DEFENSE GETTING STRONGER

By Ian Hamilton, Leader-Post September 5, 2010

In Luc Mullinder’s mind, the defence doesn’t rest.
After the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ defence turned in another stellar effort Sunday, Mullinder said the unit will do anything it has to do to help the CFL team win — no matter the sacrifice.

“If it involves playing 90 plays in a row, we’ll play 90 plays in a row,” the veteran defensive lineman said after the Roughriders’ 27-23 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Labour Day Classic at Mosaic Stadium. “We’ll sub in, we’ll sub out and we’ll play 90.
“The big picture is we want to get to the Grey Cup — and everybody’s doing a great job of buying in. If there are some guys not buying in, they’ll get strung along until they do realize the big picture and we’ll be just fine.

“We’re gelling at the right time.”

The defence’s roll began in the second half of the Roughriders’ 30-26 loss to the host Montreal Alouettes on Aug. 6. Saskatchewan held the Als to six points, one first down, 12 yards rushing and 27 yards passing after the intermission to give the Roughriders’ offence a shot at a comeback.

Since then, the Roughriders haven’t surrendered double digits in points in any quarter, nor have they allowed more than 400 yards in total offence in any game. The B.C. Lions had 365 yards in a 37-13 loss to Saskatchewan on Aug. 12, the Edmonton Eskimos managed 299 yards in a 17-14 victory over the Roughriders on Aug. 28, and Winnipeg had 391 yards on Sunday.
“It was a challenge, not only by the coaches but within ourselves,” defensive back Lance Frazier said when asked what the difference has been. “We know we didn’t play the best defensive football starting off the season. As a professional, you’ve got to take that personally.

“This is our livelihood. This is what we feed our families on. If you play bad defence, you won’t be around long. Everybody here takes it personally and everybody here wants to be great.”
To many of the Roughriders, the key in the unit’s resurgence is the players’ growing familiarity with each other. That in turn has allowed the unit to function more effectively.

“We’ve been working week in and week out trying to get better as a core,” said safety James Patrick, who recorded his league-leading seventh interception Sunday. “We’re going up from here.”

“The style of defence that we play is very team-oriented,” added head coach Ken Miller. “It doesn’t have a lot of spectacular individual plays. It’s related to cohesiveness of the group of men who happen to be on the field.

“I think that we have had some bonding and some understanding of each other’s skills, and we’re getting that team concept down a little bit better than it was prior.’’

On Sunday, the defence certainly stepped up in the fourth quarter to help out the offence. After quarterback Darian Durant lost a fumble at the Saskatchewan 45-yard line, defensive end Brent Hawkins held Bombers tailback Fred Reid to a two-yard gain before Jerrell Freeman sacked Winnipeg quarterback Buck Pierce to force a punt.

That sparked the Roughriders’ offence, which subsequently drove 91 yards in eight plays for the knockout blow: An 11-yard scoring run by Durant that gave Saskatchewan a 25-17 lead.
“It’s a complete team effort,” running back Wes Cates told the Leader-Post’s Rob Vanstone. “Every play that’s made out there gets your buddies riled up.

“Our defence has been doing a great job of doing that. When we’ve put them in a tough situation, they’ve been answering the bell consistently and getting stops in situations where it was dire and we needed a stop. I commend the defence for that. Luckily, we got it together and let them thank us for getting it in the end zone.’’

Despite their renaissance, the defenders aren’t resting on their laurels. Mullinder and Frazier both said there were numerous mistakes during Sunday’s game — and in the preceding contests as well — that must be addressed.

“We have a long way to go still,” Frazier said. “We’re going to get better and better. The ceiling (he pointed upward) is still up there.”

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BOUNCE BACK....BOUNCES BACK

By Rob Vanstone, Leader-Post September 6, 2010

For most of the game, it was the Labore Day Classic.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ offence often appeared to be in hibernation during the first three quarters of Sunday’s annual long-weekend CFL clash with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. After 45 minutes, Saskatchewan had a mere 10 first downs and was clinging to an 18-17 lead.
But then — and forgive me if you have read this 188 times before — Darian Durant demonstrated his resilience by making timely plays and quarterbacking his team to victory. The verdict: Saskatchewan 27, Winnipeg 23.

“My teammates gave me the nickname Bounce Back,’’ said Durant, who lived up to the monicker once again. “They don’t worry about it when we make turnovers or I throw an interception. That’s just the mentality we have.

“We have a team that’s never going to quit. We’re always going to be there at the end. That’s the confidence we have. When it’s time to make a play, we all step up — not just me.’’
Durant is quick to defer to his teammates in times of triumph. When he does single himself out, it is typically after a defeat — when he will invariably put the onus on himself to improve.
A case in point was a 17-14 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos on Aug. 28. Durant had perhaps his worst game as a Roughrider — throwing three interceptions and struggling to move the ball with the requisite consistency.

Leading up to Sunday’s game, Durant patiently fielded questions about his performance. The media thoughtfully advised him that some especially frustrated fans were questioning his performance. Some loyalists even went so far as to assert that understudy Ryan Dinwiddie should have been deployed during the latter stages in Edmonton.

Durant saved his most emphatic response for Sunday’s fourth quarter, when his actions spoke volumes. He helped the Roughriders engineer nine of their 19 first downs while throwing for 111 of his 301 yards.

Most notably, Durant was at the controls for the Roughriders’ game-changing drive — an eight-play, 91-yard gem that devoured four minutes 48 seconds. The 28-year-old pivot completed all five of his passes on that drive. He also ran twice for 18 yards. A seven-yard run gave

Saskatchewan its first of six first downs on that possession, which was punctuated by his 11-yard touchdown scamper.

“Before every drive, you pretty much say, ‘This is the drive where we’re going to turn it around,’ but I think we took it back to like we were at practice,’’ Durant said. “We’re laughing, smiling and joking all the time in the huddle, and that’s what we did on that drive. It was, ‘Let’s have fun, let’s be loose, and let’s take the ball down the field.’ ’’

Sure enough, he did.

No surprise there.

While emerging as a CFL star last season, Durant repeatedly rallied the Roughriders, thereby establishing that he could be a victorious quarterback on days that were not necessarily his best. Sunday’s contest also adheres to that description.

“I’m tired of slumping myself,’’ Durant said. “It’s time for us to start making plays. Hopefully we can take what we did in the fourth quarter, build on that, and hopefully it will carry over until next week and for the rest of the season.’’

There was some carryover from the Edmonton game, in that Durant did not throw a touchdown pass against Winnipeg. After being picked off once on Sunday, Durant’s ratio of TD passes to interceptions is now 11:13 this season. However, that number can be deceiving.
Consider the fact that Durant had two virtual touchdown passes on Sunday. His 33-yard toss to Andy Fantuz put Saskatchewan on the two-yard line, from where Wes Cates ran for a major. Cates later scored from one yard out one play after Durant found Chris Getzlaf for a 14-yard gain. And don’t forget The Drive, which culminated when Durant’s legs carried him to paydirt. Moreover, a 38-yard pass from Durant to Fantuz late in Sunday’s game was initially ruled a TD, only to be overturned by video review.

The interceptions may outnumber the touchdown passes, but Durant attaches more relevance to a disparity of a different sort. The Riders’ victory total (six) now doubles the losses (three).
The victories aren’t always aesthetic successes — just like the Labour Day Classic isn’t always a classic — but who can argue with the results?

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LABOUR DAY 2010

By MURRAY McCORMICK, Leader-Post September 3, 2010

REGINA — It's difficult to shake feelings of deja vu with the 2010 Saskatchewan Roughriders.
That's because this year's team finds itself in a similar situation to what took place at this point of the 2009 CFL season. Heading into the 2009 Labour Day Classic against the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Riders were 4-4-0. They were also dealing with concerns about their offensive and special-teams systems and the development of quarterback Darian Durant.

At the time, Durant had thrown 10 touchdown passes and been intercepted 12 times.
This season, the Riders are 5-3-0 heading into Sunday's Labour Day Classic (2 p.m., TSN, CKRM) against the Blue Bombers (2-6-0). Similar to 2009, this year's edition was beaten in the game before the Classic. The Edmonton Eskimos upset the Riders 17-14 on Saturday. In 2009, the Riders went into the bye week after a 34-25 loss to the host Montreal Alouettes.

Edmonton's win sparked much debate about the Riders' offence and special teams. Durant was once again a target. Durant, who is in his second full season as a starter, has thrown 11 touchdown passes and been intercepted 12 times. He has rushed for four touchdowns,

compared to one at this juncture in 2009.

There was a great deal of validity to the concerns in 2009, just like this year. Last year, the Riders rallied to beat the Blue Bombers 29-14 in Regina and 55-10 in Winnipeg. The wins helped the Riders finish 6-3-1 in the second half of the season en route to finishing first in the West Division.

"After we lost that game last year (against Montreal), we got more focused,'' Riders veteran cornerback Omarr Morgan said after Friday's practice at Mosaic Stadium. "We took care of the little things and we're trying to do that this week. I don't really remember last year because the only game I really remember is the Grey Cup. I just know that after a loss, you tend to focus a little more. You should already be doing that but it's human nature. You always focus more after bad things happen.''

Durant remains the focus of the Riders regardless of what happens. He had some challenges during his first season as a starter and was even benched for a quarter against the Calgary Stampeders on Aug. 1.

Riders head coach Ken Miller felt that Durant could benefit from watching the offence while then-backup Steven Jyles was in control. Durant returned to lead the Riders to a 24-23 victory over the Stampeders. The Riders lost two of their next three games before settling in to play the Blue Bombers.

"When you win, it's easy to overlook your flaws,'' said Durant, whose Riders have lost two of their past three games this season. "When you lose, you go back to square one and try to figure out what's wrong. That's what we've been doing. We did that last season, too. You try one thing and it doesn't work. Then you try another. It's all about fundamentals 101, which is playing the game and taking care of the ball. We also have a good defence, so let them play like they can.''
Durant did a better job of ball control in 2009. He completed 14 second-half touchdown passes and was intercepted just nine times. Durant didn't leave any doubt about who the starter was as he guided the Riders to the 2009 Grey Cup game.

Durant wasn't the only member of the Riders to enjoy a resurgence in the second half. Wide receiver Rob Bagg had 26 receptions for 364 yards and two touchdowns before the Classic. Bagg's contributions increased as he had 33 receptions for 443 yards and three touchdowns down the stretch.

"We're way ahead this year of where we were last year,'' said Bagg, who has 27 receptions for 429 yards and a touchdown this season. "We're operating better as a unit. Last year we were all young and still learning about each other. This year, we're advanced in our relationship with Darian in regards to how he reads our body language and how we run our routes. When you combine that with our relationship with the playbook ... that's why we're farther ahead.''
The fact this is a new team compared to the 2009 edition that was beaten 28-27 in the Grey Cup by the Alouettes was emphasized early in the season. Tad Kornegay, who was an all-star linebacker in 2009 but has been pressed into duty as a cornerback in 2010 due to injuries, said it takes time for all teams to come together.

"Things just started to go our way last year,'' Kornegay said. "When you play together for a

while, things just get better. We all played together and we all trust each other.''
The Blue Bombers may also be a cure for whatever ails the Riders. Saskatchewan has outscored the Blue Bombers 163-89 while winning the past five Labour Day Classics. The Riders have also boosted their second-half hopes by sweeping the second half of the series — the Banjo Bowl in Winnipeg — in each of the past two seasons.

"It's a great way to start the second half of the season,'' Kornegay said. "They are both big games and it's a great feeling when you win those games back-to-back.''

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STEVIE BAGGS AND REY WILLIAMS BOTH MAY BE FREE AGENTS

By MURRAY McCORMICK, Leader-

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have adopted a wait-and-see approach in regards to their interest in defensive end Stevie Baggs and linebacker Renauld Williams.

Baggs and Williams were both trying to catch on with NFL teams. Baggs was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Friday, when some NFL teams reduced their rosters to 53 players.
Williams, who was attempting to catch on with the Pittsburgh Steelers, was waived Friday after suffering a knee injury in Thursday's 19-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

John Chick, who was the CFL's most outstanding defensive player in 2009 with the Riders, wasn't among Friday's early cuts. Chick has been trying out with the Indianapolis Colts. Teams have until 4 p.m. Saturday to announce their rosters.

Brendan Taman, the Riders' general manager, said Friday he's waiting to see if Williams and Baggs clear NFL waivers. The Riders retain the rights to Williams and Chick. Baggs is a free agent and if he doesn't sign with an NFL squad, is eligible to join any CFL team. It's believed that the Cardinals will offer Baggs a berth on their eight-man practice roster.

"I had contact with Stevie's agent (Friday) afternoon,'' Taman said. "He made it very clear that (Baggs') NFL future would be sorted out by the weekend and that it is unlikely he will return to Saskatchewan immediately.''

The extent of Williams's injury clouds the issue for the Riders and other teams. Williams and other CFLers released by NFL teams have a 10-day window to pursue other options. Taman said it was unlikely Williams would be with the Riders for at least two weeks.

Williams had seven tackles and a sack in three pre-season games with the Steelers. Baggs had four tackles with the Cardinals in three pre-season games.
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BOMBERS IN FOR A HOSTILE WELCOME

Saskatchewan Roughriders fans will be attempting to throw the Winnipeg Blue Bombers off their game on Sunday at Mosaic Stadium.
Photograph by: Todd Korol, Reuters files

REGINA — Saskatchewan Roughriders guard Marc Parenteau is well aware that abusing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers is a big part of the Labour Day Classic for fans who sit in the east-side stands at Mosaic Stadium.

In fact, he'd tell you it's the name of the game.

"You're talking about young kids using special words that would be rated R in a movie theatre behind you and they incorporate that into your name," recalls Parenteau, who played for Winnipeg in the 2006 Classic. "Let's just say that 'Parent' was hyphenated with another word and then 'eau.' It was classy."

The 2010 edition of the Blue Bombers no doubt will hear some colourful language Sunday when it visits Mosaic Stadium. Former Bombers who now toil for the Roughriders are happy to be on the other side of the matchup — and the other side of the field.

"On that side of the field, the fans are all green; there's not a lot of blue and gold," says Saskatchewan backup quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie, who first experienced Labour Day as a Bomber in 2006. "There's definitely some heckling.

"You'll hear some random things that make you laugh a little bit, but there are some things that might hurt some guys' feelings. It's all in good fun."

"There's a lot of jibberish," adds Parenteau. "People seem to be intoxicated. I'm pretty sure that day we lost, so it wasn't that bad. It seems like if you're winning, they take it out on you. If you're losing, they give you a break."

But not much of one.

Luckily for Doug Berry, he got to use a headset as a buffer. Besides, the former Winnipeg head coach noted, he has the ability to tune out the fans who try to throw him off his game.
"I'd hear something every now and then, but it was like, 'Forget about it. You can't get involved with it,' " says Berry, who's now the Roughriders' offensive co-ordinator.

"For the fans, they're just looking for somebody who will bite. It's like throwing the bait out for the fish: Which one is going to bite? If you can find a player or a coach who will bite, you've got'em. They're out of the game."

Dan Goodspeed was forewarned about the fans before making his first trip to Regina in 2005, so the former NFLer felt prepared.

He wasn't.

"People said, 'Get ready for this. You're going to see some things that you've never seen before: People with watermelons on their heads, guys with spikes and shoulder pads,' " recalls the Roughriders' right tackle, who played four seasons with Winnipeg. "I said, 'Like the fans of the (Oakland) Raiders do?' They said, 'Yeah, but worse.'

"It was more than what I was led to believe was going to happen. That bench is definitely a bad place to be."

The city as a whole can be rather, uh, unpleasant for the Bombers and their fans during the weekend. For many years, the anti-Winnipeg sentiment — along with the prevalent party atmosphere — prompted the Bombers to stay in Moose Jaw until game day.

"When I got to Moose Jaw, I thought it was Regina, to be honest," Parenteau says. "I had never been to Regina. I was like, 'This is Regina? It's tiny!' Someone said, 'No, we're in Moose Jaw.' I said, 'Where's Moose Jaw?' They said, 'It's about a half-hour away because it's too crazy to go in town and sleep there.' "

"When we got in here the next day, it was just a zoo. That's the best way to describe it. There were barbecues everywhere, there was more tailgating than usual and I think people were spiking their beverages for some reason. It was crazy in here."

But the zany goings-on also help make Labour Day a true football experience.

Goodspeed says the intensity of the Bombers-Roughriders rivalry reminds him of the annual disagreements his college team, the Kent State Golden Flashes, had with the Akron Zips. That kind of hatred, he says, was missing during his time in the NFL.

For Dinwiddie, the Classic helped create an internal tug of war for him.

"You're supposed to hate Saskatchewan, but being a 'Pegger, you kind of respect them for the crowd and the way the crowd gets involved," Dinwiddie says. "The way the players feed off the emotion, you can tell it's a special place here — even though you're on the other side. I'm just glad to be here and glad to be a part of it."

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LAUNCH OF THE SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDER LOONIE

LINK IS AS FOLLOWS: http://riderville.com/

GO TO RIDERVISION AND ENJOY

LIFE BORING FOR KORNEGAY

Saskatchewan Roughriders' defensive back Tad Kornegay (left) and Saskatchewan Roughriders' defensive back Lance Frazier celebrate in this file photo.
Photograph by: Troy Fleece, Regina Leader-Post

REGINA — Tad Kornegay misses the action.

The 2009 West Division all-star linebacker has started the last three CFL games at wide-side cornerback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Kornegay, who is expected to start at the same position when the Riders play host to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday, was switched to cornerback after injuries sidelined Donovan Alexander and Leron Mitchell.

“It’s kind of boring over there,’’ Kornegay said with a laugh after Thursday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium. “I feel like I’m in the stands watching the action at times. I’m just happy to help out wherever I can and make the game easier for my teammates.’’

That means Kornegay has had an opportunity to appreciate how Daniel Francis is filling in for him at weakside linebacker. Francis, a converted safety, made his first start at linebacker against the Montreal Alouettes on Aug. 6. Montreal won 30-26 but prevailed after being held to one first down and four points in the second half.

The Riders beat the B.C. Lions 37-13 on Aug. 12 and Saturday were edged 17-14 by the Edmonton Eskimos. The defence has been stout, despite Saskatchewan’s 1-2 record in its last three games en route to a 5-3-0 mark. Francis did his part. He has 15 defensive tackles and two special teams tackles over those three games.

“He has done an amazing job replacing who I feel was our most valuable player on defence,’’ said Gary Etcheverry, the Riders’ defensive co-ordinator.

Francis was a backup safety in 2009, his first season with the Riders. The Roughriders lean toward using converted defensive backs to fill the weakside linebacker spot because of the coverage responsibilities. Kornegay and Francis are similar in that they are both defensive backs. There are differences, though.

“Francis is a definitely a hitter,’’ Kornegay said. “I’m more of a cover guy.’’
That could be due to their respective roots. Kornegay’s natural position is cornerback, where coverage skills are stressed. Francis has been a safety, a position that traditionally attracts big hitters.

“I’ve always told myself that I hit like a linebacker,’’ said Francis, who is five-foot-11 and 193 pounds. “I may be 193 pounds but I hit like I’m 230. Still, I never considered myself a linebacker until this year. I was always a DB.’’

Kornegay has worked with Francis on enhancing his linebacker skills.

“He’s always looking for a little more knowledge,’’ Kornegay said. “Anything I can bring to the table, I will. We have a good relationship and we’re willing to share things.’’

The training has paid off so well that the Riders will continue to play Kornegay at corner and Francis at linebacker even though Alexander (hamstring) and Mitchell (knee) appear ready to return. Alexander started the season at cornerback but was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Mitchell started against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on July 31 before suffering a knee injury.
Riders head coach Ken Miller said the performances of Kornegay and Francis have kept Alexander from returning as a starter.

“It gives us our strongest lineup and keeps us consistent and we strive for that,’’ Miller said. “Communication and developing a relationship with people that you play with is a big part of being successful. We want to have as few deviations from that as possible.’’

Kornegay feels he’ll man the corner for a while.

“Daniel Francis is doing a great job and as long he does that, you should see me on the corner,’’ Kornegay said.

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