Kelly Jeffrey is a 1-and-Offensive Co-ordinator.
With Jeffrey calling plays for the first time as a CFL coach, the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the host Edmonton Elks 17-13 on Sunday.
How did it go overall?
“I can do way better,” he said bluntly on Wednesday after the Roughriders conducted their final full practice before Friday’s home opener against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
“The effort was there, but there are some calls I wish I had back. I think we should have run the ball a little bit sooner. I want to tip my hat to Edmonton, too, because they had a really good defence — tough, physical — so it was a tough matchup to move the ball.
“At the same time, if we had executed a little bit better — if we hit a long ball or we score just even one more time down in the red zone or if I make a better play call — I think we’re in a good situation where we’re killing the clock easily at the end instead of needing a final drive to put it away.”
What a final drive, though!
After the Roughriders stuffed Edmonton on three consecutive quarterback sneaks from the one-yard line, Saskatchewan marched 83 yards to extinguish all but one second of the 4:11 that remained in the fourth quarter after the Eskimos turned over the ball on downs.
On that victory-clinching possession, the Roughriders ran the ball for 70 yards on eight handoffs and threw a pass only three times. The final throw came after a rollout and planned incompletion that were designed to exhaust more time.
“I think that’s what championship teams are made of,” Jeffrey said. “I think anybody can run the ball in the second quarter or in the first quarter when everybody’s pumped up and the defence isn’t maybe expecting a run every play.
“At the end of the game, when you’re trying to put the game away, to run the ball like that says so much about the offensive line, the fullbacks and the tight ends, and the football IQ of the running backs who are hitting the right hole and finishing runs.
“Our receivers blocked like crazy all game long. You don’t have a good run game without good blocking receivers. So that O-line up front paved the way and the rest of the guys just did a great job.”
The longest gain of the close-out drive was a 28-yard run to the right by Jamal Morrow, who benefited from a seal block by receiver Derel Walker.
“All of our guys, regardless of size, stick their nose in there and they played physical,” Jeffrey said. “They realize that if they want explosive throws down the field, that usually comes from play-action. No one respects your play-action if you can’t run the ball.
“The way we can run the ball and set that up, our receivers know that, ‘Hey, we’ve got to be active in the run game if we’re going to expect the ball down the field.’ ”
QUARTERBACK QUESTION
Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris is listed as questionable for Friday’s game due to a hip injury he suffered milliseconds after making the final throw in Edmonton.
Asked if Harris will start against Winnipeg, Head Coach Craig Dickenson replied: “No comment.”
Dickenson added that No. 2 quarterback Mason Fine “got some work in” during Wednesday’s practice “and looked pretty good, too.”
Harris completed 20 of 33 passes for 179 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions, on Sunday in his regular-season debut with Saskatchewan. The 11th-year CFLer signed with the Roughriders as a free agent on Feb. 14.
Fine made one start as a rookie in 2021 and was also first on the depth chart for each of last year’s final two regular-season games.
If he does know what the blueprint is for Friday, he certainly isn’t tipping his hand.
“Honestly, we haven’t even talked about the quarterback situation,” Fine said. “We’re going through our routines with Coach Jeffrey. We’re going over the game plan and going over the script for practice and then running those plays and executing those.
“We’re just trying to get better every day during practice.”
If that leads up to Fine starting on Friday, he will embrace the opportunity.
“I feel very confident,” he said when asked about his level of comfort with the offence. “I’ve just been building chemistry with these guys since the beginning of training camp. I think that we did that well throughout pre-season and in this week of practice.
“I really feel like I’ve been playing well. I’ve been throwing well. I even got better from yesterday. So I’m going to learn from today and get better.
“But, going into Friday, I feel really confident, I feel really good, and I’m just excited to be out there with my teammates.”
Three players are listed on the injury report as being out for Friday’s game: Walker (who suffered a knee injury on the aforementioned block that helped to spring Morrow), linebacker Derrick Moncrief (shoulder) and punter Kaare Vedvik (hip).
As well, cornerback Nic Marshall (shoulder) is listed as doubtful.
