HAMILTON — Football is not a game of flinches for the Trevor Harris-quarterbacked Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“We have a ‘don’t flinch’ mentality,” receiver Jerreth Sterns said after Sunday’s 33-30 comeback victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“Trevor has been preaching it all year since camp — don’t flinch — and I think we’ve shown that.
“I think we can make the games a lot smoother if we come out faster and stop the penalties and don’t shoot ourselves in the foot.”
Saskatchewan improved its record to 2-0 on Sunday despite being penalized 11 times for 115 yards.
For the second consecutive week, the Roughriders hit a lull after assuming a 7-3 first-quarter lead.
The Edmonton Elks responded with an 18-1 run on June 8 at Commonwealth Stadium, only to have the resilient Roughriders counter with 21 unanswered points and win 29-21.
On Sunday, the Tiger-Cats scored all 17 second-quarter points and led by 13 at halftime.
“It was a similar story (to Week 1),” Harris said. “It was just like, ‘Listen, it’s 20-7. This is a gift that we’re only down 13, as lacklustre as we played.’
“The defence, I think they would tell you they weren’t as sharp as they wanted to be. On special teams, we took some penalties early and didn’t really get to flip the field. But, man, our coverage units were freakin’ awesome tonight. They were tremendous, making big hits.
“On offence, we sputtered all game except for the one drive we had (in the first quarter). It was really disappointing.
“Obviously, we kicked it up a notch and started executing when we started going fast (in a no-huddle offence).
“Big credit to Marc Mueller. He’s a star coach in the making. We’re really, really elated and lucky to have him as our Offensive Co-ordinator.”
The Roughriders are just as fortunate to have Harris behind centre.
“What more can I say about the guy?” Sterns said. “He has been in the CFL for a long time. He has done it at a high level for a long time.
“We’re just lucky to be led by a true vet like him.”
Two games into the 2024 season, Harris has completed 54 of 76 passes — a 71.1-per-cent accuracy rate — for 695 yards and five touchdowns, with two interceptions.
For the ninth time in Roughriders history, a quarterback has opened a season with back-to-back games of 300-plus passing yards.
The feat was previously accomplished by Joe Paopao (in 1985), Kent Austin (1990, 1992 and 1993), Tom Burgess (1994), Henry Burris (2000) and Darian Durant (2010 and 2016).
Harris’s two-game passing-yardage total of 695 is seventh-best all-time, behind Austin (883 in 1993), Paopao (864, 1985), Austin (799, 1992), Durant (733, 2010), Austin (728, 1990) and Burgess (713, 1994).
Keep in mind, too, that Harris is enjoying a scorching start after missing the final 13 games of last season with a serious knee injury.
“Trevor’s story to this point is a microcosm of this entire team,” Head Coach Corey Mace said.
“If you really look at how he attacked this off-season and how he has been performing, that’s exactly who this team is.
“If he can lead us out there the way he has been, we’re going to be in good company.”
Harris, who is far more modest than his early-season statistics, was quick to praise the company he keeps.
“First and foremost, our offensive line protected their faces off tonight,” he said. “They did a tremendous job.
“I know that we gave up (four) sacks, but those sacks are on me. That should be negative rushing yards for me and not sacks for them, because I held on to (the football) a little bit.
“I’m very proud of them.”
Especially on a night when the Roughriders encountered adversity in various, and often-painful, forms.
After Shawn Bane Jr. was injured late in the first half, rookie Ajou Ajou — a seventh-round draft choice — saw his first CFL regular-season duty and responded with five catches for 41 yards.
The receiving corps was further depleted, at least for a few plays, after Sterns was shaken up late in the fourth quarter. Ace returner Mario Alford filled in for a spell and contributed a six-yard reception on second-and-three. On the next play, Harris found Kian Schaffer-Baker for a touchdown with 43 seconds left in the game.
At left guard, Ryan Sceviour took over after Philip Blake was helped off the field midway through the third quarter.
“Shoot, we had three guys go down on offence,” Harris lamented. “That’s not an easy thing to overcome.
“Scev came in and we’re never going to flinch. Phil was on the sideline encouraging the guys and instilling belief in them.
“Big-time credit to our offensive coaches. They did a tremendous job. We’ve got depth. We’ve got good players and we’ve got guys who believe in one another.”
And in the key messaging that has quickly become part of the Roughriders’ vocabulary.
“We’ve got wristbands that say ‘Build It” on one side and ‘Don’t Flinch’ on the other side,” Harris said.
“We’re building something special here and we’ve got a group here that flat-out won’t quit.”
