The newest Saskatchewan Roughrider Jason Clermont was on hand at the Brandt Centre to drop the puck before the start of the Regina Pats game on Friday.
Photograph by : Bryan Schlosser, Leader-Post
Photograph by : Bryan Schlosser, Leader-Post
REGINA -- Eric Tillman may have said it best: Ratio is the name of the game.
And by signing slotback Jason Clermont on Friday, Tillman, the Saskatchewan Roughriders general manager and the rest of the football operations staff gave themselves a further advantage in that department.
CFL teams are required to field 20 Canadians in their 42-player roster.
And by signing slotback Jason Clermont on Friday, Tillman, the Saskatchewan Roughriders general manager and the rest of the football operations staff gave themselves a further advantage in that department.
CFL teams are required to field 20 Canadians in their 42-player roster.
“In a seven-man receiving corps, we could easily play with four Canadians and possibly even five if we wanted to, we’re so strong there,” said Tillman. “That gives us a lot of flexibility elsewhere. We could add a full-time return specialist, which is something we needed. We could add an American to the offensive line, an area where we’re getting older. We could do it somewhere on the defence. It’s nice to have options.”
Those are options that have already been running through offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice’s mind along with thoughts of everything else Clermont will add to the Riders.
“He can block on the backside edge, he can release -- something very similar to what (fellow Riders non-import slotback) Andy Fantuz can do,” said LaPolice. “He really allows us to have a tremendous amount of flexibility. And he’s intelligent enough that he can move to a number of different spots.”
“He can block on the backside edge, he can release -- something very similar to what (fellow Riders non-import slotback) Andy Fantuz can do,” said LaPolice. “He really allows us to have a tremendous amount of flexibility. And he’s intelligent enough that he can move to a number of different spots.”
Clermont joins a receiving group that includes wideouts Corey Grant, Rob Bagg, Adarius Bowman and Matt Dominguez along with slotbacks Fantuz, Weston Dressler, D.J. Flick and Chris Getzlaf among others.
With such a large group in place already, the addition of Clermont could well mean changes among the receivers.
With such a large group in place already, the addition of Clermont could well mean changes among the receivers.
Dominguez has dealt with knee injuries most of his career and his health could be in question for 2009. Flick is set to become a free agent on Feb. 15. Others, like quarterback Darian Durant, linebacker Maurice Lloyd, fullback Neal Hughes and offensive lineman Gene Makowsky, could become free agents and are likely high on the list of players Saskatchewan wants to re-sign.
“We’re in the change business,” said Tillman. “What (Clermont’s signing) does is makes us stronger and gives us more options. With free agency coming up, we’ll make some decisions. This was not a move that was made because of dissatisfaction with anyone else or because we weren’t pleased with our receiving corps. In actuality we were. We felt good about the group and with all the injuries we had, we built a lot of depth in that area. When Jason Clermont is available, it’s a no-brainer.”
“We’re in the change business,” said Tillman. “What (Clermont’s signing) does is makes us stronger and gives us more options. With free agency coming up, we’ll make some decisions. This was not a move that was made because of dissatisfaction with anyone else or because we weren’t pleased with our receiving corps. In actuality we were. We felt good about the group and with all the injuries we had, we built a lot of depth in that area. When Jason Clermont is available, it’s a no-brainer.”
Just where Clermont fits into the offence is still an unknown, particularly with free agency looming. The assumption, though, is that Clermont is as close to an automatic starter as they come. The Roughriders use five receivers most of the time so there is plenty of room.
“We’re going to put the best five players on the field,” said LaPolice. “He’s got a chance to do the things we expect out of our crew. We still have a tremendous corps we think with the guys coming back from injury and everything.”
“We’re going to put the best five players on the field,” said LaPolice. “He’s got a chance to do the things we expect out of our crew. We still have a tremendous corps we think with the guys coming back from injury and everything.”
Just who will be throwing to that group is still unknown, though Durant has the most experience as a starter in a stable of pivots that also includes Steven Jyles, Dalton Bell and Drew Tate. Durant has said he wants to return to the Riders and the team has indicated the same.
“I was very happy with what I heard and the direction they are going to take (with quarterbacking),” said Clermont, who noted he has no problem working with a novice passer.
New quarterback, new receivers -- Clermont has a lot to become accustomed to in the next six months.
“I was very happy with what I heard and the direction they are going to take (with quarterbacking),” said Clermont, who noted he has no problem working with a novice passer.
New quarterback, new receivers -- Clermont has a lot to become accustomed to in the next six months.
“He’s a character guy so that’s not going to be an issue,” said LaPolice. “The players respect him for his hard work and all those kinds of things I think we’ve created an environment where we have good pros. We’ve really got guys who help each other even though they understand people are competing with each other. ‘I’ and ‘me’ aren’t real important words. It’s ‘we’ in what we try to do here.”
tswitzer@leaderpost.canwest.com
tswitzer@leaderpost.canwest.com
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