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
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Zurkowsky: Outmatched Alouettes suffer embarrassing defeat to CFL-leading Roughriders
The slaughter on Pins Ave. began with a 46-yard kickoff return by Dohnte Meyers — and got progressively worse from there. Article content It would be easy to pile on the Alouettes, and criticize them extensively, following Saturday night's humbling 34-6 defeat to the Saskatchewan Roughriders before 21,654 Molson Stadium spectators, who endured an approximate 25-minute delay at halftime because of lightning in the area, not to mention the ensuing downpour. Article content Article content There are plenty of holes to fill on the Alouettes, and plenty of blame to mete out, following this embarrassing performance. And while Montreal clearly isn't in the same class as the Roughriders, who have a CFL-best 7-1 record as the regular season is about to reach the halfway mark, the Als' roster, which was already decimated by injuries, took a major hit on this night. Article content Article content Cornerback Kabion Ento, who has a team-leading three interceptions, was a last-minute scratch with a calf injury. Early in the first quarter, the Alouettes lost safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy with what appeared to be an injury to his left shoulder. And the team already was missing linebacker Najee Murray. Article content Offensively, it appears the Als will be without centre Justin Lawrence for the conceivable future. He was injured in the second quarter and was seen on crutches post-game. Article content Montreal already is without starting quarterback Davis Alexander (hamstring) and two starting receivers — Tyson Philpot (knee) and Austin Mack (ankle). Alexander is already on the six-game injured list and it appears the frequently injured Mack is headed there as well. He has a walking boot on his left ankle and must manoeuvre on crutches. Article content While pro football teams will never use injuries as an excuse, and head coach Jason Maas always has adopted a next-man-up mentality, it's hard to believe the Alouettes can remain competitive with so many players sidelined. Article content 'Injuries are part of the season, part of the game,' a remarkably calm Maas said. 'Obviously, at times, they're harder to overcome than others. I thought our guys kept fighting and dealing with them. Obviously, you never want to start a game losing a guy, then losing a couple of extra guys. That's hard. No one has that depth. At the end of the day, you've got to keep playing and find a way. We just didn't do that tonight. There's never going to be an excuse. No question it's never easy and makes it more difficult.'
Montreal Gazette
2 days ago
- Montreal Gazette
Can QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson win two straight for the Alouettes?
Montreal 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. 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. 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. 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. '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.' 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. '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.' 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. '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. 'Quarterbacks put a lot of stress and undo pressure on themselves to perform. All eyes are on them. Quarterbacks get a lot of credit. They get a lot of blame, too. And it weighs on you. But he's a strong individual — mentally and physically. I'm glad to see him get the win as a starter, but we knew that would happen at some point.' Offensively, the Alouettes will be missing import receiver Austin Mack, who turned his ankle late against Calgary. He'll be replaced by Alexander Hollins, who spent three seasons with B.C. and has 16 touchdowns in 38 career games. Hollins, 6-feet and 165 pounds, gained 1,173 yards in 2023. Canadian rookie Hakeem Harris gets his first career start for the injured Tyson Philpot. With James Letcher Jr. (hand) sidelined, Montreal will try Tyjon Lindsey as its return-specialist this game. That role last week was filled by Lincoln Victor. But he fumbled twice against Calgary and, although neither resulted in a turnover, he was replaced by receiver Tyler Snead. Victor subsequently was released this week. Defensively, the game marks the return of veteran rush-end Shawn Lemon following a year-long CFL-imposed suspension. Lemon has spent the last two weeks practising after being reinstated by the league for wagering on games in 2021, while with Calgary. He then served an additional two-game suspension following a positive test for the banned substance phentermine — an appetite suppressant. 'It means a lot to be back in the stadium,' Lemon said. 'It's not about me. It's about the Alouettes getting a win. It's about whatever I can do to help this team get a win. 'The clip is full. I'm ready to go.' This story was originally published August 1, 2025 at 2:37 PM.
National Post
2 days ago
- National Post
10 Thoughts: Roughriders assert dominance in win over Alouettes
Article content In Week 9 of the CFL season, the Green and White improved to 7-1 with a 34-6 victory over the Montreal Alouettes, in what was Saskatchewan's most convincing win of the year. Article content Article content Here are the top 10 takeaways from the victory: Article content 10 Thoughts Article content 1. Saturday's game was billed as a potential Grey Cup preview by some but it's hard to really consider it that with Alouettes starting quarterback Davis Alexander sidelined with an injury. The Alouettes have a top defence and while McLeod Bethel-Thompson has plenty of experience in the league, Alexander is the more explosive quarterback. Missing top receivers Tyson Philpot and Austin Mack didn't help either. Article content 2. The Roughriders solidified their Grey Cup-contender status with their current lineup led by quarterback Trevor Harris, who continued his strong start to the season. Harris completed 19 of 27 passes for 289 yards with two touchdown passes and was effective on his short, medium and deep passes. Hard to ask for much more especially when he's protecting the football like he has been. Article content 3. Harris completed 70.4 per cent of his passes on Saturday, which marked the 11th game in a row with at least 70 per cent completion rate. That extends his CFL record and maybe that was the reason he stayed in the game when it was out of reach in the fourth quarter as he completed two short passes to get over that 70 per cent mark. Article content 4. Short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens showed his value on the opening drive of the game. Not only did he secure first downs on two third-down gambles, but he plunged into the end zone for the game's first touchdown. On one 'sneak,' Stevens picked up seven yards and you have to wonder if he went wide every time how many yards/touchdowns he could get. Can't get greedy, I guess. Article content 5. Montreal has always been a tough place to play for Saskatchewan. Not this year though. The last time the Roughriders won in Montreal, Harris was the quarterback for the Alouettes. That was in 2021 and Harris replaced an ineffective Matthew Shiltz at quarterback but couldn't lead the Alouettes to a comeback win. Article content Article content 6. While it wasn't necessarily an eight-sack performance like last week against the Edmonton Elks, Saskatchewan's defence made life tough for Alouettes quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who was intercepted and sacked twice. In fact, Bethel-Thompson was so ineffective, the Alouettes tried Caleb Evans at quarterback. That short-lived experiment didn't work so MBT came back and finished the game and should have been intercepted twice more by Riders' safety Nelson Lokombo. Article content 7. Montreal was probably trying to capture some magic they found in 2024. Last year, the Roughriders led 16-3 in Montreal at halftime and an ineffective Evans was replaced by little-known Alexander at half. Alexander went on to lead the Alouettes to a 20-16 comeback win, which was the first step in him becoming the club's franchise quarterback.
