LANCE FRAZIER KEEPS LOW PROFILE

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Lance Frazier prevents B.C. Lions' Emmanuel Arceneaux from catching the ball during first half CFL play in Vancouver, B.C., on July 10, 2010.
Photograph by: Andy Clark, Reuters

REGINA — Every week, Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back Lance Frazier is asked to shadow receivers on opposing CFL teams.

Frazier wouldn't have it any other way. In fact, he's more than comfortable operating in the shadows.

"I've never been in a situation, whether in football or in life, where I've been in the spotlight," the 29-year-old product of Delray Beach, Fla., said Thursday after the Roughriders' practice at Mosaic Stadium. "I've never been a spotlight guy. I've been like a blue-collar, hard-working guy that's always fighting to make it and succeed.

"Throughout my career, I've never been the guy who was actually 'The Guy' or in the limelight — and I prefer it that way because being an underdog makes you that much hungrier."
Frazier is in his fifth season with the Roughriders and his seventh in pro football. The 5-foot-10, 192-pounder was with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys in 2004 and '05 and went to training camp in '06 with the Seattle Seahawks before signing with Saskatchewan in October of 2006.

Frazier played one regular-season game with Saskatchewan that season, recording two tackles. He had 24 tackles and an interception over nine games in '07, 37 tackles and five interceptions over 17 games in '08, and 38 tackles, six knockdowns and five picks (with 197 yards in returns) in 15 games in '09 en route to West Division all-star honours.

Yet he always seemed to be overshadowed by other defensive halfbacks, including his own teammate, Eddie Davis.

"After 15 years in the league, Eddie has earned that," Roughriders defensive backs coach Nelson Martin said of Davis, who retired in the off-season. "There are a lot of intangibles that Eddie brought to the table in leadership and perspective of the game and a young guy like Lance, who has learned a lot from Eddie, would defer to that. Now this is Lance's time."
Frazier said his mother, Valerie Crudup, stressed hard work even when her son was playing Pop Warner football. He has continued that approach through his college career at West Virginia, in the NFL and in the CFL — and it appears to have paid off.

"Honestly, I think he's the best defensive back in the league," said cornerback Donovan Alexander. "I don't know if he's under-rated because I think a lot of other teams really respect his play. He's definitely one of the best. You could make an argument that he shouldn't be here, that he should be down south playing football."

"I've been extremely impressed with Lance from Day 1 in terms of his work ethic, his approach to the game and his approach to practice," Martin added. "He's becoming a leader by example. He's not a rah-rah guy, not a holler guy. He just goes out there and makes plays."
Frazier faces another test Saturday, when slotbacks Kelly Campbell and Fred Stamps visit Mosaic Stadium with their Edmonton Eskimos teammates.

Frazier's short memory already is at work — a busted coverage in Saturday's 37-18 victory over the B.C. Lions resulted in him getting beat on a 98-yard touchdown by Geroy Simon — and so is his desire to support his teammates.

"You don't want to let them down," Frazier said. "You know the day after or two days after the game, they're going to put on the film and you don't want to be the guy that's pointed out getting scored on or not executing a particular play. You take a lot of pride in that.
"You transfer that from football to life and it's the same way. I'm comfortable with myself and my play and, off the field, I'm comfortable with my life."

EXTRAS: Roughriders head coach Ken Miller said he was meeting GM Brendan Taman right after Thursday's practice to discuss the roster for Saturday's game. The Roughriders have been trying to figure out how to handle the import/non-import ratio in the wake of the knee injury suffered by non-import tackle Wayne Smith. The Roughriders have to decide whether to add import tackle Joel Bell or keep import tailback Hugh Charles on the roster . . . Saskatchewan could go with the status quo and keep Gene Makowsky at left tackle. Miller said that if either Makowsky or right tackle Dan Goodspeed gets hurt Saturday, right guard Marc Parenteau would move to tackle.
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