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CTV News
6 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Roughriders have shot to regain first place Friday against Elks
After falling out of first place in the Canadian Football League's (CFL) West Division nearly a month ago, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have an opportunity to climb up the standings Friday night when they host the Edmonton Elks. The chance comes after the Calgary Stampeders' 23-21 loss to Montreal Thursday. Saskatchewan (5-1) is tied with the Stamps in the West with 10 points, but is currently second place due to a previous loss to Calgary. A win would give the Roughriders sole possession of the top spot in the division. Edmonton (1-5) is last place in the division. 'Car-O-sel' While the Riders have seen early success in the 2025 season, it hasn't been without its hurdles. As of Friday morning, six offensive linemen are on either the one- or six-game injured list, and through six games this season Saskatchewan has started nine different players on the O-line. 'I've done the worrying part with this group. It's just par for the course for us [on the offensive line],' head coach Corey Mace told reporters Thursday. The latest injury to the Saskatchewan front is Zack Fry. Mace told media Fry was in a car accident earlier in the week. 'He got checked at the hospital and all things were good,' the coach said. 'And as most things do with injuries to the head, at practice [he] just wasn't feeling right.' 'We're not going to play around with that kind of stuff,' Mace added. In his place, Langenburg, Sask.'s Noah Zerr will start at left guard Friday. 'I try to take my mental reps when I can, especially being the sixth man, you never know when you're going to be thrown in the mix and the team's going to count on you to be the starter,' Zerr said. 'Every week I try to prepare like I am going to be the starter.' 'But this week specifically, we knew we had some guys banged up so I was definitely a little more ready,' he added. Through all the injuries to linemen, Saskatchewan remains one of the more efficient offenses in the league. 'We trust the guys next to us,' tackle Jamarcus Hardrick told CTV News. 'It's a next man up mentality. I hate to think that way, but we have to prepare that way.' Rider quarterbacks have been sacked just eight times in 2025, fourth best in the CFL. 'We have a lot of good guys here,' Hardrick said. 'It gives us confidence, and we do have some good depth, but I hate injuries.' 'They set a standard and they demand a standard, amongst one another,' quarterback Trevor Harris said. 'They work hard, are well-coached and if you're not performing to that standard, they're going to try and elevate you.' On the other side of the ball, the Elks are worst in the CFL at getting to the quarterback – making just three sacks through the team's first six games. Harris at his best? Trevor Harris is playing some of the best football of his career, throwing over 1,600 yards in four games – the most he's thrown through that time in 13 CFL seasons. In his last two games, Harris is 59-of-74 passing (79.7 per cent) for 820 yards and four touchdowns. He needs just 226 passing yards to become the 13th player in CFL history to reach 35,000 in his career. 'I've played some good football but I don't pay much attention to it,' Harris admitted about his start to the season. 'I've always told you guys, 'If we lose a game, I'll get too much blame. When we win, I get too much credit.' And so I just the credit our staff and our players.' While Harris is off to a hot start, his head coach does not want to speculate if he's at his best. 'As long as he's moving the offense efficiently – which is important to him – it's important to us. That's all we care about and he's doing that,' Mace said. 'Whether he's the best or not, those things will be talked about the end of the season.' 'I remember saying at the end of last year, 'My best football is ahead of me,' Harris added. 'I hope it's true. I hope it continues to be true. And to be honest, I think we've got another level, and we've just got to keep demanding more out of each other.' Fajardo Returns Former Saskatchewan Roughrider QB Cody Fajardo will make his first start against his old club Friday night. 'I'm excited,' the pivot told reporters during a media availability Thursday afternoon. 'If this was my first year coming out of Saskatchewan, it might mean a little bit more, but I've been with five teams in a nine-team league – everybody's public enemy number one.' 'It is going to be special,' Fajardo added. Fajardo's start against the Riders will also be his first in 2025. However, he has seen snaps in various situations so far through the Elks' first six games. The quarterback is 9/11 on the year, for 107 yards passing – including a touchdown pass which he threw in Edmonton's last game against the Lions back on July 13. 'Whenever you step on the field, you want to represent the name on the front – and the name on the back,' Fajardo said. 'I want to do everything I can to help this team win a football game.' As a member of the Montreal Alouettes in 2022-23, Fajardo never saw the field when facing Saskatchewan. 'It was always weird,' he admitted. 'That's just so CFL for that to happen.' Still, Fajardo had fond memories of being a Rider and praised fans for their love and support during his time in the Green and White. 'Saskatchewan has a soft spot in my heart,' he said. 'My son was born here. It's the first team to give me my first opportunity.' 'But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try any harder,' Fajardo added. Since not being resigned by Saskatchewan at the end of 2022, Fajardo led the Als to a Grey Cup championship in 2023 and was named the game's Most Outstanding Player. The gift of giving Friday marks exactly six months until Christmas. To honour the day, the Roughriders are holding the 'Christmas in July' game at Mosaic Stadium. One part of the theme is Purolator Tackle Hunger. The Purolator Tackle Hunger Game Day Food Drive is an opportunity for fans to bring non-perishable food items and tap monetary donations to raise much-needed support for the Regina Food Bank. In return for their donation, fans can take a photo with the Grey Cup. 'As part of Purolator's commitment to helping alleviate hunger in the communities where it operates, the organization works closely with its employees, partners, agents, customers, CFL teams and Canadian food banks to collect food and monetary donations and help raise awareness about the issue of food insecurity through its annual Purolator Tackle Hunger activities, including Game Day Food Drives at CFL home games,' a spokesperson said. Purolator Tackle Hunger has helped deliver more than 25 million pounds of food to food banks across Canada since the inception of the employee-led grassroots program over 20 years ago. Kickoff for Friday's game is scheduled for 7 p.m.
National Post
08-07-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Roughriders lose another offensive lineman to injury
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are once again deploying the next-man-up mentality along the offensive line. Article content 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. Article content Article content Article content '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. Article content 'You've just got to be mentally and physically prepared, as you do every other week.' Article content 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. Article content '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.' Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content Article content 'It's similar to any other guy that's had to step up this year. Nobody's holding hands or anything like that.' Article content 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. Article content For Fry, the experience of being thrown into the fire last year is something he's drawing on this week. Article content '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. Article content '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.'
