SASKATOON — The face of Corey Mace is all over the place.
For example, the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ first-year head coach is featured on an electronic billboard that is situated near the Saskatoon city limits.
Mace and Vice-President of Football Operations/General Manager Jeremy O’Day just happened to pass by that giant image while arriving in the Bridge City for Coors Light Roughriders Training Camp.
“I told him, ‘You haven’t lost a game yet. They’ll take that down so fast,’ ” O’Day quipped on Saturday during the annual State of the Nation fan forum.
To begin the discussion/Q&A, Dave Thomas — 620 CKRM’s new voice of the Roughriders — introduced Mace, O’Day and President-CEO Craig Reynolds to an enthusiastic gathering in the main hall at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex.
Mace was touted by Thomas as “the first head coach in team history to receive a standing ovation at practice.”
Mace was quick to reciprocate by applauding the fans and their tireless devotion to the team.
“It’s incredible,” he marvelled. “Obviously, the support — and you see it here today — is something we get every day at practice.
“At places where I’ve been before, we’re not used to that kind of stuff. It has been everything I anticipated it to be and then some.
“The fellas definitely understand it and they’re excited about it as well.”
Mace excited the crowd, yet again, after being asked what he is trying to build in Saskatchewan.
The objective, he said, is to field a team that reflects the natural makeup of the people of Saskatchewan.
“The goal is that, when you watch this team, you identify with it, just based off of work ethic,” Mace went on to say.
“We’re going to be tough, regardless of what the weather looks like. We’re going to be flying around and we’re going to do things as a family. And we’ll have a good time, because the people of Saskatchewan have a good time.”
Ideally, the same won’t apply to opposing quarterbacks as they face a pressure-oriented scheme that helped Mace enjoy immense success as the Toronto Argonauts’ defensive co-ordinator in 2022 (Grey Cup championship) and 2023 (16-2 record).
“The defence that we’ve been a part of the last couple of years is pretty aggressive, so there’s give and take with that,” he said.
“We’re not going to sit back and die a slow death, so to speak. If we’re going to die, it’s because we’re forcing the issue.”
The Roughriders have also been aggressive — non-combatively, it should be emphasized — in terms of community interactions.
“I’m super-proud of our players and what our organization does,” Reynolds said.
“I was just looking at last year and it’s crazy. There were 280 days when our players were out somewhere in the community in Saskatchewan.
“When you think about it, it’s 280 out of 365 days in a year. I’m an accountant, so it’s 80 per cent or something like that, for all the math fans in the crowd.”
One other number — four — resonates with O’Day and Mace.
“We’re all in it for the same reason, which is to win Grey Cups,” the Roughriders’ GM said. “Corey hit the nail on the head when I was interviewing him. He said, ‘I can’t believe that there’s only four Grey Cup championships here.’
“Every time I walk on our field, I look up and I see the Grey Cup (year) numbers and the empty spots next to them. I just envision the ones that are supposed to be next to them.
“It bothers me a lot, to be honest with you, because we have no excuse. We have a great fan base, a great stadium and a great business. I’ve always said that our business team is a championship organization and we just need to follow suit on the field.”
For another championship to materialize, all of Rider Nation needs to be involved.
“We will do this thing together,” Mace stated. “When I say that, it’s not just the guys up here. It’s not just the guys you’re going to see on the field. It’s going to be the entire province.3
“There’s something unique about what you guys have had since, I believe, you were freakin’ born in this province. I’m all for the green brainwash if that’s what it is.
“What we’re seeing here is special. I understand it. Certainly, these three gentlemen understand it. Everybody in the organization understands it.
“As J.O. alluded to, it’s mind-boggling that there are only four championships in this team’s history and everybody is working their tails off to change that.
“We can’t do it without you guys and, just by position, you guys technically can’t do it without us. But we’re going to do this thing together and hopefully we’re going to be having a celebration one day soon.”
And, with that, Corey Mace received one more standing ovation.
