Running back A.J. Ouellette and receiver Mitch Picton have been placed on the six-game injured list while receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker is set to make his return to the lineup
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The Saskatchewan Roughriders are more than hungry.
After starting the 2024 CFL season with a 5-1 record, the Riders haven’t won in their last four contests, which included a 27-24 loss to the Montreal Alouettes last week.
“Hungry isn’t the word … Famished I think is a better word,” said running back Frankie Hickson.
“I’d say more starving than anything,” added quarterback Trevor Harris, who threw for 355 yards and two touchdowns against Montreal in his return from injury. “I think we were the better team last week.
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“We’ve just got to make sure we tighten up a few things here and there and not make it to the point where it comes down to a last second or a last drive.”
Saskatchewan’s last win was on July 19 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. This week, the Roughriders — who have one tie over that span — have a chance to snap the winless streak on Thursday night when they visit the Toronto Argonauts (5:30 p.m., TSN), who enter the game off a bye week with a 5-4 record.
“We’re itching just to kind of get (the winless streak) off our back,” said Riders’ head coach Corey Mace, whose team has a 5-4-1 record. “I feel like we don’t have the feeling like we’re a bad team.
“The confidence is still really high. We’ve just got to find ways to get it done.”
Wild West
Despite a 0-3-1 stretch in their last four games, the Riders still sit atop the West Division ahead of the B.C. Lions (5-5), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-6), Calgary Stampeders (4-6) and Edmonton Elks (3-7).
“It’s a tight race right now,” said Mace. “And it’s even crazy to say that … we haven’t won a game in almost a month and we’re still in the hunt.”
After this week, six of Saskatchewan’s last seven games of the season will be against Western opponents.
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“It’s good to play great football through the first nine, 10, 11, 12 weeks,” said Harris. “But really, the time that I’ve been in the league since 2012, it’s always the team that gets hot late and is playing the best ball late.
“So, I think now is that time to push the accelerator. Not that we haven’t been pushing it before but it’s time to really come into our own and put three phases together and really start hammering teams one week at a time.”
Ouellette out
Running back A.J. Ouellette (hip) has been placed on the six-game injured list.
The 29-year-old made his return to the lineup last week after a three-game absence but took another hit early on and had a visible limp through the rest of the game, finishing with 77 rushing yards and 34 receiving yards.
While filling in for Ouellette this season, Frankie Hickson has racked up 229 rushing yards in three starts, including a 117-yard performance in Week 8.
“You’re always happy to contribute,” said Hickson. “But ultimately I’ve been a part of this team — that has not changed.
“Supporting my teammates in whatever role that I can hasn’t changed either. You see a big difference from last week to this week, I don’t really, it’s the same hard work.”
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Picton down
Joining Ouellette on the six-game injured list is Canadian receiver Mitch Picton, who suffered an ankle injury last week.
Meanwhile, Kian Schaffer-Baker has been pulled from the six-game injured list and will slot into the starting lineup this week with Ajou Ajou returning from a one-game absence to back him up.
Tate in
After being signed by the Riders this week, offensive lineman Trevon Tate doesn’t have to wait long to get into the lineup.
The 6-foot-4, 295-pounder, who recently requested his release from the Calgary Stampeders, is set to draw the start at right tackle, becoming the sixth player to start at the position this year for the Riders.
Williams back
Defensive back Amari Henderson (shoulder) has also been placed on the one-game injured list as Deontai Williams will draw back into the lineup to start at cornerback.
The 27-year-old Williams started the first six games of the season for Saskatchewan, before being a healthy scratch for the last four games.
“When you’re just watching and observing, you can actually see the game and actually see what (the opposing) offence is trying to do to beat us,” said Williams. “And I try to share as much information to our guys in the DB room what I see.
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“Just trying to be that leader. That leader isn’t just on the field but off the field as well.”
Linebackers C.J. Avery and Melique Straker, along with defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado also draw back into the lineup this week while fullback Clint Ratkovich, receiver Dhel Duncan-Busby, linebacker Zach Philion, offensive lineman Nick Jones and defensive back Kosi Onyeka come off the roster.
Kelly returns
For the Argonauts, quarterback Chad Kelly will make his first start of the season after serving a nine-game suspension for violating the CFL’s gender-based violence policy.
After serving his nine games, he has been reinstated by the league on a “last chance agreement” and is set to return to action this week.
Last year, the 30-year-old was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player and a CFL all-star after throwing for 4,123 yards and 23 touchdowns, leading the Argos to a 16-2 record.
“He’s a big-time competitor,” said Mace, who was Toronto’s defensive coordinator for the past two seasons before joining the Riders. “He’ll bring an extra juice to the offence.”
Kicking it
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After making just three of his seven field goal attempts last week in the loss to the Alouettes, kicker Brett Lauther is trying to put that performance behind him.
“I never want to go out there and do that for the guys, but it happened and I can’t change it and at this point, just trying to move on and get ready for the game Thursday,” Lauther said this week.
This season, the 33-year-old, who has been Saskatchewan’s placekicker since 2018, has a success rate of just 71.4 per cent, which is lower than his career average of 81.5.
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