Versatility is a strong suit for strong-side cornerback Nelson Lokombo.
“I pride myself in being able to play everywhere,” the former University of Saskatchewan Huskies standout said following a Coors Light Training Camp workout at Mosaic Stadium.
“If you need me to play halfback, safety, D-line, I’ll do that.”
That mindset has impressed Head Coach/Defensive Co-ordinator Corey Mace, who started Lokombo on the strong side in both pre-season games.
“He’s there now,” Mace said of Lokombo’s positioning on the depth chart, noting that “he’s got to earn it.
“He definitely has the talent. I think that’s what made him a first-round pick.”
The second overall selection, in fact, in the 2021 CFL Draft.
“He’s a twitchy athlete, which I think everybody knew when he came out of college,” Mace said.
“He has the ability to read and see everything that we’re asking him to do in the back end and he has the ability to go touch the ball.
“That’s one thing we’re always looking at. It’s one thing to come down and make tackles. We like guys who are going to go get the ball and he has shown he can do that.
“His versatility is something you want in the building, because he can get you out of a lot of jams, not only by excelling in a starting spot, but if something happens he can fill in.”
Something happened, to say the least, at the outset of Lokombo’s time with the Roughriders.
In 2021, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in a pre-training-camp workout and was forced to miss an entire CFL season.
Undaunted, he made his pro football debut in 2022 and has since played in 23 games over two seasons.
“Looking back, there’s a lot that I learned,” he reflected. “To get to this point and being able to show off my abilities to the best that I can, it’s definitely something that you appreciate, looking back on how far I’ve come.”
Now he hopes to continue that progress by enjoying a breakout season — something he had in mind when he re-signed with Saskatchewan in January.
“That’s what really made it easy to sign back — having an opportunity to compete and show off what I can do,” Lokombo said. “That’s all I wanted.
“I’m excited to be a part of this team and I’m excited to have an opportunity to play football.”
“A HEALTHY BALANCE”
Running back A.J. Ouellette is excited about being a central figure in what promises to be a diversified Roughriders offence in 2024.
“From what I’ve seen in the pre-season games, we’re going set the run game to open up the pass game,” he said.
“If that means four quarters of just handing the ball off, that’s what it’s going to be, and I’m excited to see what that turns into over the course of a season.”
Ouellette was signed as a free agent on Feb. 13 after rushing for 1,009 yards with the Toronto Argonauts last season.
Also on Feb. 13, Saskatchewan signed right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick, who had been a mainstay on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ offensive line.
“If you’ve watched the CFL in the last few years, you know exactly what kind of players those guys are,” Mace said. “We’re happy that they’re on our team, no doubt.
“At the receiver position, we’ve got ballplayers there as well. There is only one ball and these guys are all going to be eager to touch it. What they do with that, we’ll see.
“Whether it’s on the ground or through the air, we’re looking for a healthy balance.”
A balance has been established while utilizing Ouellette in the pre-season and during practices.
“Physically, they’re taking care of me,” he said. “When I want reps, they’re giving me reps. They’re like, ‘If you’ve had a crazy two days of workload, we’re going to hold you back today.’
“Mentally, it’s pretty much the same offence I’ve been in for three years, so it’s me trying to help other guys learn this offence a little bit.”
The Roughriders completed their pre-season schedule on Saturday by defeating the host Edmonton Elks 28-27.
Ouellette was rested for the game in Edmonton after carrying the ball six times in a 25-12 victory over the visiting Blue Bombers on May 10.
Saskatchewan is the only team that will not play on Friday, when the CFL’s pre-season slate concludes with four games.
As a result, the Roughriders have a head-start on preparations for the June 8 regular-season opener in Edmonton. Ouellette is already noticing the benefits of the additional practice time.
“This week, I love feeling like it has been clicking with the O-line,” he said. “We’ve been spending a little bit extra time talking about what I’m reading, what they’re reading, and trying to work together.
“The last two days have been amazing up-front with running backs, so I’m excited to get another week in and get the season going.”
FOCUSING ON FEWER FLAGS
Mace stopped Tuesday’s practice to point out that too many penalties had been committed. An improvement was noted on Wednesday.
“We didn’t have as many penalties today,” he said. “I just told those guys, ‘We’ve learned now with pads on to practise smart but still practise physical.’ That’s part of being a pro.”
After back-to-back padded practices, the Roughriders could switch it up for Thursday’s practice.
“I think we’re going to maybe lay off the pads,” Mace said.
“We’re going to make sure they’re mentally dialed and still flying around, because the expectation is to stack and get better every day.”
