Rob Vanstone: Hip hip hooray to Trevor Harris for perseverance, professionalism and prolific passing

The musically sounding musings leading up to the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ 2023 home opener included plenty of chatter about Kim Mitchell and The Hip. 

Mitchell, a Canadian rock legend, performed at halftime of a CFL game that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers ultimately won 45-27 before 28,299 spectators at Mosaic Stadium. 

By the time Mitchell hit the stage on Friday, Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris had already thrown for nearly 200 yards and unfurled two of the three touchdown passes that sophomore sensation Samuel Emilus would catch during a breakout game. 

The very same Trevor Harris had been listed as questionable with a hip injury he had suffered late in Sunday’s season-opening, 17-13 victory over the host Edmonton Elks. 

“Tuesday night, I would have thought that it was probably a five-per-cent chance that I’d play,” Harris said after throwing for 413 yards in his first home game as a Roughrider. “I was struggling to get up off the couch. 

“I started doing some treatments with my ARP (therapy) machine. I did two treatments with that and I was significantly better. 

“The next day, I felt like if they had needed me to, I could have practised, but my body wasn’t quite ready.” 

Cue a transformational Thursday, when Harris had an upbeat conversation with Head Coach Craig Dickenson. 

“I told Dickie, ‘I’m good, man. You don’t need to list me as whatever. I’m going to play.’ Then he texted me today and I was like, ‘I’m playing — 100 per cent.’ ” 

Harris flirted with 100 per cent for much of the first half, completing 12 of his first 13 passes. He was 16-for-19 for 194 yards and two scores over the opening 30 minutes. 

Then it was time to go for a soda — a halftime refreshment does hit the spot in the midst of a gruelling game — while Mitchell performed a selection of his hits, including Patio Lanterns. 

Suitably, Harris continued to light up the Bombers’ secondary once play resumed. 

He completed all six of his passes on the opening drive of the second half, which culminated with a six-yard scoring strike to Emilus. 

The Blue Bombers counterpunched, as they are wont to do, by travelling 67 yards in eight plays — the last of which was a one-yard quarterback sneak by Dru Brown that put the visitors ahead to stay. 

Only a minute and a half after Brown’s TD, Janarion Grant took off on a 92-yard punt return to paydirt. Dickenson accurately referred to that play as a “backbreaker.” 

The Roughriders answered with a field goal. Winnipeg countered with a touchdown. 

Saskatchewan marched for another three points. Winnipeg responded by reaching the end zone once more. 

It was the latest consummately professional performance by a Winnipeg team that has been there, done that, while appearing in the past three Grey Cup games and winning two of them. 

But the admirable attributes of Harris also shone through — on the field and during his post-game session with the media. 

“We’ll watch the film, make the corrections and move on,” he said. “We’ll give ourselves the 24-hour rule (to focus on the outcome) and this one sucks. 

“You want to win at home, especially in an electric environment that the fans provided tonight.” 

Harris was electrifying in his own right, becoming the first Roughrider to pass for 400-plus yards since Oct. 26, 2019. That evening in Edmonton, Cody Fajardo threw for 429 yards as the Roughriders won 27-24 in Edmonton. 

On Friday, the Roughriders again put up 27 points — a total that, on many nights, would enable a CFL team to win. 

The spoiler, though, was that Winnipeg provided the opposition. Against a team of that calibre, there is scant margin for error. 

Remember, too, that the margin between Harris and Collaros was also minuscule. Harris’s quarterback-efficiency rating (127.4) was virtually identical to that of Collaros (127.5) on Friday as the two passers put on a show. 

“It was a gutty performance,” Dickenson said of Harris. “He played well. I thought he made good decisions, saw the field well, and didn’t look too hobbled. He was moving pretty well.” 

So well, in fact, that he led the Roughriders in rushing for much of the game, finishing with 23 yards on three carries. 

Jamal Morrow, who had six carries for 25 yards, leapfrogged Harris near the midpoint of the fourth quarter by taking off on a 17-yarder. Saskatchewan had nine yards to show for its other six handoffs. 

The lack of a consistent, complementary running game should have theoretically made it much more difficult for the Roughriders to move the ball via the aerial route, especially against an experienced and accomplished Winnipeg defence. 

However, the Roughriders’ pass protection was generally reliable, aided by the composure and next-level competency Harris demonstrated while in the pocket. 

“Trevor just saw the field well and played exceptionally,” Dickenson said. “Those receivers, I thought, made plays for him. 

“We’d like to run the ball better. That’s one of the keys we’re going to try to work on moving forward. But, overall, I thought the offence gave us a chance.” 

It helped matters that Tevin Jones, who started in place of the injured Derel Walker, made nine catches for 121 yards — 38 of which were on a one-handed grab that set up Saskatchewan’s first TD. 

Shawn Bane Jr. added 125 yards on his six receptions, the peak gains being 49 and 43. 

Emilus hauled in seven passes for 77 yards while becoming the first Roughrider to catch three TD passes in a game since Weston Dressler (July 29, 2012 versus the Hamilton Tiger-Cats). 

But the engine behind it all was Harris, who helped the Roughriders go toe-to-toe with a perennial powerhouse for much of the game. 

In so doing, Harris offered abundant hope for the weeks and months ahead. 

As unpalatable as he finds it to lose, he also senses — as well as symbolizes — progress. 

“We actually have the genetic makeup in the team to actually win the whole thing this year — and I mean that sincerely,” Harris stated. 

“I love this team … and I think we’re going to like it more and more as the year goes on.”