ROBSERVATIONS: Another eventful year ahead … remembering those we lost in 2025 … Rider quarterback trivia
There is plenty in store — including Grey Cup merchandise — for the Saskatchewan Roughriders as a new year dawns.
“As we get into 2026, it’s going to be a very busy couple of years here,” Roughriders President-CEO Craig Reynolds says.
“We will do a Grey Cup tour in early 2026. We’re hosting a pre-season game in Saskatoon. We’re hosting 10 home (regular-season) games. We’re introducing tailgating to Mosaic Stadium.
“Then we’re hosting the 2027 Grey Cup. As we get into the midpoint of 2026, that planning needs to start, big-time.”
This is all on the heels of a 25-17 victory over the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup Game, played Nov. 16 in Winnipeg — home of the Jets.
Details of the Grey Cup tour will be announced in the near future.
The Roughriders’ 2026 home pre-season game — a May 23 collision with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers — will be held at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus. Saskatoon previously welcomed the Roughriders and Blue Bombers for pre-season games in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991.
The fifth such event will not result in the Roughriders making fewer appearances at Mosaic Stadium in 2026. The FIFA World Cup has forced the Toronto Argonauts to move three of their home games, one of which will be held in Regina.
The blueprint calls for tailgating to precede each contest at Mosaic Stadium. The provincial Tailgating Act, introduced on Oct. 30, allows for pre-game festivities outside the stadium and Confederation Park.
“We’re really excited about what that will do for the atmosphere and the environment here,” Reynolds says.
Three days before the Tailgating Act became reality, Saskatchewan was formally awarded hosting privileges for the 2027 Grey Cup Festival.
“We had a really good bid, so we were able to do some early work that sort of sets us up from a planning perspective,” Reynolds says. “Having just been there (in November) and having just recently delivered the event (in 2022), you realize the magnitude of it.
“It’s a massive, week-long celebration of Canadian football and it requires a massive amount of planning, organization, logistics, et cetera. As we get into 2026, members of our organization will be deeply involved (in 2027 Grey Cup planning).
“We’re going to have to ramp up with some staffing, too, and get Grey Cup-specific staff in place. The volunteers are a key part of it, too. Organizing a volunteer committee and having a contingent of volunteers like we’ve had for every other Grey Cup here is really, really important.
“We’ve already had lots of people put their hands up, wanting to be involved. That’s the beauty of Saskatchewan and Grey Cups. Everybody wants to be involved and you get a high calibre of people who volunteer their time to support this event, which is really, really cool.”
DATE INUNDATION
Noteworthy dates/milestones in 2026 …
Jan. 31: The fourth annual Roughrider Foundation Winter Classic — a charity hockey game — will be played in Saskatoon. The brainchild of kicker Brett Lauther has been a phenomenal success since its introduction. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
Feb. 8: The CFL’s free-agency period begins at 11 a.m., Saskatchewan time. Vice-President of Football Operations and General Manager Jeremy O’Day has used free agency effectively (and strategically) to construct a formidable team. Six of the team’s starters in the 2025 Grey Cup — quarterback Trevor Harris, running back A.J. Ouellette, offensive tackle Jermarcus Hardrick, defensive tackle Micah Johnson, defensive end Malik Carney and middle linebacker Jameer Thurman — joined the Roughriders as free agents. The same can be said of short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens, who rushed for two touchdowns in the 2025 Grey Cup win.
May 31: A day of milestones. Harris turns 40. The Saskatchewan Roughriders label turns 80. And May 31 will mark the 50th anniversary of George Reed announcing his retirement.
June 13: The Roughriders open their regular-season schedule against the B.C. Lions in a rematch of the 2025 Western Final. The agenda will include the unveiling of a 2025 Grey Cup banner.
Aug. 15: The 50th anniversary of Ron Lancaster’s greatest game! On Aug. 15, 1976, The Little General piloted the Roughriders to a 40-0 home-field victory over Edmonton. The score, lopsided as it was, flattered the visiting side. Edmonton fell behind 37-0 just five minutes into the third quarter, whereupon Lancaster was removed from the game and mercy was extended to the foe. Over 35 minutes, he completed 23 of 27 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a major. (Harris, by the way, was 23-for-27 en route to earning Grey Cup MVP honours on Nov. 16.)
Oct. 1: 10th anniversary of the first football game at new Mosaic Stadium. In a test event, the University of Regina Rams defeated the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 37-29. The Rams’ Mitch Picton caught two touchdown passes from his cousin, Noah. The U of R’s Ryan Schienbein, for the record, scored the first touchdown at Mosaic 2.0.
Oct. 24: 50 years since George Reed Day, 1976. The incomparable No. 34 was honoured at halftime of a home game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Oct. 29: 10th anniversary of the Roughriders’ final game at Taylor Field. The closing ceremonies featured Reed, Roger Aldag, Gene Makowsky and Darian Durant. Rider royalty times four.
Nov. 15: Calgary’s McMahon Stadium will be the host facility for the 113th Grey Cup Game. When the CFL’s marquee event was first held in Calgary, in 1975, it was so brutally cold that Ronnie and George left after halftime and hitchhiked back to their hotel. Montreal went on to defeat Edmonton 9-8. Every point was scored by a Canadian. That was also the case on Nov. 28, 1976.
Nov. 28: 50th anniversary of the 1976 Grey Cup Game. Ottawa 23, Saskatchewan 20. Tony Gabriel caught the game-winning touchdown pass with 20 seconds left.
Dec. 7: Larry Dumelie — the oldest surviving member of the 1966 Grey Cup champions — turns 90.
Dec. 9: 70 years since a plane crash claimed the lives of Roughriders players Mel Becket, Mario DeMarco, Gordon Sturtridge and Ray Syrnyk. They were returning from the East-West Shrine All-Star Game in Vancouver when Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810-9 collided with the peak of Mount Slesse, near Chilliwack, B.C. The team retired the numbers of Becket (40), DeMarco (55), Syrnyk (56) and Sturtridge (73).
IN MEMORIAM
Let’s take a few moments to fondly remember and thank members of the Rider family who passed away in 2025:
Bill de Coligny (defensive lineman, 1960): May 17, 1937-Jan. 26, 2025.
Dennis Mulvihill (Board member, 2008-17): July 22, 1948-Feb. 12, 2025.
Wilton Manley (defensive lineman, 1965): Dec. 24, 1942-March 19, 2025.
Phil Colwell (running back, 1979, 1982, 1983): Sept. 19, 1956-March 28, 2025 (14-day trial in 1979; training camp in 1982 and 1983).
Larry Donovan (assistant coach, 1990-91): March 31, 1941-April 13, 2025.
Larry Harp (quarterback, training camp 1964): June 11, 1941-April 18, 2025.
Tommy Reamon (running back, 1977): March 12, 1952-May 22, 2025.
Jim Marshall (defensive lineman, 1959): Dec. 30, 1937-June 3, 2025.
Bob Kosid (defensive back, 1964-72): Feb. 27, 1942-July 20, 2025.
Buddy Joe Eilers (defensive lineman, 1966): Jan. 19, 1939-July 21, 2025.
John Cybruch (defensive back, training camp 1964): 1938-July 29, 2025.
Russ Goings (offensive lineman, 1959): July 5, 1932-Aug. 2, 2025.
Craig Smith (director of player personnel, 2010-15): May 28, 1956-Aug. 24, 2025.
Bill Manchuk (linebacker, 1971-80): Sept. 1, 1947-Sept. 12, 2025.
Frank Smith (assistant coach, 1995): 1931-Oct. 6, 2025.
Donald Dickson (offensive lineman/linebacker, training camp 1963): Jan. 23, 1939-Oct. 22, 2025.
Brian Berg (kicker, 1974-75): 1949-Nov. 7, 2025.
Albert Gonzales (offensive lineman, training camp 1968: Nov. 25, 1945-Nov. 19, 2025.
Bill Butler (running back, 1965): July 10, 1937-Nov. 28, 2025.
Jerry DeBalso (offensive/defensive lineman, training camp 1962): Aug. 9, 1940-Dec. 6, 2025.
Jack Abendschan (offensive lineman/kicker, 1965-75): Dec. 18, 1942-Dec. 15, 2025.
Hugh Delaney (training camp 1953): Nov. 25, 1930-Dec. 19, 2025.
With the passing of Abendschan, all but eight regulars from the 1966 Grey Cup championship team have passed away.
Best of health and happiness to Dumelie, Clyde Brock, Hugh Campbell, Larry Dumelie, Garner Ekstran, Alan Ford, Ed McQuarters and Wayne Shaw.
QUARTERBACK TRIVIA
• All five of the Roughriders’ Grey Cup-winning starting quarterbacks have connections to Ottawa. Harris was with the REDBLACKS from 2016 to 2018. Lancaster spent his first three CFL seasons (1960, 1961, 1962) with the eastern Riders. Kent Austin was the Ottawa Renegades’ quarterbacks coach in 2003. Kerry Joseph was then in his first of three seasons with the Renegades, who at one point had Durant on their negotiation list.
• Let’s not forget Tom Burgess, who led the 1989 Grey Cup-champion Roughriders in regular-season touchdown passes (22). He replaced an injured Austin in the second quarter of the 1989 Western Final and threw for two scores in the third frame as Saskatchewan took over the game and upset Edmonton 32-21. Burgess played for Ottawa in 1986, 1992 and 1993.
• Two former Roughriders quarterbacks officiated in a Super Bowl. Gary Lane, who played for Saskatchewan in 1970 and attended training camp the following year, was a side judge in the 1989 and 1999 Super Bowls. Donnie Hampton, who tried out for the Green and White in 1970, was the field judge in the 1993 NFL championship game.
• Jim McKean, a quarterback/punter who spent part of the 1966 season with Saskatchewan, umpired in the 1979, 1985 and 1995 World Series.
ROLL CREDITS …
• Nice people who deserve a plug: Cathy Smith, Mary Anne Cherney, Barry Clarke, Cal Filson, Lorne Harasen, Greg Harasen, Velma Harasen, Dale Derkatch, Dayce Derkatch, Ken Schneider, Marcus Sayles, Clyde Brock, Hugh Campbell, Louise Campbell, Larry Dumelie, Garner Ekstran, Alan Ford, Sally Ford, Don Gerhardt, Ed McQuarters, Wayne Shaw, Dale West and Joan West.
