Roughrider training camp: Another Super Mario, and he's on the cutting edge
Running back Mario Anderson looks to be on the cutting edge when it comes to his first training camp with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Article content
Not only does Anderson have an opportunity to make the Riders roster, he could become one of the team's unofficial barbers.
Article content
The hair clippers are on standby, though.
Article content
'First, I've got to make the team,' stresses Anderson, a 5-foot-9, 209-pound dynamo from Summerville, S.C., who finished his college football career with some impressive numbers for the University of Memphis Tigers.
Article content
Article content
'I've got to get it (barber kit) shipped up here. It's on stand-by.'
Article content
Article content
A sensational 2024 college season saw him rush for 1,362 yards and 18 touchdowns with 100-plus yards in eight of his 13 games. Anderson also caught 52 passes for 312 yards and three TDs. As well, he scored two touchdowns (one on a run and one on a reception) to help Memphis defeat West Virginia 42-37 in the Frisco Bowl.
Article content
Anderson was nominated for the Doak Walker Award, which recognizes outstanding performance on the field, in the community, and in the classroom.
Article content
Anderson describes himself as an 'old-school' back.
Article content
'I think I bring that passionate grit, that old-school back that the game is kind of missing a little bit,' he says when asked what he brings to the Riders. 'I feel like I can produce any way you need me to; special teams, offence, whatever the case may be. I just want to be able to make the team successful any way I can.'
Article content
Article content
Article content
He's a small-town kid from South Carolina who was raised, along with three brothers, by a single mom, Sequoia.
Article content
'She raised four boys, kept us in sports, kept us healthy, kept us in school and everything,' Anderson points out. 'I really take pride in that.'
Article content
'I'm just taking it day by day right now, seeing where it gets me,' Anderson says. 'I'm putting one foot in front of the other, and going on and doing what's important, and having the chips fall. We'll see during the season.'
Article content
'Besides that, I did my own research, of course. I know last year the guys were one game away from the Grey Cup. What the coaches have built here is phenomenal, all the work ethic that all the guys have, the love for everybody that they have. It's a great feeling.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Emilus hits six-game injured list with knee injury, Riders prepare for Als
Saskatchewan Roughriders Samuel Emilus (19) celebrates a team interception against the Edmonton Elks \e during second half CFL action in Edmonton, Alta., on Sunday June 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson. Saskatchewan Roughriders' receiver Sam Emilus is back on the injured list, this time for at least the next six games. According to the Riders' injury report, Emilus is dealing with a knee injury which he sustained late in Saskatchewan's Week 8 win over Edmonton. The star wideout returned to lineup a week prior after missing the previous four games with a foot injury. In his place, Regina product Mitch Picton slots back into the lineup, behind Tommy Nield. Mario Alford, Shawn Bane Jr., Daniel Johnson and Noah Zerr remain week-to-week on the one-game injured list on offense. On defense, Antoine Brooks Jr. also remains out. On the offensive line, LT Payton Collins also makes his return, after suffering an injury Week 1. Riders' struggles in Quebec Games in Montreal have not gone the way of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of late. The Riders have not won on the road against the Alouettes since 2021, when now Roughrider QB Trevor Harris was a member of the Als. 'I wish I knew [what made it hard to play there],' head coach Corey Mace told reporters Thursday. 'They have a really good atmosphere, their fan base comes out to support the team. And, I mean, they're just a good team.' Saskatchewan (6-1) is hoping to stay atop the CFL standings, while Montreal (5-2) is the best team in the East Division through seven games. 'You know you're in for a tough battle against those guys,' Mace added. 'Regardless of what team we were with, it always ends up a tough place to play.' Kickoff Saturday is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saskatchewan time.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Saskatchewan Roughriders visit Montreal Alouettes in clash of CFL heavyweights
MONTREAL – The top two teams in the CFL standings don't have a lot in common — except for the fact they just keep finding ways to win. The 6-1 Saskatchewan Roughriders will visit the 5-2 Montreal Alouettes on Saturday in a clash between two teams riding win streaks and finding success in very different ways. As such, it should come as no surprise that there was plenty of high praise to go around from either side leading up to the matchup. 'They're physical up front, for sure,' said Alouettes head coach Jason Maas. 'I think they tackle extremely well in the secondary as well. I think they are a physical group, and they play with a lot of confidence. They fly around. You've got to really protect the ball against them, but I think it starts up front for them.' 'They're well-coached, obviously,' countered Roughriders head coach Corey Mace. 'They try to take away things that teams are really good at. They're fast as ever, they're relentless to the football. 'They do a good job causing turnovers and causing confusion. They've got enough guys in the back end that can cover a lot of ground as well. They do a good job.' Both teams come in on two-game winning streaks. Montreal pulled off comeback wins over Toronto and Calgary, despite holding the lead for just 6:38 across both games combined. Saskatchewan, meanwhile, bounced back from its only loss of the season — a 33-31 setback against Calgary on July 12 — with narrow wins over B.C. and Edmonton. Five of the Riders' six victories have come by seven points or fewer. Saskatchewan will be without standout receiver Samuel Emilus on Saturday. The Montreal native was placed on the six-game injured list after suffering a knee injury late in last week's win over the Elks. He will be replaced by 26-year-old Canadian slotback Tommy Nield, who is making his first start of the season after missing the first six games with an ankle injury. Montreal will once again turn to veteran quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson on Saturday in the absence of starting pivot Davis Alexander. The 37-year-old picked up his first win in three starts with Montreal last week, completing 30 of 40 passes for 280 yards and a touchdown in his team's 23-21 win over the Stampeders. 'My confidence gets better with each rep,' said Bethel-Thompson. 'It's just about doing the little things right. With each rep, I feel more comfortable, and hopefully that shows Saturday night.' Meanwhile, the Alouettes' defence, which has surrendered the fewest yards per game (321.4) and second-fewest points (158) across the league this season, will welcome back a familiar face in defensive end Shawn Lemon on Saturday. Lemon played parts of the last two seasons with Montreal, helping the team to a Grey Cup championship in 2023. The 36-year-old was suspended indefinitely in April 2024 for gambling on league games while with Calgary in 2021, including one game in which he played. Lemon also served a two-game suspension after testing positive for the banned stimulant phentermine, an appetite suppressant. After being reinstated last month, the veteran signed a contract with the Alouettes through the remainder of the 2025 season. Maas praised Lemon's fitness level, vowing to use him in 'his fair share of plays' throughout Saturday's contest. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'It's good to have him back,' added Alouettes defensive lineman Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, who played with Lemon in both Calgary and Montreal. 'It's always next man up here, so just to get another veteran presence is awesome. You know what he can do on the field, and it's just going to help us tenfold.' Montreal will be without wide receivers Austin Mack and Tyson Philpot, who are out with ankle and knee injuries, respectively. The Alouettes have won their last three games against Saskatchewan and four straight at home against the Roughriders dating back to 2021. 'I wish I knew,' Mace said when asked about the challenge of playing in Montreal. 'They've got a really good atmosphere. Their fanbase comes out. They're a good team no matter where you play — but there, it's always a tough battle.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025.
Ottawa Citizen
a day ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Can QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson win two straight for the Alouettes?
A young quarterback might be permitted to lose three straight games because he's experiencing growing pains while continuing to learn the CFL and its intricacies. Article content No such luxury exists for a 37-year-old veteran — especially McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who's with a new team and must build confidence with his Alouettes teammates and management. Article content Article content Bethel-Thompson won a Grey Cup with Toronto in 2022, but when he led Montreal to a comeback victory last Thursday at Calgary, it might have been among the most important triumphs of his CFL career. Article content Article content Now, he must attempt to do it again Saturday night, when the Als host Saskatchewan at Molson Stadium (7 p.m., TSN1, TSN3, RDS, TSN Radio-690, 98.5 FM). The Roughriders (6-1) have the league's best record. Both Saskatchewan and Montreal (5-2) are on two-game winning streaks, while the visitors have yet to lose on the road this season in three games. Article content Article content 'It felt really good to be part of a winning effort and get over that hump,' Bethel-Thompson said. 'Where I'm at in my life, I'm so proud of the work I'm doing, on and off the field. It shows what I'm doing is paying off and I can still do it at a high level. The exciting part is there's more to get better at. It's only going to be up from here. I want to be the best quarterback I can be for this team.' Article content Following losses at Hamilton and against B.C., Bethel-Thompson completed 30 of 40 passes for 280 yards and one touchdown against the Stampeders. In three games, he has thrown for 752 yards and four touchdowns while being intercepted three times. And he'll remain the Alouettes' starter for the immediate future with Davis Alexander remaining on the six-game injured list while recovering from a pulled hamstring. Article content Article content 'Do I expect to go out there and lose two games in a row? Not at all,' said Bethel-Thompson, acquired from Edmonton last December in a trade for Cody Fajardo. 'Do I expect to play at that level? No. I know what my expectations are. I don't worry about what anybody else says. I've been around long enough. There's so much noise. The only noise that matters is the noise you make within your own body.' Article content While the confidence Jason Maas has displayed in Bethel-Thompson never has wavered, the Als' head coach — a former CFL quarterback — realizes that cacophony would have reached a crescendo had Montreal's second-string pivot not defeated Calgary. That's simply the nature of the beast. Article content 'I think it's just confidence and growth,' Maas said. 'You could see it in practice this week. The way he's commanding the huddle. The way the ball is coming out. The communication with everybody. You could just tell it was a breath of fresh air for him … a monkey off his back, whatever you want to call it. It was.
