By MURRAY McCORMICK, Leader-Post
REGINA — The ups and downs of the special teams with the Saskatchewan Roughriders haven't been limited to returner Dominique Dorsey.
Veteran Neal Hughes has shared in an inconsistent season for the Riders on special teams. On
July 10, Hughes helped turn around a CFL game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with a blocked punt in the third quarter. The Riders would go on to record a field goal en route to a 37-24 victory at Mosaic Stadium.
Against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, a holding call assessed to Hughes wiped out a 22-yard fourth-quarter punt return by Dorsey. The Riders were pushed back to their five-yard line and ended up giving up a safety en route to losing 30-26 to the host Alouettes.
"I didn't think (the holding) was a very good call,'' Hughes said Wednesday after the Riders completed their walk-through at Mosaic Stadium for today's game against the B.C. Lions. "Coming from the ref's point of view, he's going to make that call. That's part of football and it can happen in any part of the game. You make a play and sometimes the ball bounces your way. There are other times when it doesn't.''
The ball hasn't bounced the Riders' way too often on special teams this season. Dorsey hasn't come close to breaking free on a long return. The Riders' coaching staff has reiterated that's largely due to the blocking. Special teams co-ordinator Jim Daley has said the Riders have to block better for Dorsey to hit the creases.
The struggles of the special teams reached another level when Montreal's Tim Maypray returned Luca Congi's 43-yard missed field goal 118 yards for a game-changing touchdown in the second quarter. It was the second missed field-goal attempt that Maypray has returned for a touchdown this season against the Riders. On July 1, Maypray returned a Congi missed field goal 125 yards for a touchdown. The Riders overcame that play to win 54-51 in double overtime.
"It's an unwanted oddity that we don't want to see happen a third time,'' Daley said. "Those are game-changing momentum things.''
There are simple solutions to cutting out missed field-goal returns.
"Our first priority is to make the field goal,'' Daley said. "Our second is to cover it well. Montreal did a great job of returning it on us. That's something we have worked on really hard this week.''
Ken Miller, the Riders' head coach, said they have addressed aspects of their coverage that Montreal exploited.
"You have to make sure that you have discipline in your coverage lanes and people have the correct leverage on the football, and we didn't do that,'' Miller said. "We had the opportunity to make the tackle and did not make the tackle, so tackling is a key component of that as well.''
Hughes plays on all four components of the special teams. He's not happy with the long returns on missed field goals but feels the team is close to breakthroughs on punt and kickoff returns.
"We've had some great efforts and we have the utmost confidence in Dominique,'' Hughes said. "We're the ones watching all of the film and there are times when Dominique is one or two blocks away from scoring a touchdown. You have to keep it in perspective. We're out there giving it our all but they are also making plays too. It's early in the season and good things are going to happen on our teams this week.''
Hughes plays on all four components of the special teams. He's not happy with the long returns on missed field goals but feels the team is close to breakthroughs on punt and kickoff returns.
"We've had some great efforts and we have the utmost confidence in Dominique,'' Hughes said. "We're the ones watching all of the film and there are times when Dominique is one or two blocks away from scoring a touchdown. You have to keep it in perspective. We're out there giving it our all but they are also making plays too. It's early in the season and good things are going to happen on our teams this week.''
The Riders also know that when that takes place, some of the scrutiny will be off the special teams.
"Even a return to our 50 to put our team in good field position is a good return,'' Hughes said.
"You see teams all over the league getting returns for touchdowns. They don't necessarily have
a winning record. That's not the be-all and end-all of a football game. It's the final score that matters.''
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