By ROB VANSTONE, Leader-Post July 22, 2010
REGINA — Saskatchewan Roughriders wide-side cornerback Leron Mitchell knows he will be tested by Calgary Stampeders quarterback Henry Burris during Saturday's CFL game at McMahon Stadium.
"I hope so,'' Mitchell stated Thursday after the Roughriders practised on Taylor Field. "I'll welcome the challenge. I'm not worried about that.''
Mitchell is to start in place of fellow non-import Donovan Alexander, who injured a hamstring during Saturday's 24-20 victory over the visiting Edmonton Eskimos.
A hamstring injury to Alexander also resulted in Mitchell starting a game last season, but he injured a groin during a 23-20 victory in Edmonton on Sept. 26.
Mitchell is accustomed to injury-related setbacks, having suffered a season-ending broken leg during Week 2 in 2008. He dressed for four regular-season and two playoff games in 2009, serving primarily on special teams.
This season, Mitchell and linebacker Jerrell Freeman are tied for the Roughriders' lead in special-teams tackles, with four.
"He has been playing (special) teams like a fiend, really, so I think he's as healthy as he's ever likely to be,'' Roughriders head coach Ken Miller said of Mitchell. "He is so athletic that I'm anxious to see him play out there.''
Mitchell is also anxious to be a starter on defence, even though injury replacements in the defensive backfield are often targeted by experienced quarterbacks such as Burris.
"Just being new, they're going to test you, and that's to be expected,'' Mitchell said. "I really can't be concerned about that. It's mainly about doing my job on defence.''
Mitchell, from London, Ont., was selected by the Toronto Argonauts in the second round (12th overall) of the 2006 CFL draft. He spent two seasons with the Boatmen before being traded to Saskatchewan for import running back Jamal Robertson in June of 2008.
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