Mitchell Blair
It may only be Week 1 of the CFL season, but the opening game for the Saskatchewan Roughriders is big, facing a Western Division opponent who have a chip on their shoulder coming in.
Most pundits believe the Western Conference will be a battle between the Riders, the defending Grey Cup champions from Calgary and the Edmonton Eskimos with Winnipeg and B-C fighting for a possible crossover spot. The Bombers would like to send an early message to the Riders and perhaps the rest of the CFL as the two teams meet Saturday night at Mosaic Stadium in a game that will have a different look for the home side—especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Last year’s defensive co-ordinator, Richie Hall, is now on the other sideline having joined the Winnipeg coaching staff with one third of the starting 12 being different as Alex Hall, Shea Emry and rookies Telvion Clark and Rory Connop will be on the field trying to neutralize Drew Willy and the Bombers offence.
For Connop, his ascension has been a rapid one. The son of former Edmonton Eskimo offensive lineman Rod Connop has impressed the staff since Day 1 with the 2nd round draft pick showing he belongs.
“I just want to go out there, play well and contribute to a win.”Connop said. “I am just going into this first week trying to get better. I’ve been learning from guys like Derek Walker, Tearrius George and John Chick and I have learned a lot already. The vets have been great and I’m hoping to show what I’ve learned from those guys on Saturday.”
While the 24 year old is excited to get out there, he realizes he just has to play smart if he is to succeed.
“There are great players all around me and that will help a lot.” Connop declared. “I don’t want to let those guys down because if I do, I let the defence down.”
The game will also mark the first regular season appearance from Darian Durant since last September’s Banjo Bowl when his season and arguably the team’s, came to an end after an elbow injury. The North Carolina product has proven in the pre-season he is 100 percent and excited to get back on the field to start completing some unfinished business as the team was 8-2 when he went down.
“I’ve always enjoyed coming to work, but there is a little more pep in my step,’’ Durant said. “Like they always say, ‘You never know what you had until it’s gone.’ That’s what happened to me.’’
Head coach Corey Chamblin is also very confident in the team’s leader as they get ready to start the season. Chamblin has no doubt Durant is ready to get back in the saddle and lead this team the way he has for years.
“I’m very comfortable with things that I’ve seen from him,’’ Chamblin insisted. “He looks comfortable in the offence and that’s with the offence being in the infant stage. I can’t wait to see him grow and the offence grow.’’
Durant won’t have his favourite weapon on opening night with Weston Dressler missing the game due to injury. It means a player compared to Dressler will have a chance to shine on opening night as 2nd year Rider Ryan Smith gets the call.
The North Dakota State product hopes he can capitalize and make the most of the opportunity he has been given saying he perhaps didn’t do that last year.
“I was a rookie last year. so you’re kind of wide-eyed and everything,” Smith confessed. “This year. I have a little more experience having played in some games so the learning curve kind of shortens a bit.”
Game time at Mosaic Stadium is 6 o’clock with television coverage on TSN.
The official radio voice of the Riders, 620 CKRM, will start their pre-game coverage at 3 o’clock followed by the play by play with Rod Pedersen and Carm Carteri.
GAME NOTES:
• The Bombers have not won a game at Mosaic Stadium since September 5, 2004. The starting quarterback for the Bombers on that afternoon was Riders backup quarterback Kevin Glenn.
• In Corey Chamblin’s three season openers as head coach, the Riders have won by a combined score of 113-44.
• The Riders have 22 players on their roster who are either in their first or second year of CFL play, but their average age is 2nd in the CFL at 27.54 years behind only Montreal
