Corey Mace looks forward to another Mosaic milestone.
On Oct. 17, 2010, as a newcomer to the Calgary Stampeders’ defensive line, Mace scored his first CFL touchdown — on a 60-yard fumble return — to help his team defeat the host Saskatchewan Roughriders 34-26.
At Mosaic Stadium on Nov. 24, 2022, he celebrated the Toronto Argonauts’ 24-23 Grey Cup victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Mosaic Stadium. The championship contest capped Mace’s first of two seasons as the Argonauts’ defensive co-ordinator.
Mace resigned from that post in late November to become the Roughriders’ head coach. His first game on Mosaic Stadium’s west sideline will be Monday’s pre-season date with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
“I’m really excited,” Mace said. “I’ve stood on the sidelines as an opponent and have seen that there’s a lot of energy that comes out with that.
“I’m really excited just to hear the fan base. It’s something you really looked forward to specifically when we took the job.”
Mace was a player (2010 to 2015) and defensive line coach (2016 to 2021) with the Stampeders before choreographing the Argonauts’ defence for two seasons.
Now he is poised to call the shots as a head coach.
“That’ll be a first as well,” noted Mace, who will double as the defensive co-ordinator.
“Just seeing where my eyes are at and getting into detailed situations and understanding the game from a wide perspective, I’m looking forward to that for myself.
“I’m essentially coaching myself up in those situations to put the guys in the best situation for us to win.”
What does “coaching myself” entail?
“Balancing the fact that I’m still calling the defence but having the wherewithal to understand what’s happening in all phases of the game,” Mace replied. “Obviously, there are different situations that could come up, so I’ll be dialled in on all the rules and stuff like that. I’ve been studying hard from that standpoint.
“Coaches need pre-season games, too, so I’m looking forward to it.”
So is another first-year Roughrider — Jameer Thurman.
“I expect the fans to be like they always are, all the time,” said the 29-year-old middle linebacker, who has previous CFL experience with the Stampeders (2017-18, 2021-22) and Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2023).
“Playing against Saskatchewan for most of my career, I’ve always loved playing in Regina. With the fact that I get to do that a lot more often, I’m looking forward to it.”
Although Thurman was a high-priority free-agent signing in February, he isn’t taking anything for granted as the pre-season looms.
“You’ve still got to go out there and earn it,” he stated. “You’ve still got to showcase that the ability is still there.
“It’s a great time to get a feel for the game, get your feet back underneath you, and also use the pads that you haven’t used for a long time.”
Monday’s game will take place only eight days after the opening of Coors Light Roughriders Training Camp.
“In training camp, every day is really important, just to make sure you’re creating that routine and good habits,” quarterback Mason Fine said.
“Pre-season’s going to be big, but you can’t put too much pressure on it. You’ve just got to go out there and play your game and not try to do too much, because that’s when you’re going to force things that may not be there.
“Play within the offence, move the chains, and be the quarterback that this system needs and just move the ball.”
After Monday’s game, the Roughriders will return to Saskatoon and conduct full training-camp workouts at Griffiths Stadium on Wednesday and Thursday.
After a Friday morning walk-through at Griffiths Stadium, the team will depart for Edmonton — the site of Saturday’s pre-season finale against the Elks.
Commonwealth Stadium will also be the venue for the Roughriders’ regular-season lidlifter, which is set for June 8.
Saskatchewan will then visit Hamilton (June 16) before the Roughriders and Tiger-Cats collide again on June 23 in Mace’s first regular-season home game as a CFL head coach.
The Roughriders last opened the regular season with back-to-back road games in 2019, when the team ended up posting a 13-5 record and finishing first in the West Division.
TREVOR TIME
Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris is to see his first CFL game action since July 15, when he suffered a season-ending knee injury against the visiting Stampeders.
“I’m just going to go out there and let ’er rip and have some fun,” Harris said. “I’m going to go read some defences and just play some ball for the first time in a long time.”
Mace is hoping to play as many veterans as possible — but not at the expense of evaluating the newcomers.
“The guys who are healthy, even from our starters’ standpoint, they’re going to get some run tomorrow,” the Roughriders’ head coach said after Sunday’s walk-through at Griffiths Stadium.
“It’s important for us to show up for our fan base. It’s our first home game of the 2024, so everybody’s excited and we want to put them out there for that.
“The guys will be ready for that and hopefully the fans will be, too.”
