Saskatchewan Roughriders

Defenses beware, Wes Cates is back!

Cates, the starting running back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, had missed the first two games of the seasons due to a shoulder injury. There was much skepticism to when Cates would return to the lineup, but it appears he is ready to go.

“I’m ready.” Cates said to Mitchell Blair of Riderville.com. “If they need me on the field for every play, I’m ready and I’ll be able to handle it. The team’s been doing great in my absence, now I get to join in on the fun and start contributing.

The return of Wes Cates is very timely, considering the Riders are welcoming the powerhouse Montreal Alouettes into town. Hugh Charles, the replacement for Wes Cates in the first two weeks, performed admirably in Cates' absence.

However, Wes Cates just brings so much to the table.

Ever since he was traded over from the Calgary Stampeders, Wes Cates has excelled as a starter. Finally getting a chance to become a full time starter, Cates rushed for 866 yards in his first season with the Roughriders. The next season he rushed for 1,229 yards and had 12 touchdowns while battling injuries.

The stats don't quite paint a clear enough picture. They don't say just how valuable Wes Cates has been to the Riders.

Cates played injured during the Riders 2007 Grey Cup Grey Cup Run and made some timely plays. He was the Riders best player in their 6-0 start to the 2008 season.

Wes Cates has great vision on the field. He is patient as he picks his way through opposing defenses with a blend of speed and power. Cates also has solid hands and has been a reliable receiver out of the backfield.

In fact, Wes Cates could very well have a rushing title under his belt if he had not suffered through injuries. The whole Rider nation is undoubetly hoping Wes Cates' return is a permanent one.

The return of "The Green Machine" may just be the spark the Riders need against the Montreal Alouettes and the rest of the league.

Find all of my work over at http://www.2ndnshort.blogspot.com

Graham Harrell former Texas Tech QB aka the guy who threw to Michael Crabtree recently singed with the CFL squad Saskatchewan Roughriders.

NFL scouts were obviously aware that his numbers were inflated due to the pass happy system at Texas Tech. This does not mean that he is not talented, obviously he is a great athlete, he was the star QB for a D-I school. But just like the leap from High School to College, the leap from College to the NFL is very big.

Scouts were also unimpressed with his arm strength. Even guys in the NFL with "weak" arms can throw a football really far. Simply put you need to have a great arm if you have other areas of concern as does Harrell.

If nothing else this will make for a great where are they now piece in the future.

Bonus Vid...

“Durant, Bell or Jyles? Who will be the man to lead a talented Roughriders offense into battle?”

It was a typical offseason in Riderville. One full of controversy.

Major personnel moves, talks of a new stadium and a gm scandal made the offseason rather intriguing for Rider fans.

What made the offseason longer for Rider fans was the disappointing end to the season.

The Riders started the season with an impressive win streak but then quarterback Darian Durant succumbed to an injury. The Riders went out and acquired quarterback Michael Bishop from the Toronto Argonauts to replace Durant. The results, were disastrous to say the least.

Bishop did throw for 2,224 yards with the Riders but he also threw 12 interceptions to seven touchdowns. Bishop looked spectacular at times but often had trouble taking care of the ball. His inconsistency came back to hurt the Riders as the team was defeated by the BC Lions in the Western Semi-Final.

Heading into a new season, the Riders will look to get over the dissapointment of last season.

With new players and coaches making their debuts for the Riders it should be interesting to see how the team will adapt.

Let’s take a closer look at the Saskatchewan Roughriders:

What’s New?

The Riders made the news in the offseason for all the wrong reasons. General Manager Eric Tillman was charged with Sexual Assault, news that shocked the Rider nation.

When it came to the football side of things, the Riders were also dealt some blows.

Starting middle linebacker Maurice Lloyd signed with the Edmonton Eskimos during free agency, and outside linebacker Anton Mackenzie left for the BC Lions. Defensive coordinator Richie Hall finally got the head coaching job he’d been looking for with the Edmonton Eskimos.

Gary Etchevarry takes over the Defensive Coordinator spot for the Roughriders despite having ambitions to be a head coach at the collegiate level.

In a couple of somewhat surprising trades, the Riders dealt Kitwana Jones to the Edmonton Eskimos and former Grey Cup MOP James Johnson to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The Rides did make some signings of their own however.

The team added veteran slot back and home-grown product Jason Clermont to the team,

After missing out on Clermont in the draft, fans had been anxious for a chance to see Clermont play for the green and white.

Saskatchewan also recruited a lot of players in the offseason, such as receiver Todd Blythe, running back Justin Beaver and defensive ends Joe Sykes and Mike Stadnyk.

When it came to the CFL Draft, the Riders didn’t have a lot of picks to work with. The team ended up picking local products Tamon George and  Nick Hutchins.

Concerns

The Riders roster is filled with question marks.

Who will step into the line backing core? Which quarterback will grab the starters reigns? And will the defense play at a high level without Richie Hall?

The answers to these questions could very well dictate whether or not Saskatchewan has success this season.
 
Whether it was a crucial move or not, Maurice Lloyd was undoubtedly a huge part of the Riders defense last season. He was widely considered to be the second choice behind Cameron Wake to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Mackenzie was not as flashy as Maurice Lloyd, but he was also just as successful.

The Riders believe they have found their replacement linebackers in Renauld Williamns, Sam Olajabuto and Tad Kornegay, but these players are all unproven.

And, whether it be Durant, Jyles, or Bell who starts for the Riders, all three will have to prove they can be consistent starters. Dalton Bell hasn’t played in the CFL, Steven Jyles has been inconsistent, and Durant has only played a few games.

And then there’s the Gary Etchevarry. He likely has the smarts to be a defensive coordinator, but he has no where near the experience of a Richie Hall.

Summary

When all is said and done, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have a very talented roster.

Despite a few turnovers, the roster that helped the Riders start 6-0 last season is in tact.

Andy Fantuz and Weston Dressler look better than ever in training camp and will likely help ignite a potent Roughriders offense. Wes Cates should continue to be one of the most dominant running backs in the CFL.

If one of Saskatchewan’s quarterbacks pan out for them this season, they could have one of the better offense’s in the league.

On defense, the Riders always seem to step it up and a new defensive coordinator will likely not affect it that much.

Once again their success on defense could depend on whether some new players step up.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders already are facing a lot of adversity going into the season, and they are once again being labelled as underdogs.

This shouldn’t bother the team as they’ve bore this label for the past several seasons. If anything, the team seems to embrace their role as underdogs.

With what appears to be a solid mood in the locker room, Saskatchewan should pose a challenge to any team in the West this season.

My Prediction: 9 to 12 wins, a second place finish in the West with a potential for first.

Outstanding Player of the Year: Wes Cates

Defensive Player of the Year: Sean Lucas

Canadian of the Year: Andy Fantuz

Lineman of the Year: Gene Makowsky

Special Teams Player of the Year: Luca Congi

Rookie of the Year: Joe Sykes

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for the West team previews.

Past Previews:

East

Toronto Argonauts

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Hamilton Tiger Cats

Montreal Alouettes

West

BC Lions

Edmonton Eskimos

Let me draw your attention to a newly improved, must-see website designed especially for fans of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

It is an upgrade for one of the fan sites mentioned in one of my previous articles, entitled Interview with the Roughriders' Biggest Fan.

The new name for the website is Ridersradio.com. It was built specifically for those who "bleed green" and was developed by the fan mentioned in my earlier piece.

A website such as Ridersradio is the ultimate best choice for fans.  It has the major advantage of knowing exactly what the fellow Roughriders fans want to see. There are several features available at the moment, most of which you will not find on any other fan site. They are as follows:

In addition, or the fans of the Roughriders who have a Facebook account, there is a group which you can join.

The development of Ridersradio.com proves not only that Mr. Nagy truly is one of the most dedicated fans you will ever find in any sport, but also that all you ever really need is a dream.

Once you have this dream in mind, you shouldn't sit around proscastinating. Take small steps towards it, and eventually these small steps will add up to a glorious whole.

Once again, I encourage all fans to take a look at and sign up for Ridersradio.com. The Roughriders organization, particularly members of the current roster, are aware of this website and approve. An incredible amount of effort has been put into it, and all of it is for the good of Roughriders' fans and to make them the most fans on the planet.

Please show your appreciation.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced today that they released former East Most Outstanding Player finalist Kevin Glenn.

Glenn is an eight-year veteran who has spent time with three teams, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Toronto Argonauts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

However, he spent less than one day with Toronto after being traded their by Saskatchewan only to be traded later that day to Winnipeg.

Kevin Glenn was an all-star in the 2007 season where he was also the East finalist for Most Outstanding Player. He spent three season with the Riders completing 170 of his 222 passes for 2213 yards, 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.

In Winnipeg he completed 1327 of 2292 passes for 18,091 yards, 96 touchdowns and 78 interceptions.

It is unknown where Glenn will go next but I would think the top contenders on who would want him are the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Hamilton Tiger Cats and the Montreal Alouettes.

The Roughriders, because with two young up and coming quarterbacks in Dalton Bell and Darian Durant as your possble starters for this season, it would be good to have a veteran quarterback who has proved he can get it done if those two QBs don't work out.

The Hamilton Tiger Cats because they always have quarterbacking woes and they seem to like to try and load up on them so why wouldn't they sign him?

The Alouettes because there is no telling how much longer Anthony Calvillo will be in this league. He is getting older and with this age you must assume come injuries. If that were to happen, Glenn would be a much better than average backup to have if anything were to happen.

Calgary and Toronto are also possible situations if they are looking for a solid backup to have behind the previous two Most Outstanding Player award winners in Kerry Joseph and Henry Burris.

And you thought Matt Millen looked bad.

Canadian Football League General Manager Eric Tillman has been accused of asking a 16-year-old girl to show him her playbook, if you know what I'm saying.

Sportsbook odds heavily favor that Tillman is guilty, which is partially why he's on a leave of absence from the team.

Tillman lives in Saskatchewan, Canada, and if I was to blatantly stereotype, I'd say Tillman could have probably parlayed his "star power" as the GM of a CFL team, with his Grey Cup ring, and given her some wheat to get her to open up.

But seriously, this is a pretty sad story. And this comes on the heels of another ugly Roughrider incident, where player Trevis Smith was busted having unprotected sex with women. Oh yeah, I forgot the most important part—he has AIDS.

I haven't seen this much bad PR for a franchise since the San Francisco 49ers PR team released a video dissing homeless people, gays and lesbians, Chinese people, and religion.

I think, for the most part, those who bet sports could care less about the CFL. But this story is funny. Funny in a bad way. Funny in the sort of way that you think to yourself: "Hey Eric, are you really that stupid? Like, genuinely, are you in fact that dumb?"

Guy, tough year for the Green and White.

In anticipation of the 2009 CFL season, Roughrider fans are waiting impatiently.  Now they have seen what the up-and-coming players are capable of, and have lived through the ridiculous amounts of injuries as well as the quarterback controversies.  One particular fan doesn't wait for the next season to roll around—he eats, sleeps, and breathes football.

Meet Aaron Nagy—radio personnel, and avid Riders fan.  He was born in Yorkton, Saskatchewan and moved to the small town of Rhein, Saskatchewan at the age at twelve.  He returned to Yorkton this past year.  His love for football began around the age of six thanks to watching the games with his father.

Aaron began as a volunteer with the Saskatchewan Roughriders organization in 1998, and continued there exclusively until 2002.  This made his love for the game and team grow stronger as the years went on. 

His radio career began shortly after, in 2003.  It has stationed him at various locations: Yorkton at GX94; Flin Flon, Manitoba; Dauphin, Manitoba; and has been back at Fox FM in Yorkton since July of 2007. 

Football is his main game, but he does cheer for an NHL team—the Ottawa Senators.  Not exactly the team to cheer for this year, but hey, they all can't be Habs fans haha.

His other big interest is stormchasing and he has been a spotter for Environment Canada.  While he is not a trained professional, he does have a keen eye.  All he needs to do is look at the sky and he can predict what's about to happen—and he is almost always correct.

His sense of prediction is also proved well when watching a Roughriders game, whether it be on TV or at Mosaic Stadium.  In the two Roughriders game I have attended with Aaron, I have seen how he can call a play long before it ever happens—not just how how it will go, but who the players involved are.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have shown their appreciation for his support.  He has wholly earned their trust in many ways.  He has even had members of the Roughriders and the CFL offer on-air interviews.  Many of them have also recorded liners for him to play on the air during commercial breaks.

Aaron has become pals with some of the long-time Roughriders, who always enjoy when he comes out to the game.  He has earned the respect of these individuals.  Again, I have been witness to this.  For example, guys like Gene Makowsky saying "Hey Aaron, long time no see" and stop to chat as soon as they walk out of the stadium.  Some of the others from the Riders organization include Rod Pedersen, John Lynch, and Joe Womack.

He is the only reason I own any autographs from or photographs with players from the Roughriders.  He makes a person see that the players are not a bunch of big-shot celebrities.  They do take the time to care if you take the time for them.

Aaron can hardly wait to get his 2009 season tickets.  He believes that with the addition of Jason Clermont, combined with the skill revealed this past season in Andy Fantuz and Weston Dressler, "it is going to be good."  As any other Roughriders fan, Aaron is concerned with the quarterback situation.

It is hard to find someone who truly loves the CFL, and especially the Roughriders, in the way he does.  So many people start watching a sport at a young age and as they grow up they either lose their interest or wain to a different team. Not Aaron—he is as committed as they come.

I hope that you all can appreciate the purpose of this interview, which is to show we should never be afraid to pursue what we love, and the fans that the Saskatchewan Roughriders have really are like none other.

For more information on this die-hard fan, please check out the following sites: His Fox FM profile, his autograph blog, his Roughriders blog or his coin collectors blog.  If anyone would like to contact him for further information or interview, please let me know and I'd be glad to help out.

It was a tough ride but the Saskatchewan Roughriders locked up a home playoff game and they look as though they will have a near full roster with most of their starters back for the first time since early season.

The Riders have two players this season who are finalists for CFL awards and they are Gene Makowsky for outstanding lineman, and Weston Dressler for rookie of the year.

Makowsky is up against Scott Flory, now I do not know much about Scott Flory because I don't really follow Eastern teams offensive linemen, so I do not really know who will win that category, however I do think Weston Dressler will win the rookie of the year category over Prichae Rodriguez.

The statistics are pretty similar as Dressler has 24 more yards receiving then Rodriguez but Rodriguez has 1 more touchdown. The reason I think the award should go to Dressler because of his determination and will to win. He was the Roughriders' entire passing game when their other receivers went down.

At the start of the season he was there fifth receiver. He was behind Matt Dominguez, Andy Fantuz, Adarius Bowman and DJ Flick. He was the Roughriders' only receiver over 1000 yards and he made dozens of unbelievable catches throughout the season.

Going into their playoff game this weekend, it looks as though the Roughriders will have Matt Dominguez, Adarius Bowman and Wes Cates will be playing after a scare with his ankle last game.

Michael Bishop will be the starting quarterback for the Roughriders this weekend and I think that will be a good thing. Personally I still think Darian Durant is our best at that position, but hopefully Bishop will bring a good veteren presence and will lead the Riders to victory.

If he doesn't, I hope Miller will not hesitate to put Darian Durant in. I understand we want a specific starting quarterback, but I don't think that we need to choose one guy and stick with him no matter what. If he plays bad, I do not think we should stick with him.

I think with all of there players back the Riders will keep winning and be in every game, hopefully returning as the Grey Cup champions.

It was a game of many mistakes, but the Riders were able to pull off a slim 30-29 victory over the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In a game the Riders needed to win to keep their chances of hosting a play-off game alive, they just barely managed to best a bad Tiger-Cats team.

The Riders got some help today with the returns on leading rusher Wes Cates and great receiver Matt Dominguez. Star slotbacks Andy Fantuz and D.J. Flick are also expected back next week against the 9-7 Edmonton Eskimos. Here is a recap of today's exciting game:

First Quarter

Hamilton opened the scoring with a 84-yard punt single by kicker Nick Setta after going two-and-out on their opening drive. The Riders responded right after with a single of their own when kicker Luca Congi missed a 41-yard field goal.

Hamilton was able to get the lead back on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Quinton Porter to Chris Davis, putting the finishing touches on a five-play, 75-yard drive for the Tiger-Cats.

With the Riders trying to tie the game once again, Darain Durant was picked off by Chris Thompson in the endzone and the Tiger-Cats lead the game 8-1 after one quarter of play.

Second Quarter

The Riders were able to tie it up quickly in the second quarter when Durant was able to hit Chris Getzlaf for a 22-yard strike just one minute and 54 seconds into the quarter.

Porter then marched the Ticats down field on their next drive and Setta hit a 38-yard field goal with 9:57 to go in the half to regain the lead. The three-pointer made it 11-8 Hamilton.

After an amazing kick-off return by James Johnson, Durant threw his third interception of the game, this time looking for Matt Dominguez in the back of the endzone. The defense was able to keep Hamilton at bay and Congi tied it up with just two minutes left in the half with a 54-yard field goal.

The drive was lead by Steven Jyles at quarterback after Darian Durant was removed from the game because of poor play. The Tiger-Cats did take a slim lead though when Setta managed a 57-yard punt single.

Third Quarter

Despite going with the wind, the Riders struggled during the third quarter and the score remained 12-11 Hamilton for quite a while.

The Riders got the lead though when Nick Setta conceded a safety with 4:54 left in the third quarter. That made it 13-12 Saskatchewan. The Ticats were third-and-four from their 16-yard line and coach Marcel Bellefeuille elected to give up two points.

Hamilton then kicked off and Neal Hughes capped off a 95-yard drive with a 13-yard catch and run pass from Steven Jyles, putting the Riders ahead 20-12.

Fourth Quarter

Despite being down, Hamilton never gave up and they scored two quick touchdowns just two minutes into the quarter, a 40-yard touchdown reception by Scott Mitchell and a 20-yard interception return by Jykine Bradley off a errant pass from Jyles.

Setta then hit a 29-yard field goal and the Riders quickly found themselves in a deep hole with time running out. The Riders proved resiliant though when Wes Cates, back after missing two games with a leg injury, scored his team leading 12th touchdown of the year on a 15-yard pitch and run.

Then, Down by two, Luca Congi was faced with a tough 36-yard field goal as he was kicking into heavy winds, but he kept his amazing season going by kicking the all important field goal with just 46 seconds remaining in the game.

The Tiger-Cats would not let that faze them however, and their kicker was set up with a chance to give Hamilton the victory. He was lined up for a 54-yard field goal, but the wind was with him and everyone knows about his strong leg.

Unfortunately for him, his kick went wide right and Weston Dressler ran it out of the endzone to preserve the 30-29 victory for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders!

Finally the Saskatchewan Roughriders are back on track.

After a fantastic game in Regina against the Calgary Stampeders, the Saskatchewan Roughriders broke their three game losing streak while popping themselves into a three-way tie for first place in the Western conference with their 34-37 win. Also with the win, the Riders clinch a playoff spot.

Many (including me) thought that the losing streak would continue while playing the first place team in the Western conference with the injury woes and some recent questionable coaching and play calling.

Michael Bishop started the game for the Riders and boy did he play good. He went in and out of the game because of numbness in his arm but while he was in he went 20-27 for 242 yards and a touchdown.

Durant came in for a few plays and did his job going 2-4 for 43 yards. Like usual, Weston Dressler was Michael Bishop's favorite target as he caught seven passes for 128 yards. Chris Getzlaf also had a great game getting his first start and his first touchdown with five catches and a touchdown.

Even without their top two runningbacks, the Roughriders still managed to do fine running the ball as rookie Hugh Charles had seven carries for 45 yards and Neal Hughes in his first game back had nine carries for 29 yards and two touchdowns.

The Stamps went with an air attack as Smilin' Hank went 29-45 for 311 yards, two touchdowns and an interception by James Johnson which eventually lead to a Neal Hughes touchdown which would end up sealing the game for the Riders. Jofferey Reynolds only had five carries which he took for 25 yards while Burris had 13 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown.

Although the injuries aren't good, there is some brightside coming out of them with the possible emergences of Chris Getzlaf (five catches 47 yards and a touchdown), Hugh Charles, (seven carries for 45 yards) and Stevie Baggs (forced fumble, two tackles and defensive player of the game).

The future of center Jeremy O'Day is uncertain going into next game as he hurt his knee, but the Roughriders can hopefully expect star tailback Wes Cates and receiver DJ Flick back for the next game.