Roughriders lose another offensive lineman to injury
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With left guard Trevon Tate expected to land on the injured list with a shoulder injury suffered in Saskatchewan's Week 4 victory over the B.C. Lions, Zack Fry is next in line to start for the Green and White after serving as the backup for the last three games.
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'Super unfortunate that Tate went down, but again, next man up and excited to play,' Fry said this week as the Roughriders returned to practice following the team's first bye week of the season.
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'You've just got to be mentally and physically prepared, as you do every other week.'
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When the Roughriders (4-0) host the Calgary Stampeders (3-1) on Friday night (7 p.m., TSN) at Mosaic Stadium in Week 6 of the CFL season, Fry is expected to make his second start of the season after getting the nod at right guard in Week 1 against the Ottawa Redblacks.
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'Who doesn't want to play in front of all these great fans here in Regina?' said Fry. 'It's awesome to always run out of that tunnel and be in that starting lineup and getting those reps in and just being in this awesome atmosphere.'
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Last season, the 24-year-old from London, Ont. started six games at left guard as he was one of more than a dozen offensive lineman used due to various injuries throughout the year.
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And having an experienced player like Fry ready to go is a nice thing according to Roughriders head coach Corey Mace, who has already seen his club lose centre Sean McEwen, guard Philippe Gagnon and tackle Payton Collins due to injuries this season.
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'It's similar to any other guy that's had to step up this year. Nobody's holding hands or anything like that.'
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Now back in a starting role, Fry — a second-round pick by Saskatchewan in the 2022 CFL draft — said his preparation has actually become easier. While he was a backup for three of his four games this year, he served as the sixth man for six games in 2024 to go along with his six starts at left guard. In 2023, he suited up for four games as a backup in his rookie season.
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For Fry, the experience of being thrown into the fire last year is something he's drawing on this week.
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'I started all the games I did last year at left guard, so I think that prepared me a lot for here,' said the 6-foot-5, 288-pounder out of Western University, where he played right tackle. 'I feel ready to go.
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'You hate to see (an injury) but again, it's an opportunity. It's a job and you've got to be ready to go whenever.'
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