The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ newest addition treated the media to, well, addition after his introductory practice with the CFL team.
“Having Corey Mace and Coach Edwin Harrison here was definitely 50 plus 50 adding up to 100,’’ offensive lineman Trevon Tate told reporters on Monday at Mosaic Stadium.
“It’s like family. It’s nice to be around this group of guys once again.”
Tate, 28, spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Toronto Argonauts, whose coaching staff during that period included Mace (defensive co-ordinator) and Harrison (offensive line).
Harrison now holds the same job description with the Roughriders, who hired Mace as the head coach in late November of last year.
This past February, Calgary signed Tate on Day 1 of the free-agency period. He was released on Aug. 13 after starting four games at right tackle.
Primarily due to injuries, the Roughriders have had a revolving door at that position in 2024. Jermarcus Hardrick, Jacob Brammer, Brandon Council, Nick Jones and Logan Ferland have all started at right tackle over the team’s first 10 regular-season games.
Ordinarily a starting guard, Ferland moved to right tackle for Friday’s home game against the Montreal Alouettes. Montreal, which won 27-24, did not register a sack as Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris went 31-for-39 for 355 yards and two touchdowns.
The arrival of Tate, who has 25 games of CFL experience, could lead to him starting on Thursday against in Toronto. Ferland would then shift back to right guard.
“A lot of guys, when they knew I was coming here, told me that he’s the guy and that he’s possibly the best guard (in the league),” Tate said of Ferland.
“I just talked to him about how he wants things done. He asked me, ‘How do you do this?’ I responded with, ‘How do you do it? You’re used to doing it.’ It’s easier for me to adapt to four than for four to adapt to one.
“I feel like it’s going to be a great thing.”
Mace is unlikely to confirm his roster until Wednesday morning, when the depth chart is to be released, but his sentiments on adding Tate are already clear.
“Anytime he has been out there and has had his chance to do it, he has been with some good offences and won some games,” Mace said.
“It was an opportunity for us to bring him in — somebody who’s familiar with the system — so you don’t really have to coach and teach him from the ground up. He’s got a good understanding of the foundation, so it made sense for us.
“He’s a guy we looked at in free agency as well, so I guess the football gods brought us together.”
Tate started four games in 2022 for an Argonauts team that eventually won the Grey Cup.
The 6-foot-4, 295-pound University of Memphis grad was sidelined with a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament when Toronto edged the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 22-21 in the 109th Grey Cup Game, played at Mosaic Stadium on Nov. 20, 2022.
Last season, Tate made 10 starts — eight at right tackle on two on the left side — while helping Toronto post a 16-2-0 record and tie a long-standing CFL record for regular-season victories.
Now, as a Roughrider, he is once again in first place. Saskatchewan (5-4-1) leads the West Division.
“I feel blessed,” Tate said. “I feel honoured to be around a group of great coaches and great players.”
