Saskatchewan Roughriders' Jeremy O'DayPhotograph by: Troy Fleece, Leader-Post filesThe Saskatchewan Roughriders turned back the clock to training camp on Wednesday.
The Riders returned to practice for the first time since clinching the West Division regular-season title with a 30-14 victory over the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday. The Riders earned a bye to the West Division final on Nov. 22 and avoided having to play in Sunday's division semifinal.
The bye has given the Riders extra time to practise and work on fundamentals. It's an opportunity that doesn't often present itself during the regular season or for the teams playing this weekend.
"We're going back to the basics,'' said Riders centre Jeremy O'Day. "We have some fundamentals that we work on every day and the coaches are hitting home with those points that are important. You have to stay technically sharp and clean up the mistakes from the last game.''
There was a training-camp feel to what the Riders were doing Wednesday but with some major differences.
"No one likes training camp and everyone is a little more uptight because they're trying to make the team,'' said O'Day. "It's a time for us to come out, get our work in and stay sharp. We want to keep that momentum going that we have and we don't want to go through the motions.''
The Riders' assistant coaches won't allow that happen.
"There was a point there where we got a little lackadaisical,'' said Joe Womack, who helps coach the Riders' defensive backs while serving as the director of player personnel. "That's to be expected. We got after their rear ends a bit and reminded them where they were. They responded well and our intensity will be great.''
Paul LaPolice, the Riders' offensive co-ordinator, said a great deal of his focus is preparing the players to play in the West Division final.
"We told them in meetings that we won't talk about first place anymore,'' said LaPolice. "There are six teams left competing for the Grey Cup and this is a time to get better. We have to get better at base concepts and schemes. We also corrected a couple of things that we didn't want to see repeated from the last game.''
Gary Etcheverry, the Riders' defensive co-ordinator, could be heard reminding his players to hustle to the ball at all times.
"I yell to be heard,'' Etcheverry said. "I want the group to hear what I'm saying not just the person whom I'm talking to and that's what the yelling is about. There are certain things that I want to emphasize and in that way it is a return to training camp.''
The players are aware of what they would like to accomplish during the bye week. They've also been given the weekend off while the East and West Division semifinals are to be played.
"We have to stay hungry,'' said defensive end Stevie Baggs. "We have to understand that the position we're in is a one-shot deal. We can't take anything for granted because we've done something that hasn't been done in 33 years. We have to keep moving forward towards our ultimate goal.''
That goal is representing the West in the Grey Cup on Nov. 29 in Calgary.
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