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News September 26, 2018

Brett Lauther is feeling the love

Senior Reporter

Fans of the Saskatchewan Roughriders love what Brett Lauther has done for the CFL team this season.

We mean that literally. Take these reactions from Twitter on Saturday night:

 

 

 

So, Brett, what’s your reaction to the love-in on social media?

“The fans here are crazy but I love them,” the Roughriders’ kicker said following Wednesday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium. “Honestly, I’ve had so many laughs with my friends and family and everyone loves it.

“Everyone who’s reaching out, I’m just trying to have a good time with them and enjoy it while it lasts because I know something like this doesn’t last forever.”

Eventually, there may be some ill will, but for now, Lauther is the toast of the town. As a result, he may yet receive some strange proposals via social media that … oh wait; he already has.

“There have been some crazy messages and other things I’ve got too,” Lauther said. “I usually try to be polite and answer every one, but some of them, I just have to delete.”

If Lauther has been unfailingly polite online, he also has been unfailingly accurate on the football field.

After connecting on all three of his field-goal attempts in Saturday’s 30-29 victory over the host Toronto Argonauts, he is now 39-for-42 this season. With a 92.9-per-cent success rate, he’s on pace to set a franchise single-season record; the current mark of 90.6 per cent was set by Dave Ridgway in 1993.

Lauther missed his first field-goal try of the season, but then made 11 in a row before missing again. Then he made 16 straight before his next miss. He’s currently riding a streak of 12 straight successful kicks.

His last make was a 56-yarder against the host Argonauts on Saturday that (a) gave Saskatchewan what turned out to be the deciding point in its victory and (b) matched his CFL-best longest kick of the season.

As CFL statistician Steve Daniel told the Regina Leader-Post, Lauther now is the only kicker in league history to have two successful kicks of at least 56 yards in a season.

He is 14-for-14 on attempts from 41 yards and beyond, he has attempted field goals that total a league-high 1,479 yards and he has kicked three-pointers that total a CFL-best 1,369 yards.

“You can’t say enough about him,” quarterback Zach Collaros said after Saturday’s game. “Everybody knows his story. I was with him in Hamilton (and saw) how hard he works. He deserves everything that comes his way. He’s just a great clutch guy for us.”

Lauther began his CFL career in 2013 with the Tiger-Cats, who selected him in the seventh round (53rd overall) of that year’s draft. The Saint Mary’s University product appeared in four games that season, connecting on six of 10 field-goal attempts.

After spending the 2014 season on the Tiger-Cats’ practice roster — they signed Justin Medlock prior to that season — Lauther began a nomadic tour of the CFL in 2015.

He had tryouts with numerous teams (including Saskatchewan), but didn’t find employment. He worked at various jobs to pay the bills while also training in case another CFL opportunity came along.

It arrived this spring.

The Roughriders signed Lauther and took him to training camp to compete with incumbent Tyler Crapigna. Before camp was done, Crapigna underwent season-ending surgery and Lauther was named Saskatchewan’s kicker.

After 13 games, he has become a fan favourite — and his teammates have benefitted, too.

“We knew from the beginning of the season when Tyler went down that Brett was going to be something special,” defensive end Willie Jefferson said. “During camp and in those first couple of games, he was pretty much clutch. He didn’t miss.

“As the year has gone on, we’re just building a lot more faith in him. At the end of the day, if you put him out on the field at 50-plus yards, it’s pretty much going to go on. It has been a good ride with Brett this whole season.”

But Crapigna was a solid kicker for the Roughriders so, when he got hurt, didn’t any doubt creep in for the players about an unproven replacement?

“With this team, it’s always next man up,” Jefferson replied. “And you never know: The next man up could be an all-star.”

“I was always confident in the kid,” added holder Josh Bartel, who also held for Lauther with the Tiger-Cats. “I knew he had a great leg — he’s probably still got one of the biggest legs here in the (league) — but as for the accuracy, I guess I’m surprised. It’s pretty nice at the moment, isn’t it?”

Told that Lauther is at 92.9 per cent, Bartel said: “Oh, he’s doing really nice.”

Lauther was told after his many tryouts that he needed to improve his accuracy, so he did. He also figured out what he needed to do physically and mentally to succeed as a CFL kicker.

And now he’s the epitome of sticking with something — and he’s the object of many people’s affections as well.

“I have a younger sister who’s 10 years old back home, so I’m trying to be a good role model for her and other kids in the community,” said Lauther, who hails from Truro, N.S.

“I remember growing up and watching the junior A local hockey team and how cool it was going to the rink and getting (fist bumps) or a hockey stick or something from them. To think I’m doing that now for kids seems weird for me, but any way I can help or inspire kids to not give up on their dreams or not listen to what other people have to say, that’s all I’m trying to do.”