Rob Vanstone: Trevor Harris sports staggering stats for playoff-bound Roughriders
Trevor Harris leads all playoff-bound pivots in payoff pitches.
That stat is especially impressive when you consider that the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ signal-caller missed 6½ games with a knee injury.
Since returning to the lineup, Harris has steadily built upon his sparkling start to the 2024 CFL season while helping the Roughriders secure a home playoff game. (Tickets are available HERE.)
“I just feel that he’s so locked in,” receiver Samuel Emilus said after Saturday’s 39-8 victory over the B.C. Lions.
“We know what we’ve got to accomplish and we know what we can do with this receiving group and this team, really.
“We know what’s at stake and he’s already a champion. He has already won Grey Cups and he knows what to say.”
That was evident on Saturday at halftime, when the Roughriders led 26-8 at Mosaic Stadium.
“The (coaching) staff was going over certain things and certain calls and, in the background, I hear a players’ huddle being called up — and it’s Trevor,” Head Coach Corey Mace said.
“He has been incredible. I’m happy as ever that he’s with us. The guys rally around him.
“He loves this team, he loves his teammates and he loves this province. It has been great to have him.”
Great is an apt description of the way Harris has played this season.
With 20 touchdown passes, he is third in the league, behind the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ Bo Levi Mitchell (26) and the Edmonton Elks’ McLeod Bethel-Thompson (24). Hamilton and Edmonton have both been eliminated from the post-season picture.
Harris has reached 20 TD passes in a brisk 11 games — the eighth-fastest pace in Roughriders history.
Kent Austin set the record of seven games in 1991. Tom Burgess (1989) and Darian Durant (2013) reached 20 in eight games. Austin required nine games in 1992 and 10 in 1990.
Ron Lancaster (1966) and Henry Burris (2000) took 10 games to reach 20. Harris and Glenn Dobbs (1951) got there in 11.
In other words, Harris is in the company of Roughriders icons.
More eye-popping numbers: Harris leads the CFL in efficiency rating (108.4) and touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio (2.22).
He is the first Roughrider to complete at least 75 per cent of his passes in four consecutive games. The previous record: Two.
With one game remaining before the playoffs, Harris is well-positioned to establish a franchise record for completion percentage.
Cody Fajardo set the standard of 71.46 per cent in 2019. Harris is at 72.42.
As well, Harris has helped Saskatchewan lead all playoff qualifiers in offensive points per game (25.9).
Add it all up and Harris merits strong consideration for All-Star honours.
“What about the games he missed?” you may inquire.
Rewind to 2013, when Harris was an understudy to Ricky Ray with the Toronto Argonauts.
Ray started 10 of the 11 games for which he dressed that season and was still named a CFL All-Star.
A year earlier, Harris had debuted in Canadian professional football and ultimately shared in the Argonauts’ 2012 Grey Cup championship.
Harris also celebrated a title in 2016, as a member of the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
Although Burris was the Cup-winning starting quarterback, Harris made immense contributions to the 2016 REDBLACKS. He led the team in passing yards (3,301) and TD throws (16), while throwing only four interceptions.
Harris was the league leader in efficiency rating (116.0), interception rate (just 1.2 per cent of his 330 attempts were picked off) and average yards per attempt (10.0).
The only stat of any relevance to Harris: Wins.
That said, he respects the accomplishments — reflected in many cases by gaudy numbers — of everyone who has preceded him as the Roughriders’ starting quarterback.
And he appreciates the honour of being in that position.
“The fact that I get to be the quarterback of this franchise, I don’t take it lightly,” Harris said. “I put everything I can into it.
“I do everything I can to, first and foremost, glorify my Lord and saviour, but I want to do everything I can for this team.
“When I wake up in the morning, I never have to hit Snooze because of the love I have for my brothers.
“I just really hope that we can continue to grow together and we can continue to push the envelope, because this team has what it takes to do what we want to do.”
