WINNIPEG — We begin with a salute to the Sasky Six.
Offensive linemen Logan Ferland and Noah Zerr, receivers Mitch Picton and D’Sean Mimbs, defensive back Jaxon Ford and long snapper Jorgen Hus are the six Saskatchewan-born players on the CFL’s 2025 West Division champions.
They are part of a Saskatchewan Roughriders squad that will meet the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup Game, to be played on Sunday at Princess Auto Stadium.
“It means a lot to them,” Mississippi-born offensive tackle Jermarcus Hardrick said. “They grew up Rider fans their entire life. That’s really who I want to do it for.
“After I won my first Grey Cup — that feeling I felt — I want Logan to feel that. That’s what I want to see. I want to be a vulnerable, crying slob with Logan, Mitch and all the guys.”
The Saskatchewan connection extends to the coaching staff. Offensive Co-ordinator Marc Mueller and Offensive Assistant Josh Donnelly are both from Regina.
“I think about Logan Ferland, Mitch Picton, Jorgen Hus, Marc Mueller … the Saskatchewan guys,” quarterback Trevor Harris said.
“I saw the joy on their faces after us winning the Western Final and then going to the Grey Cup for the first time in the green and white.”
Ford, Picton and Mimbs are all from Regina. Zerr is the first Langenburg-born player in franchise history. Hus hails from Saskatoon. Ferland, who was born in Saskatoon, spent most of his first 11 years in Kindersley before the family moved to Melfort.
“It has been a dream, growing up in small-town Saskatchewan,” said Ferland, an All-CFL offensive lineman for the second year in succession.
“This has been a goal of mine and, just to be here, it’s a ‘pinch yourself’ moment.”
The same applies to Hus, the longest-serving current member of the Roughriders. The former Saskatoon Hilltops and University of Regina Rams standout joined the CFL team as its long snapper in 2015.
“I finally got here,” Hus said. “This has been a long time coming. I’ve been dreaming about this day since I was a little kid and I started playing football.
“To play for your home province means a lot, obviously, and then to get to this game means so much more. We’ve been trying for so many years and we’ve come close.
“With this group, I’ve never felt better about getting to this game. Hopefully we can keep it going and hopefully Sunday is a good day for us.”
Ford, Hus, Mimbs, Picton, Donnelly, Mueller and cornerback Tevaughn Campbell (from Toronto) played Canada West football for the Rams.
Zerr, linebacker Nick Wiebe (Calgary), defensive back Nelson Lokombo (Abbotsford, B.C.) are graduates of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
Hus played for the PFC’s Saskatoon Hilltops before joining the Rams. Ferland is a former member of the Regina Thunder.
Three current Thunder players — linebacker Kenten Effa (Yorkton) and California-born offensive linemen Caleb Barajas and James Lucio — are on the Roughriders’ practice roster as junior-eligible players.
INJURY UPDATE
Corey Mace provided an update on All-CFL receiver KeeSean Johnson, who has missed the past three games — including the Western Final — with a knee injury.
“He was out there (at Thursday’s practice), but he wasn’t out there ripping around,” the Roughriders’ Head Coach said. “He’s attacking treatment to give us our best chance.
“We’ll see what that looks like for us. Hopefully it is something that we can turn to, but he’s going to need just a little bit more treatment for him to get out there and do what he wants to do at the speed he wants to do it.
“Like we’ve said all year with this receiving corps, we’ve got tons of guys we’ve got faith in, but you can’t ignore, obviously, what KeeSean brings to our team.”
Johnson caught 86 passes for 1,159 yards and four touchdowns in 16 regular-season games. He led the league in second-down receptions (39).
Fellow receiver Joe Robustelli (head injury) returned to the practice field on Thursday.
“It was awesome to see him out there,” Mace said. “That’s key. He’s got so much juice, man, and he can do it all.”
Kicker Brett Lauther did not participate in the entire practice on Thursday, but don’t read too much into the early exit.
“He’s going to be out there swinging, just like he was last week,” Mace said. “It’s kind of the process we’ve been doing with Brett for a while.”
GOOD-LUCK CHARM
Roughriders Running Backs Coach Andrew Harris hopes to win a Grey Cup with a fourth team.
As a player, Harris celebrated championships as a running back with the B.C. Lions (2011), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2019 and 2011) and Toronto Argonauts (2022).
“You’ve never walked away from a Grey Cup heartbroken,” Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun mentioned to Harris after Thursday’s practice.
“Not yet,” the Winnipeg-born Harris responded. “Hopefully never.”
Harris was named the Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Canadian in 2019, when he became the first player to win both awards in one year.
He rushed 18 times for 134 yards and caught five passes for 35 yards as Winnipeg defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-12 on Nov. 24, 2019 in Calgary. He scored on a 15-yard run and an 18-yard reception.
