Mitchell Blair
The Saskatchewan Roughriders and Edmonton Eskimos will finish up the CFL pre-season by butting helmets at Mosaic Stadium Friday night. Both teams have a lot of players who know they will be on the opening week roster, but both teams still have a lot of decisions to make. The question going in for many who are on the bubble is just how much of an opportunity will they get to show the coaching staff what they can do. Some may not even get the opportunity.
Adam Weber is battling Seth Doege to see who the 3rd string quarterback behind Darian Durant and Tino Sunseri will be. Weber realizes he may not get many plays to show Head Coach Corey Chamblin why he deserves to stick in Riderville, so he is hoping his time in practice will pay off.
“This is the final dress rehearsal for the starters,“ Weber said. “We don’t know what the rotation will look like so there’s no guarantee you will even get a chance to step on the field and make a play. That’s why this week of practice has been so important because you have to show the coaching staff that you are ready to bring it.”
Weber is right when he says he doesn’t know how much time under center he will get. It is expected Darian Durant and many of the other number ones on both sides of the ball will get the first half to play so they can get ready for the season opener in a week’s time and have some game action under their belt. Head Coach Corey Chamblin says while you would like to evaluate the guys who are trying to make the team, you have to look at the bigger picture.
“They have to get ready at some point,” Chamblin told reporters. “They have to have the opportunity to shake that rust off after being off for so many months. Some guys got a chance to do that last weekend, but they have to get into football shape and get ready to play because next week it means something.”
Chamblin says he has some advice for those who are scrapping to land themselves a job.
I tell the guys three things,” Chambin stated. “They can either make our team by playing hard and playing smart. If you play a game for yourself, you won’t be remembered as a guy who could take us to the next level. If we do release you, you hope you showed yourself well in camp and maybe get a phone call from us if we have an injury or you performed well enough to perhaps land with another team and keep the dream of playing pro football alive.”
Defensive co-ordinator Richie Hall is using the contest to figure out who will go where when the season starts. With the loss of players like Rey Williams, Keith Shologan and Craig Butler in the off-season, it will be a different looking defense even though stalwarts like John Chick and Tyron Brackenridge are ready to contribute. A number of new guys have been rotating in and out, but Hall is confident they can get on the same page and get on that page soon.
“Every year you are going to lose players, “Hall concluded. “It’s all about adjusting. We made some adjustments on the fly last year and they worked alright. It’s just a matter of adjusting to the personnel we have and finding the best spot for those guys on the field.”
Brackenridge is one player who knows he will be around for the season opener. He says that doesn’t make him let up any.
“I’m ready to go.” Brackenridge said. “We’ve lost some good guys, but you lose guys just about every season. We have new guys ready to get in there and fill that void and I’m ready to help them out anytime I can.”
Game time Friday night is 7:00PM. Be with Riderville.com at 4:30 as we will livestream the 620 CKRM pregame show with Michael Ball and former Riders Luc Mullinder and Matt Dominguez live from Pilsner Place.
After the game, the coaches will huddle together, watch film and debate on who should stay or who should go. All CFL teams need to have their starting rosters into the league office by Saturday night so they can get ready for the 2014 season.
