SASKATOON — Less is more for Lake Korte-Moore.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end, who was drafted third overall in 2023, arrived at his third Coors Light Training Camp with fewer pounds and increased muscle.
“The last two years, I felt a little sluggish,” Korte-Moore said after Monday’s workout at Griffiths Stadium. “Then I had my injury at the end of last year, with my partial ACL and MCL tear.
“That kind of made me step back in life and really think about, ‘What’s going on?’ How have I felt playing the last two years? How much do I really love this game? How much do I love being in the locker room?’
“I thought about everything like that, just because it was my first time missing a significant number of games. It just made me step back a bit. Then the season ended early.
“I was practising in that West Final week, so I was possibly able to come back for the Grey Cup. At the same time, I was still feeling a little sluggish, a little overweight.
“From there, the off-season came around. I was like, ‘Hey, I just need to get myself back in shape and really focus a lot.’ ”
That project took place in Whistler, B.C., where the Ottawa-born UBC Thunderbirds alumnus lived during the off-season.
“I just got into the gym up there — the Canadian Sport Institute — and pushed myself to a new limit,” Korte-Moore said.
“It’s one thing to work out with other people, but it’s another thing to work out on your own a lot and not really have people pushing you. You need to push yourself.”
There were inspiring examples to follow, such as the one set by A.J. Ouellette. The Roughriders running back pared 20-plus pounds from his frame over the winter.
“Seeing A.J. and his transformation and seeing a lot of other guys on social media, just working their tails off, and seeing the drive that everyone had just motivated me, too,” Korte-Moore said. “At the same time, I motivated myself each day to go in there and do that.”
It helped that former linebacker Shea Emry, who concluded his eight-year CFL career by playing for the Roughriders in 2015, also resides in Whistler.
“He helped push me a lot, too,” Korte-Moore continued. “We worked out together and he was a little bit of a mentor for me and a guy I could go to with questions and different things like that.
“He was like, ‘Hey, the snow’s off the ground now, so you’ve got to get on that field. You’ve got to start running.’ ”
Meanwhile, Korte-Moore was in frequent communication with Head Coach/Defensive Co-ordinator Corey Mace and Defensive Line Coach Phillip Daniels.
“He was sending me all these videos,” Daniels recalled. “He was squatting and his bench press went up.
“I told him he just needed to get stronger. He’s moving around well out there. Lake is going to do everything you ask him to do. He’s going to do everything right. You never have to worry about him with that.
“The thing with Lake is that I’ve just got to get him to use his hands and be more physical with his hands, and he’s doing that right now.
“He came to camp ready to go and he’s practising well right now, so hopefully he keeps that up.”
While keeping the weight down.
“I’m around 250,” the 6-foot-4 lineman said. “I get up to around 252. The chocolate milk machine has got me here. I don’t drink coffee, so that’s my kryptonite — the chocolate milk machine.
“I came in at 266 my first year. Last year, I was around 260. This year, I felt that I needed to really push myself for that end position.
“I realized that a lot of the other guys weren’t very heavy on our D-line at that end position or in this league, technically, so I can be a little lighter, play all special teams, help the team out as much as I can, and push to be the best version of myself on the field.”
Korte-Moore would love to fill a vacancy that was created when Bryan Cox Jr., who had six sacks from his defensive end spot last season, signed with the Toronto Argonauts as a free agent.
The overriding objective, though, is to help Saskatchewan dethrone Toronto as the CFL’s title-holder.
“I’m proud of what I did, but there’s still a lot of work to be done,” said Korte-Moore, 25. “Working out by yourself in the off-season, you don’t reap the rewards yet.
“On the field for two days so far, I’ve felt a little bit better and a little bit easier. I’m still sore, so I think I’m getting a little bit old.
“I think I will be the proudest of myself once we’re lifting that Grey Cup at the end of the year, when I see the sacrifices that I’ve made and everything come to fruition.
“I just want to see all the guys on our team so happy at the end of the year.”
