No. 92 will be something new for Derel Walker.
The veteran receiver’s 92nd career Canadian Football League regular-season game will be his first in a Saskatchewan Roughriders uniform.
“I’m looking forward to it,” the eighth-year CFLer says with a smile as Sunday’s season-opening clash with the host Edmonton Elks approaches. “We’re going to start this year off with a major bang.
“I’m really excited about going out there and just executing everything I have on the board for the game plan and about going out there and enjoying my brothers and having a good time.”
Walker has already enjoyed an auspicious start, taking into consideration the Roughriders’ intra-squad game and pre-season finale.
During a smoke-shortened scrimmage on May 20 at Gordie Howe Bowl in Saskatoon, Walker caught three passes for 75 yards, including a highlight-reel touchdown.
He followed up on June 2 with three catches for 45 yards and one TD in a 28-16 pre-season victory over the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Walker’s five-yard scoring catch was preceded by a 37-yard connection with Harris, whose accuracy and deft touch were on display.
“That was beautiful,” Walker says of that picturesque play. “That’s the thing about Trevor. The placement of his passes is amazing — second to none in this league, honestly, if you ask me.
“I’m really happy that I’m getting back with someone who understands the game full circle and who has had a lot of experience at dominating up here.”
Practices aside, the Roughriders’ No. 7 is 10-for-11 for 197 yards while making abbreviated appearances in green and white. Half of those completions have been to Walker.
“When he has had the opportunity to make a play, he has made it,” Head Coach Craig Dickenson says. “His catch percentage is really high right now, if you do the analytics on it.
“I just think he’s going to get better and better. He’s getting more comfortable in the system and he’s getting more comfortable with Trevor Harris.
“I think Derel is primed to have a good year.”
The appetite is whetted for Sunday.
“The only thing I can say is that you’ve got to be there to see it,” Walker says.
“Obviously, you know that ‘7’ has been dominating this league for quite some time, so I’m definitely looking forward to being in the game and witnessing his leadership.”
CFL fans have witnessed countless big plays by Walker since he debuted with Edmonton in 2015.
He was named the league’s Most Outstanding Rookie after catching 89 passes for 1,110 yards.
Then came an eye-popping 2016 season, in which he made 109 receptions for 1,589 yards and 10 TDs.
After four years with Edmonton, he signed with Toronto in 2019 and proceeded to enjoy a 65-catch, 1,040-yard season. Two more seasons with Edmonton ensued.
“I made that place a home,” recalls Walker, who signed with Saskatchewan as a free agent on March 2. “I was there for so many years.
“I definitely still have a lot of great relationships with people there — teammates and people in the organization. It’ll be good to see them but, at the end of the day, it’s business.
“We’re coming up there for a specific reason and that’s to be 1-and-0.”
GAMBLIN’ MAN
Roughriders punter Adam Korsak is actually averse to the fine art of punting — in the Madden video game, anyway.
“I never used to punt in Madden,” he said with a laugh earlier this week. “I used to always go for it, anyway.”
With feigned incredulity, I asked him if the punters’ union would object to such a strategy.
“I always find it kind of funny when you hear about punters trying to punt in the Madden game,” Korsak responded. “No one ever punts. Let’s be honest. You go for it.”
TREVOR’S TOTALS
- Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris is 19th on the CFL’s all-time passing-yardage list, with 28,610. By season’s end, he could very well leapfrog Darian Durant (31,740), Sam Etcheverry (30,381) and Tom Burgess (30,308). One spot behind Harris on the list is Kerry Joseph (28,097). Durant, Burgess and Joseph all played key roles in a Roughriders championship season.
- Harris has a higher efficiency rating (102.8) than all 18 quarterbacks who are above him on the list. Next in line is Ricky Ray (98.3), whose 60,736 yards rank him fourth all-time.
- Of the top 60 passing-yardage producers in CFL history, only three quarterbacks boast an efficiency rating of 100 or higher — Dave Dickenson (110.2), Harris (102.8) and Zach Collaros (who was at 100.0 before piloting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to Friday’s 42-31 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats).
NERDY NUMBERS
This numerical nugget occurred to me the other day and, honestly, it is too nerdy and tangential not to share.
The first spasm of Grey Cup appearances in Roughriders history lasted from 1923 to 1934. Over that span, the Regina Rugby Club or Regina Roughriders competed in the national championship game on seven occasions (1923, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932 and 1934).
Those bookends — ’23 and ’34 — came to mind the other day when I was looking at statues that honour Numbers 23 (Ron Lancaster) and 34 (George Reed).
ROLL CREDITS …
- Nice people who deserve a plug: Shannon England, Sara England, Jenna England, Rob Currie, Joel Steinberg, Bob Strumm, Gord Pritchard, Kelsey Brazil, Gary Brotzel, Lesley Cyrenne, Marc Cyrenne, Dave White, Cam Moon, Michael Klein, Caron Schofield, Cal Filson, Trevor Buhnai and, for all the work he does to facilitate a Roughriders road trip, Jordan Greenly (Director, Football Operations).
