Jake Wieneke’s enthusiasm is, in keeping with his vocation, catchy.
Spend as much as a millisecond around the 28-year-old Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver and it is impossible not to get caught up in the energy he invariably exudes.
Wieneke was seemingly immune to what Head Coach Craig Dickenson had referred to as the “dog days” of Coors Light Riders Training Camp in Saskatoon. So imagine the vibe during and after the opening day of Week 1 practice as Sunday’s regular-season opener against the host Edmonton Elks draws closer.
“It was a new excitement today, coming out for practice,” Wieneke said on Wednesday at Mosaic Stadium.
“Obviously, camp was fun. It was exciting to get back out there and learn the new offence and everything, but coming out here on our field, in our facility, knowing that we’ve got a game at the end of the week, it’s a blast.”
Or a blast-off, in a sense, as Wieneke is preparing for his first regular-season game as a Roughrider.
He signed with Saskatchewan as a free agent on Feb. 14, following a three-season affiliation with the Montreal Alouettes.
With Montreal, he was named the CFL’s top rookie (in 2019) and and an All-Canadian (after catching a league-best 11 touchdown passes in 2021).
During the latter of those two seasons, Wieneke was introduced to quarterback Trevor Harris — who also signed with the Roughriders on Valentine’s Day.
“When Trevor throws a ball to you on your right hip, that means the defender’s on the left,” Wieneke said, referencing Harris’s uncanny precision. “If he throws it down, that means they’re coming, so get down.
“Wherever he throws it, we can trust that he’s going to put the ball in the right spot. There’s so many things that he just knows. Being able to watch film with him and hear how he thinks, it makes us all better.”
It is akin to being part of a master class.
“There’s so much that goes into it, with his preparation and everything” Wieneke marvelled. “First of all, he knows what everyone is doing. He knows where we’re going to be and how we’re going to run our routes. He knows what the defence is going to do and what to expect from them. He knows how they’re going to rush, how the protection is going to be … he just knows what’s going to go on.
“Still, even with knowing that, now you’ve got to go out there and perform. He’s obviously got to be very accurate with his throws. I’ve been able to see it throughout camp, every single day, and in practice today.
“He’s just getting better and better and better. Last year, I saw the same thing. Throughout the season, he gets more accurate, more accurate, more accurate, to the point where he barely ever misses.
“He throws it right where he wants to throw it and then it’s up to the receiver to make the catch. It’s pretty special to see what he does, day in and day out.”
Harris was quick to reciprocate with the bouquets, lauding Wieneke and another accomplished addition to the receiving corps — three-time 1,000-yard man Derel Walker.
“Those guys are absolute studs,” the Roughriders’ signal-caller stated. “We’re going to lean on them every week. They know that.
“The other guys are going to have their shine, too, but anytime you have Jake Wieneke and Derel Walker in the lineup, you’re going to have a happy myself, because I know what they’re about.
“Derel looks like the Derel that everybody remembers early in his career. I just can’t wait to see him unleashed this season.
“Obviously, Jake is one of the smartest receivers and one of the best route-runners I’ve ever been around. He’s just so friendly to throw to and he always sees the game as a quarterback.
“I don’t think he gets enough credit for how crafty he is in his route-running and how smart of a route-runner he is.
“Those guys are going to lead by example the whole year and the other guys are going to follow them. I know they’re going to make a lot of plays on game days, too.”
The first such day is fast approaching — another reason why Wieneke is upbeat.
“I can’t wait,” he said with a smile. “It’s going to be fun.
“Even playing in the pre-season game and getting to suit up and finally wearing that Roughrider gear, it was a special feeling. Now, to do it in a real game, it’s going to be amazing.”
