RIDER NEWS

By mmccormick36 01-02-2009 COMMENTS(0) Rider Rumblings

Greetings. I’m back.I’ve used up most of my days off and I’m back for the New Year.I will be double-blogging (if that’s a word) for the next few months because some of my attention is turned towards curling. For those of you looking for my insights into curling, you can find them in bloglines.

For football fans — who else would be reading this in January — there will be loads of offseason news. I talked to Maurice Lloyd on Friday and he was still waiting for his agent to come forward with the Riders’ offer.I think Lloyd wants to return to Regina but money and other intangibles are part of the equation. I also think that the B.C. Lions are going to go hard after Lloyd and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he signed with B.C.It would be good fit for the Lions and the Riders are in position to replace Lloyd.

Watch for the announcements regarding Riders’ signings to start surfacing next week. The Riders’ staff returns on Monday and I expect a flurry of signings and releases.There may also be buzz on the coaching front.

Bob Wylie, the former Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive line coach, is all but locked up to join the Riders as a replacement for Mike Gibson. Gary Etcheverry and Dave Ritchie appear to be the front-runners for defensive co-ordinator. If I was a betting man . . . Ritchie would be the guy to replace Richie Hall.

I spent some time talking with general manager Eric Tillman about life, free agents and other things on Friday. He was pretty pumped about Ole Miss’s 47-34 victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. He’s a proud alumnus and is just as proud of the performance by former Riders head coach Kent Austin, who is the offensive co-ordinator for the Rebels.You know, having dealt with Austin through the Grey Cup year in 2007, I’m pretty happy for him too. Kent is a good guy and he has earned all of the success.Eric also went through the list of Riders’ potential free agents and there are officially 17.

Here’s the list of the players, for those of you keeping track at home. Yes, I know there are more than were reported back in November before I headed off but numbers change over time. I understand that this list is correct.Riders Free AgentsJamie Boreham PTristan Clovis

SDarian Durant + QBD.J. Flick+ SBLance Frazier+ HBScott Gordon SSean Lucas+ LBNeal Hughes FBMike McCullough LBAnton McKenzie+ LBMaurice Lloyd + LBBelton Johnson + OTGene Makowsky OLSteve Morley OLMike Abou-Mechrek OLJeremy O’Day CRenauld Williams+ LB(+ indicates import)That’s it for now. There is more football on TV to watch.— Murray McCormick