Alford is poised to pass Al Ford.
Entering Saturday’s CFL home game against the Toronto Argonauts, Mario Alford is sixth on the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ career kickoff returns list, with 88.
He needs to field three kickoffs in the Roughriders’ regular-season finale to move past Alan Ford into fifth All-Time.
In terms of punt returns, Alford requires only three in Saturday’s game (2 p.m., Mosaic Stadium) to establish a franchise single-season record.
That is what the numbers say, anyway, but Alford is focusing on other things.
“I don’t really keep up with the stats and stuff like that,” he said. “It doesn’t feel real to me, because I’m just trying to win and I’m just trying to play my role, just doing what I do.
“But that is pretty crazy at the end of the day.”
At the end of Friday’s game against the host Calgary Stampeders, Alford was tied with Gene Wlasiuk (1966) for second on the Roughriders’ single-season punt returns list, with 84. Willis Jacox had a team-record 86 in 1991.
Also in 1991, Jacox set the Roughriders’ record for kickoff return yardage in a season (1,231). Alford is fourth All-Time, 109 shy of Jacox.
During a banner 1991 campaign, Jacox also established the Roughriders’ high-water mark for punt return yards in a season (1,063).
Corey Holmes (2002) is second with 1,023, followed by Alford at 938.
A 126-yard game on Saturday would vault Alford past Jacox into first place.
A punt-return touchdown would make Alford the first Roughrider to score four such majors in a season.
He is also one kickoff-return TD away from becoming the Roughriders’ career leader in that category.
In terms of return touchdowns — combining punts, kickoffs and missed field goals — Alford already owns the Roughriders’ records for a single season (four) and a career (seven).
“My records and what I have accomplished are a blessing but, as a team and as a unit, we’re still not happy,” Alford said, referencing the Roughriders’ 6-11 slate.
“I’m not really worried about the records and what I do right now. I’ll think about that once I’m done with football but, right now, I just want to win.”
Here are some winning numbers, courtesy of Alford:
KICKOFF RETURNS
Most Returns, Career
185 — Corey Holmes
146 — Tristan Jackson
127 — Albert Brown
102 — Dwight Edwards
90 — Alan Ford
88 — Mario Alford
Most Returns, Season
58 — Willis Jacox, 1991
49 — Loucheiz Purifoy, 2019
48 — Mario Alford, 2023
48 — Aaron Ruffin, 1995
Most Yards, Career
4,077 — Corey Holmes
3,435 — Tristan Jackson
2,687 — Albert Brown
2,248 — Dwight Edwards
2,152 — Mario Alford
Most Yards, Season
1,231 — Willis Jacox, 1991
1,201 — Loucheiz Purifoy, 2019
1,157 — Corey Holmes, 2005
1,122 — Mario Alford, 2023
1,040 — Craig Ellis, 1984
1,035 — Corey Holmes, 2002
1,030 — Mario Alford, 2022
Most Touchdowns, Season
2 — Mario Alford, 2022
2 — Demetris Bendross, 2000
Most Touchdowns, Career
2 — Mario Alford
2 — Demetris Bendross
2 — Marcus Thigpen
PUNT RETURNS
Most Returns, Career
549 — Gene Wlasiuk
284 — Corey Holmes
256 — Jim Walter
256 — Stewart Fraser
247 — Harry Lunn
227 — Jim Copeland
186 — Fran McDermott
185 — Steve Molnar
172 — Terryl Ulmer
164 — Albert Brown
164 — Tristan Jackson
155 — Bob Kosid
147 — Paul Williams
146 — Willis Jacox
139 — Larry DeGraw
138 — Ken Charlton
128 — Mario Alford
Most Returns, Season
86 — Willis Jacox, 1991
84 — Gene Wlasiuk, 1966
84 — Mario Alford, 2023
Most Yards, Career
3,440 — Corey Holmes
3,296 — Gene Wlasiuk
2,008 — Stewart Fraser
1,882 — Jim Walter
1,726 — Harry Lunn
1,609 — Fran McDermott
1,599 — Albert Brown
1,546 — Willis Jacox
1,542 — Terryl Ulmer
1,468 — Mario Alford
Most Yards, Season
1,063 — Willis Jacox, 1991
1,023 — Corey Holmes, 2002
938 — Mario Alford, 2023
Most Touchdowns, Career
5 — Corey Holmes
4 — Mario Alford
3 — Willis Jacox
3 — Weston Dressler
3 — Christion Jones
3 — Curtis Mayfield
Most Touchdowns, Season
3 — Mario Alford, 2023
3 — Willis Jacox, 1991
3 — Curtis Mayfield, 1999
