Dan Plaster
This is my fourth training camp with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and when it comes to the annual Green and White Fan Day at Griffiths Stadium, it doesn’t matter how the weather has been all week, it always becomes a weather adventure. This year was no different. A beautiful morning until the winds gusted and pushed a cell in to make things interesting for a while. The rain passed just in time for the fans that came for the mock game.
Day #7 had a game day feel with the mock game being the only on-field session. Meetings, meals, and naps, they all revolved around the preparation and execution of the mock game. What exactly is a “mock game”; it’s a scrimmage with referees and 80% contact. The coaches have a schedule of plays they want to cover on all sides of the football, and it’s the first time the players get to compete in a game situation against each other.
This is also the first step on how the roster will begin to Take shape. As the second week of camp progresses, we will see who will get the bulk of the snaps with the first, second and third teams as the Riders prepare for their first pre-season game against the Eskimos in Fort McMurray.
The group that has been flying under the media radar is the running backs. Jerome Messam returns and now with a full off season and training camp under his belt as a Rider, he should be in better shape and in for a strong sophomore season with the Green and White. He can also be one of the ratio-busters in the Rider offence as the lone National running back.
Anthony Allen returns with a season of Canadian football under his belt and the Georgia Tech product looks to improve on what was almost a 1000 yard rookie campaign in 2014.
Steven Miller played in a couple of games with the Riders at the end of 2014 both in the back-field and returning kicks. The multi-purpose player has had a strong camp and is in the mould of Jock Sanders and Corey Holmes.
Allen and Miller have some company at running back with Terrance Cobb and the newly added Sam Ojuri.
At fullback, there are a trio of Nationals starting with veteran Spencer Moore, who has seen the bulk of the snaps with the “ones”, fourth round pick from the 2015 CFL draft, Matt Rea and camp invite Ronlee King-Fileen.
Highlights from today’s scrimmage:
– Defensive Coordinator Greg Quick will be in the press box this season same as he was today.
– Ryan Smith was solid catching the ball and with his returns.
– Anthony Allen found his stride after missing a couple of practices this week.
– Weston Dressler did not participate in practice.
– The defence will be a very diverse one with multiple defensive line fronts as well as various defensive backfield packages.
– The offence will be fun to watch. The quarterbacks will be very much like a point guard in basketball. Every receiver will be live and aware that they may get the ball at any time.
– It was a very enthusiastic crowd with the biggest cheer coming from a great Rob Bagg catch.
Tweet of the day
With the team having the day off on Sunday (on the field, they will be hard at work in the film room), there will be no RidersLive show. It will return Monday with a breakdown of the weekend and great guests from your Saskatchewan Roughriders.
