Week 1, Day 1 is a big one for Trevor Harris.
“It’s like a kid at Christmas,” the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ starting quarterback said Sunday after the CFL team’s first regular-season-oriented practice of 2025.
“Everybody kind of longs for that feeling of waking up Christmas morning, not knowing what Santa Claus brought you.
“That’s what football season is. It still gives me butterflies in my stomach, coming out to practice every single day.”
Sunday’s workout was the first on-field session in preparation for Thursday’s CFL regular-season opener against the Ottawa REDBLACKS (7 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
“I think the best fans in the league are going to provide the greatest environment in the league,” Harris said. “This place is going to be rockin’ Thursday, so Rider Nation, come out loud and proud.
“We’re fired up and the season’s here. We’re going to need all of you, because we’re all in this together.
“We’re a community-owned team. Y’all own this team. We’re grateful to play in front of these fans, so let’s go get this party started.”
Jameer Thurman can hardly wait.
“I just see a bunch of guys hungry to go out there and play on Thursday,” the Roughriders’ middle linebacker said. “It was a long camp. We didn’t have the best weather throughout camp, but guys made it out.
“We’re looking to go out there and just dominate.”
ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?
Of the 51 players listed on the Roughriders’ active roster as of Sunday, only two — defensive tackle Ali Saad and fullback Morgen Runge — have yet to play a down of regular-season football in the CFL or NFL.
Factor in defensive end Aaron Patrick, formerly of the Denver Broncos, and only three of the 51 are devoid of CFL regular-season experience.
“Even the guys who are new to the team, they’ve been in some form of it,” Roughriders Head Coach Corey Mace said. “It has just been at a previous place.
“But that’s why you love training camp, too. For things they don’t understand, they’ve got nothing but time to figure it out, being among each other.”
The active roster will be pared to 45 by game time. As it stands — just one day after the CFL’s cutdown deadline — most teams have yet to allocate players to the one-game or six-game injured lists, for example.
Only 10 of the aforementioned 51 players were not with the Roughriders last season.
“Continuity is the big word, but continuity is not a great thing unless you have more that you can accomplish and there’s a higher ceiling,” Harris said.
“I think we felt that this off-season and the organization followed through with it, so here we go.”
STRONG SIGNALS
The current roster includes four quarterbacks — one more than the Roughriders conventionally dressed in 2024.
Harris, Jake Maier and Tommy Stevens are joined by second-year Roughriders pivot Jack Coan, who threw for 189 yards while playing in the second half of Friday’s pre-season finale against the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“I can’t lie to you. We love these guys,” Mace said. “They’re great.
“I thought Jack played a really good pre-season game and he has been showing his skill set throughout camp and, truthfully, throughout his time with us.
“We wanted to see if there was a way that we could (keep) all four and I’m glad that we got that done to have those guys here.”
Harris seconded those sentiments.
“When you have good quarterbacks, you don’t let them go,” he said. “I think there’s quite a few guys who could be franchise quarterbacks in that room.
“I couldn’t be prouder of those guys. Jack came in and had a tremendous camp. Jake had a great camp. Tommy had a great camp.
“These guys have been such a joy to work with. I think that there’s more for us and I think that our ceiling is even higher.
“I’m looking forward to seeing where we end up at the end of the year. We’ll all work together to achieve that ceiling.”
