SASKATOON — Mom was the word during the first Trevor Harris media availability of Coors Light Training Camp.
“First off, Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there,” the 38-year-old son of Tom and Suzanne Harris said. “You are the real MVPs.
“We’re just so grateful — not only for the way you take care of our kids, but also us. When I left (Ohio for camp), I made the half-hearted joke: ‘At least my wife has one less kid for the next month.’ ”
Once that month has elapsed, the Saskatchewan Roughriders will already have one regular-season game in the books — the June 5th CFL opener against the visiting Ottawa REDBLACKS — and will be fine-tuning preparations for a visit to Hamilton.
There isn’t much time to establish a foundation, so the team is taking advantage of every practice, every drill and every strategy session.
It helps, in many cases, that there is a familiarity between the players and with the coaches. Saskatchewan has brought back much of the core that allowed the team to make notable progress last season. There are higher goals in mind for 2025.
“I think a lot of people talk about continuity, and for a very good reason,” Harris said at Griffiths Stadium. “But you have to ask yourself, ‘With continuity, have you reached a ceiling? Have we tapped out on who we are?’ We’re not even close to that.
“With this group, bringing it back is almost like, ‘OK, we finally got to take the training wheels off toward the end of the year. Now we could be riding some mo-peds and some motorcycles by the end of the year.’ That’s a terrible analogy, but you know what I mean.
“By no means does ‘continuity’ mean ‘let’s run it back with the same group and see what happens.’ There’s more from this group and you can feel it.”
DAY 1 FUN
With rookies and veterans alike in camp, the team began what Head Coach Corey Mace hopes will be a 189-day journey — culminating in a Nov. 16 Grey Cup win in Winnipeg.
When the Green and White last played in the Manitoba capital, it was during the Western Final on Nov. 9. That was 183 days and one long, gruelling Saskatchewan winter ago.
“It’s worth every second of the off-season just to be out here together today,” Mace said. “It was an incredible first day. Everything that we wanted it to be, it was.
“You know the trajectory of how camp goes and you know it’s going to get even better, so it’s a hell of a first step for us.”
As impressed as he was, it was still a first step.
“I’m keeping my reality goggles on that it is Day 1,” Mace said. “You know that some of the new players are getting used to the playbooks, getting used to the communication, and dealing with the cats who are next to them.
“But, like I said, as far as the first day and what that looked like … incredible.”
HIGHLIGHT REEL
The play of the day was a diving catch by Tommy Nield, who stretched out on a corner pattern during a receivers-versus-defensive-backs session.
“I heard the screams (from the crowd), but I was watching the one-on-ones, so I’ve got to go back to the film and watch that one,” Mace said. “Judging by everyone’s reaction, I feel like that might be one of the bigger plays that I missed by just a hair.”
Nield caught 63 passes for 776 yards and two touchdowns in 26 games with the Toronto Argonauts before signing with Saskatchewan as a free agent on Feb. 4. The 6-foot-3, 203-pounder is a graduate of the McMaster Marauders.
Also of note on Sunday:
• The quarterbacks — Harris, Jack Coan, Tommy Stevens and Jake Maier — went 10-for-11 in the 12-on-12 portion of practice. The other three plays were runs: By newcomers Trent Pennix, Khalan Laborn and Mario Anderson.
• The two explosive plays: Deep completions from Harris to Kian Schaffer-Baker (who high-stepped it into the end zone) and Maier to Drae McCray (deep touchdown connection down the left sideline). “The fans don’t get too enamoured with the eight-, 10- and 12-yard completions,” Harris said, “so you’ve got to throw some bombs in there for them.”
• The other eight completions in 12-on-12 were to Nield, Dohnte Meyers, Joe Robustelli, KeeSean Johnson, Ty James, Dhel Duncan-Busby, D’Sean Mimbs and Brayden Misseri. (Robustelli also made a one-handed catch during individual drills.)
• In a skeleton drill, which excludes linemen, Jameer Thurman made a diving pass deflection. It was an impressive play, but Thurman was clearly dissatisfied — feeling he should have intercepted the pass. Cue push-ups. Fellow linebacker C.J. Avery joined in as a demonstration of support and camaraderie.
SHORT SNORTS
• On Sunday, the Roughriders announced the signing of 6-foot-6, 314-pound offensive lineman Erik Anderson, who was a second-round choice (13th overall) in the April 29th CFL draft. Andersen is a product of Western University. As well, the Roughriders released defensive end Jordan Smith and suspended receiver Ja’Marcus Bradley.
• Mace said the Roughriders will “slow roll” receiver Shawn Bane Jr., who is completing his recovery from a knee injury he sustained Sept. 28 against Ottawa at Mosaic Stadium. As for whether Bane Jr. will be available at any time during training camp, Mace said: “It might be a little too early, but I’m never going to say (an unequivocal) no.”
• One of the interested onlookers on Sunday was John Mace, who is visiting from San Diego. Coach Mace’s dad enjoyed an extended game of catch with his grandson, Micah. “I’m proud of my son,” Corey Mace said. “He’s been working on his catching, so that was good.”
