CALGARY — Talk about a triumphant return.
Cameron Marshall was back in the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ lineup Saturday for the first time since Aug. 25, replacing a banged-up Marcus Thigpen for Saskatchewan’s CFL contest against the Calgary Stampeders.
The first time Marshall touched the football in Saturday’s game came at the 5:06 mark of the first quarter, when Calgary’s Rene Paredes kicked off after Romar Morris’ 78-yard punt-return touchdown.
Marshall returned the kickoff 58 yards to the Calgary 47-yard line and, four plays later, Tre Mason scored on a four-yard run. Brett Lauther added the convert to put the Roughriders ahead 10-7 and they never trailed again en route to a 29-24 victory.
“I’ve been waiting for my opportunity and I said, ‘Whatever opportunity I get today, I’m just going to try to take advantage of it,’ ” Marshall said of his return. “That was the first time I touched the ball, so I tried to do something with it.”
The kickoff return — the second-longest by a Roughrider this season, trailing only Thigpen’s 97-yard TD against the Ottawa Redblacks on Sept. 15 — was only one of the significant plays Marshall made in the contest.
Playing in relief of an injured Mason, Marshall rushed 11 times for 76 yards, caught two passes for 23 yards and provided stellar pass protection for quarterback Zach Collaros in an all-around performance reminiscent of Marshall’s 2017 campaign.
He was the Roughriders’ starting tailback last season, but a knee injury suffered in the Labour Day Classic against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers derailed that campaign — and nearly ended his 2018 season before it began.
The 27-year-old tailback was released on the eve of training camp after failing his physical, allowing Mason and Thigpen to earn jobs in the Roughriders’ backfield.
Marshall was added to the practice roster on Aug. 13 and appeared in his first game on Aug. 25.
After rushing four times for 10 yards and catching one pass for nine yards against the B.C. Lions, Marshall was put on the Roughriders’ injured list. He spent seven weeks there before being added for Saturday’s game.
Asked what his wait was like, Marshall replied with a grin: “Long. It has been good, though.”
“That was my role,” he said. “I came in and I accepted my role and I let them know I’ll be ready whenever they call my number.
“I just tried to make sure my body was right and my mental (approach) was right. I tried to make sure I could contribute in whatever way I could, even if it was just being on the sideline helping the guys, telling them what I saw and giving them all the knowledge I had while I was down.”
Marshall initially joined the Roughriders in February of 2017 after stops in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars and one in the CFL with Winnipeg.
His all-around game was key to Saskatchewan’s attack last season before he suffered the knee injury — and by the time he was ready to go this season, the tailback spot was being manned capably by Mason and Thigpen.
But on Saturday, with Thigpen scratched, Marshall got back into the lineup. Then, when Mason suffered what head coach-GM Chris Jones said was a mouth injury late in the first half, Marshall’s opportunity arrived.
“(Thigpen) is a little bit beat up and we were able to put in a pro like Cam who keeps himself prepared,” said Jones, who noted that Marshall received a game ball for his efforts Saturday.
“Physically and mentally, he puts himself in the game every single week. It’s good when you’ve got a veteran like that.”
Staying mentally prepared could be a tough task for a player during a seven-game layoff, but Marshall said he didn’t have any problem staying sharp.
“You just invest in the team,” he said. “I’m with Tre and Marcus every day, so I’m invested in them. They do a great job. They come to work, they prepare hard and they practise hard, so it’s easy to buy in with them. Then, when I get my shot, I’m ready.”
Marshall proved he was into Saturday’s game on the first play after Mason departed.
Late in the second quarter, Collaros attempted a pass to Patrick Lavoie across the middle. The ball hit the hands of Lavoie and Calgary linebacker Alex Singleton, bounced once on top of Lavoie’s helmet and was up for grabs.
Marshall snared the ball and gained 12 yards for a first down. Seven plays later, Lauther kicked a 31-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to give the Roughriders a 19-10 lead.
“Being in the right place at the right time; I can’t call it anything but that,” Marshall said of his heads-up play. “I got a little bit lucky. I was glad just to make the first down.”
The question now is: What’s next?
The Roughriders play host to B.C. on Saturday and Mason and Thigpen could be ready for that game. What does that mean for Marshall in the wake of his effort Saturday?
“I don’t know,” he replied. “I’m just celebrating (the win) and whatever happens, happens.
“We’ve got a lot of great backs on this team, so I’m happy if (the coaches) decide to go back with the rotation (from) before. I’m just glad I could be part of this win and contribute.”
