ROBSERVATIONS: A rare “posts” pattern … “T-Mobile, baby!” … Hamilton highs … Happy Father’s Day! … Don Powell remembered
Rare is the occasion when a team receives six points after a football splits the uprights. But it can happen!
Trevor Harris figured in such a play on June 5th, when he quarterbacked the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a season-opening, 31-26 victory over the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
His first of two touchdown passes sailed between Mosaic Stadium’s south goal posts and toward Samuel Emilus for a nine-yard major.
“A lot of my buddies back home are like, ‘Dude, you threw it through the uprights,’ but I honestly didn’t even realize it,” Harris, a 13th-year CFLer from Waldo, Ohio, told this rumpled scribe after Tuesday’s practice.
“I’ve been up here so long that this is football to me now. If the field goal posts are there, just throw it around the posts, whether it’s inside, outside, whatever.”
The picturesque pass, which found Emilus even though two defenders were close by, got me thinking: When, if ever, have I seen a TD pass go between the uprights?
I have been watching Canadian professional football in obsessive/nerdish fashion for 50 years and, off the top of my rusting head, cannot recall any precedents.
So I reached out to someone who is in a much better position to know.
It turns out that Henry Burris — with whom Harris was a teammate as a member of the 2016 Grey Cup-champion REDBLACKS — launched such a throw on July 29th, 1999.
Burris, then a third-year Calgary Stampeder, marked his first CFL start by going 19-for-28 for 269 yards against the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium.
Smilin’ Hank threw two TD passes to help Calgary win 38-17. One of those six-point throws still stands out.
“I threw a post between the uprights to Travis Moore versus Cover Zero on Y Cross,” Burris recalled on Friday from Tallahassee, where he is the co-offensive co-ordinator and quarterbacks coach at Florida A&M University.
Harris, Moore and Burris have all played for the Roughriders. Moore has also served as the Green and White’s receivers coach (2019 to 2022).
When Burris last visited Percival Molson Stadium as a Roughrider, he threw a touchdown pass to Moore on Aug. 5th, 2004.
Montreal, by the way, is the birthplace of Emilus — who caught the TD pass that triggered this tangent.
“I kind of knew that they were about to leave the middle of the field open,” Emilus explained when asked about the much-discussed TD collaboration with Harris. “I just had to get there and Trev threw me a good ball. I just had to make a play.”
For that to happen, Harris needed to apply a feathery touch to the football.
REDBLACKS safety Charlie Ringland stood between Harris and Emilus, who was being shadowed by Adrian Frye.
Harris took the defensive duo into account without even noticing the uprights, which could have added a degree of difficulty had inanimate objects entered the stream of consciousness.
“I was more worried about the free safety,” Harris said. “I was like, ‘OK, you’re not going to get back? I’ll throw it up to Sam.’
“I just lifted it, layered it, to the back of the end zone — near the back-end line. I just put it in a spot where he could put his cleats in the ground and go out and make a play. It’s where he prefers those footballs — in the back of the end zone.
“He went up and made a play.”
That was done while absorbing a hit from Ringland, 17 yards deep in the end zone. Ringland, who was 10 yards deep when the ball was thrown, feverishly made up ground, but not in time to prevent Emilus from making a leaping catch with two defenders in front of him.
“Everything about it was really well done by both Trevor and Sam,” Offensive Co-ordinator Marc Mueller said leading up to Saturday’s game against the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “There’s got to be a trust to get it there and those guys have it.
“Hopefully we’ve got more of those coming.”
HOW TO SHINE AT 39
Harris, a highly reputable pocket passer, enjoys making tongue-in-cheek comments about his scrambling ability.
During the off-season, for example, he referred to himself as “Trevor Vick.”
That was a precursor to a gem from this past Tuesday.
“T-Mobile, baby!” he exclaimed. “I’m going for a sponsorship.”
And a record!
Harris needs 42 rushing yards to establish a Roughriders standard, invented here for your information and irritation, for rushing yards by a quarterback after his 39th birthday.
Kerry Joseph, at 41, gained 45 yards on 10 carries over four regular-season games in 2014.
In 17 games at ages 39 or 40, Ron Lancaster carried the ball 10 times for eight yards. His touchdowns total (three) exceeded the yardage generated by his longest gain (two).
Harris, who turned 39 on May 31st, kicked off the 2025 campaign by rushing once for four yards against Ottawa.
He is a strong second in average yards per carry (4.0) within the 39-plus peer group.
Joseph averaged 4.5 yards per rush. Lancaster, at 0.8, is far behind Joseph and Harris.
It should be noted, though, that The Little General’s fitting farewell play as a CFLer was a one-yard TD run on Oct. 29th, 1978 in Edmonton. Saskatchewan won, 36-26.
Lancaster also scored on a quarterback sneak in the 1978 season opener — in Hamilton, where Harris may very well gain ground today.
Who knows? T-Mobile might even set an obscure record — albeit one that will assuredly be trumpeted on a Roughriders-oriented website near you.
SPEAKING OF RECORDS …
Harris is tied for one record when the Roughriders’ high-water marks in Hamilton are considered. Here is a list of the Green and White’s best individual performances in Steeltown:
Most touchdowns: 3 — Andy Fantuz (7 receptions), Oct. 14th, 2007; Weston Dressler (13), June 29th, 2012.
Most passing yards: 462 — Kent Austin (28-56), Aug. 6th, 1993.
Most completions: 32 — Kent Austin (32-52), Oct. 14th, 1991; Trevor Harris (32-45), June 16th, 2024.
Most touchdown passes: 5 — Tom Burgess, Aug. 18th, 1989.
Most rushing yards: 199 — George Reed (34 carries), Aug. 8th, 1970.
Longest run: 80 — Marcus Thigpen, July 19th, 2018 (TD).
Most receptions: 13 — Weston Dressler (180 yards), June 29th, 2012.
Most receiving yards: 240 — Andy Fantuz (7 receptions), Oct. 14th, 2007.
Longest reception: 104 — Bob Ptacek to Ray Purdin, Oct. 15th, 1962 (TD).
Most interceptions: 2 — Steve Dennis, July 30th, 1980; Andre Jones, Oct. 12th, 1981; Mike McGruder, Oct. 11th, 1987; Glen Suitor, Oct. 14th, 1991; Bamidele Ali, July 21st, 2000; Ed Gainey, Sept. 15th, 2017; Elie Bouka, Nov. 20th, 2021.
Longest interception return: 67 — Fran McDermott, July 8th, 1984 (TD).
Longest punt return: 107 — Fran McDermott, Oct. 11th, 1982. (Point of emphasis: McDermott didn’t score a TD despite motoring for 107 yards! He was tackled on the five-yard line at Ivor Wynne Stadium.)
Longest kickoff return: 59 — Tim McCray, Oct. 21st, 1988.
Longest missed field goal return: 51 — Willis Jacox, July 30th, 1992.
Most sacks: 3 — Bobby Jurasin, July 14th, 1996; Tearrius George, July 27th, 2013.
Most defensive tackles: 12 — Darnell Sankey, Oct. 7th, 2022.
Most special teams tackles: 5 — Darnell Small, July 30th, 1998.
Most field goals: 6 — Paul McCallum (6-for-6), Sept. 19th, 2004.
Longest field goal: 54 — Paul McCallum, Oct. 21st, 2001.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
Football-wise, Harris and Roughriders Head Coach Corey Mace are not looking beyond Saturday’s game.
Yet, they already view Sunday — Father’s Day — with anticipation and appreciation.
“I’m super blessed to have such an amazing wife and kids — the kids that made me a father,” Harris said.
“It’s the greatest name in the world. You can have all the nicknames you want in the world, but the best name is Dad. It’s just a super, super fun thing that I get to go home to.”
Harris and his wife, Kalie, have three sons (T.J., Trace and Tripp) and a daughter (Livian).
Corey and Petra Mace are proud parents of Maleena and Micah.
“With my kids, I’m just excited for whatever,” Coach Mace said. “They’re at that age of, ‘Who knows what kind of drawing it’s going to be?’
“But I can’t wait to see it and love it up, because I know it comes from a good place. They show me love every day and I’m just super grateful.
“Shout-out to all the dads out there.”
REMEMBERING COACH POWELL
Recently signed offensive lineman Darius Washington is a new Roughrider with a link to yesteryear.
Following each of the past three seasons, he received the Don Powell Award, which annually recognizes unsung heroes on the Florida State Seminoles football team.
Powell, a former Florida State offensive line coach, was on the Roughriders’ coaching staff during the 1973 and 1974 seasons.
He passed away following heart surgery in Regina on May 21st, 1975, at age 40.
ROLL CREDITS …
• Nice people who deserve a plug: Pete Paczko, Darryl Sittler, Craig Campbell, Henry Burris, Travis Moore, Scott Rogers, Brett Pelzer, Cam Pelzer, Frank McCrystal, Wendy McCrystal, Bernie Schmidt, Marc Mueller, Matthew Siemens, Kian Schaffer-Baker, Trevor Harris, Samuel Emilus, Lee Jones, Malik Carney, A.J. Allen, Micah Johnson, Sam Berg, Gary Pederson, Donna Millard, Cindy deMontigny and, as Father’s Day approaches, dear ol’ dad (Alan Vanstone: July 1st, 1920-June 1st, 1982).
