 2 1 , 2 0 1 7

MEET THE RIDERS’ COACHING STAFF

A roadmap to victory:

CHRIS JONES

M U R R AY M C C O R M I C K

Five keys to the Saskatchewan Roughriders having a successful 2017 CFL season:

1 Stay healthy

Injuries slammed the Riders during training camp in 2016 and hindered the team through most of the regular season. It takes a little luck to avoid injuries and the Riders need some of that in 2017.

2 Keep the quarterbacks upright

The Riders allowed a leaguehigh 57 sacks during the 2016 season and that was with a relatively mobile Darian Durant at quarterback. The offensive line has to be better in 2017 for the Riders to be successful.

3 Summertime blues

The Green and White is a combined 1-18 before Labour Day in the last two seasons. A few wins in the summer would help the Riders’ playoff hopes in the fall.

4 Bring the defence

It took until the latter half of the 2016 season for the Riders’ defence to come together.

Many members of that defence have another year of experience and need to jell quicker than in 2016.

5 Run the ball

Saskatchewan was eighth in yardage and carries in 2016, which increased the pressure on the aerial attack. A ground game would ease that pressure and set up the quarterbacks with more manageable distances on second downs. It would also keep defences from sitting on the Riders’ passing game. mmccormick@postmedia.com Twitter.com/murraylp

RIDERS 2017

REGINA LEADER-POST

General manager, head coach, vice-president of football operations and defensive co-ordinator Jones became the 16th general manager and 46th head coach in Saskatchewan Roughriders history when hired on Dec. 7, 2015 ...

Guided the Edmonton Eskimos to a 26-20 win over the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2015 Grey Cup game … The Riders were 5-13 and missed the playoffs in Jones’s first season.

S T E PH E N M C A D O O

Offensive co-ordinator and assistant head coach McAdoo joined Riders after spending the 2014 and 2015 seasons as the Eskimos’ offensive co-ordinator ... McAdoo has 17 seasons of coaching experience ... Won Grey Cups in 2012 with Toronto Argonauts and in 2015 with Edmonton ... Played two seasons with the CFL’s longdefunct Shreveport Pirates.

CRAIG DICKENSON

Special teams co-ordinator Dickenson returned for a second stint with Riders in 2016 after serving as special-teams co-ordinator in 2011 and 2012 ... Heading into 15th season as CFL assistant coach and 12th as a special-teams co-ordinator ... Won Grey Cups with Calgary Stampeders in 2008 and Edmonton in 2015.

JA R I O U S JAC K S O N

Quarterbacks coach and passing game co-ordinator Spent 2014 and 2015 seasons with Eskimos as quarterbacks coach and 2013 in the same capacity with B. C. Lions ...

Jackson was a CFL quarterback for eight years — seven with the Lions and one with Toronto.

S T E PH E N S O R R E L L S

Offensive line coach First season coaching at the

Craig Dickenson returns as the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ special teams co-ordinator. DON HEALY

professional level ... Spent the 2015 season as a graduate assistant at Southern Methodist …

Has also coached at University of Alabama-Birmingham, Faulkner University, Occidental College and Kenyon College.

K E N T M AU G E R I

Running backs coach Second season with Riders …

Promoted from quality control coach (offence) to running backs coach in 2017 … Prior to joining the Riders, Maugeri spent seven seasons as a full-time assistant coach at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. M E R R I T T B OW D E N

Linebackers coach and specialteams assistant Second season with Riders, but first as linebackers coach and special-teams assistant …

Special-teams quality coach in 2016.

M A R K U S H OW E L L

Receivers coach Second season with the Rid-

ers after spending previous five years with Blue Bombers as defensive coach, special-teams assistant, linebackers coach and most recently, receivers coach ... Played with Blue Bombers, Ottawa Renegades and Stampeders as receiver, defensive back and returner over 11 CFL seasons ... Won 2008 Grey Cup with Stampeders.

JA S O N S H I V E R S

Defensive backs coach Second season with Riders after breaking into coaching ranks with Toronto in 2013 ...

Played two seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and two seasons with the Argos, collecting 175 defensive tackles, 22 special teams tackles and seven interceptions through 56 career CFL games.

E D PH I L I O N

Defensive line coach Second season with Riders after beginning his coaching career in 2013 with the Argonauts before spending the 2014

and 2015 seasons with the Eskimos … As a player, appeared in 127 regular-season games as a defensive tackle with Montreal Alouettes ... Won 2002 Grey Cup game as a player with Alouettes and another title in 2015 as an Eskimos assistant coach.

M I K E S C H E PE R

Defensive assistant Moves to the defence after coaching offensive line in 2016 …

In 2016, he returned for second stint with Saskatchewan, where he was defensive line coach in 2009 and 2010 ... Spent seven of 15 CFL coaching seasons as offensive line coach.

C R A I G DAV O R E N

Defensive assistant Spent 2015 season as running backs coach with the Riders …

Spent 2012 and 2013 seasons with the Argonauts as a defensive assistant and quality control assistant ... Won Grey Cups in 2012 with Argonauts and 2015 with Eskimos.

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Complete Denture Services Available • Free consultations • One hour repair service • Accepting all Insurance plans

• Guaranteed Professional Service • SERVICING ALL YOUR DENTURE NEEDS BRIAN MOYNES - DENTURIST Call today for an Appointment

4401 B ALBERT STREET • 585-0333

Ask us about implant-supported dentures!!

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Beauty &

Long-lasting Comfort Whether Whethe Whe therr traditional, the traditi trad iti l, tra transi transitional nsitio tional nal or contemporaryy in in desi d design, esi Gould’s Gould Go uld’s ’s outdoor seating collecti collections cti are beautiful and incredibly comfortable. We use innovative techniques and top-quality materials to ensure that beauty and comfort lasts for decades.

Gould Billiard and Patio | 1146 Broad Street, Regina | 306.522.1442 | www.gouldhomerec.com REG00255903_1_1