Ya gotta believe in Riders kicker Brett Lauther

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Of course Brett Lauther’s teammates support him.

So does his coach, Saskatchewan Roughriders special teams co-ordinator Kent Maugeri, who believes the CFL’s lowest-rated kicker won’t miss his next opportunity. So they spent extra time making sure of that while preparing for Thursday’s road game against the Toronto Argonauts.

“We’re gonna lean on him because we know soon enough we’re gonna count on that foot,” said Maugeri. “And he’s gotta be able to do what he’s supposed to do.“

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In the team’s lone, public walk-through before heading to Toronto, Maugeri, Lauther and special teams assistant Jeff Higgins spent most of it grouped together at midfield, talking or pantomining snaps, holds and kicks. That’s not a regular occurrence; usually Lauther goes through warmup drills on the sidelines and kicks a few field goals, rarely huddling with his coaches.

“It’s nothing unusual, just the drill we did during training camp,” said Maugeri. “It’s good every once in a while to redo those things, especially when you’re struggling.

“There’s always things you can improve on. Elite players like Peyton Manning — I love to hear him speak — says you can always improve. He cares. If you play long enough you’re gonna have a day like this. The key is, don’t have two of them.”

If Thursday’s game reflects the competing teams’ records, it could be close. Winless in their last four contests, the Roughriders somehow still sit atop the West with a 5-4-1 record. Toronto is third in the East at 5-4 and are expected to start quarterback Chad Kelly, the CFL’s outstanding player in 2023, who just completed a nine-game suspension for harassing a female assistant coach.

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The consternation about Lauther comes from Saskatchewan’s 27-24 loss Friday to the visiting Montreal Alouettes.

Lauther missed four of his seven field-goal attempts, all from inside 50 yards. One was returned 128 yards for a touchdown. Another came on the game’s final play, a 48-yarder that would have tied the game and forced overtime. Lauther had always been a clutch performer, making all 12 of his previous tying or winning field goals in the dying minutes. Now that bubble has burst.

During a 22-22 tie against the Ottawa Redblacks, Lauther hit an upright and a crossbar for two more misses.

“It’s just like any (baseball) hitter or a golfer,” said Maugeri “You gotta work on your swing. And it’s my job to make sure he’s ready to go …

“Mentally, once you’re having a rough go at it, then you’re starting to second-guess like, ‘Oh man, what the heck?’ But he’s gonna be fine.”

Lauther’s success rate has fallen to 71.4 per cent (25-of-35) this season, last among regular kickers and his lowest percentage since 2013, when he made only six of 10 field goals while unsuccessfully trying to earn his first pro job with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

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After residing awhile as a draft choice on Hamilton’s practice roster, Lauther’s long and winding search for opportunities landed him on practice rosters in Saskatchewan, Edmonton and Toronto before rejoining the Roughriders in 2018 as their starting kicker.

Lauther made 90 per cent (54-of-60) of his field goals that first full year, second only to Hall of Famer Dave Ridgway’s 90.6 per cent efficiency in 1993. His career success rate of 83.9 per cent is the best in Riders history, among kickers with more than 100 attempts. He’s a team captain, popular among his teammates and active in the community. He signed a three-year contract in the offseason.

That doesn’t prevent the Roughriders from seeking a replacement if he falters again. They also have on their roster Adam Korsak, who is having a strong season, and Joe Couch, who is on the practice roster, but they’re strictly punters.

Perhaps because it was a short week of preparation and there aren’t many Canadian kickers floating around, Lauther is getting another, unchallenged opportunity. Maugeri cited Lauther’s “body of work” as the main reason for the team’s unyielding confidence.

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“Whether you’ve got four kickers or one kicker, you try to get better at something every single day,” said Maugeri. “Some competition brings out the best, sometimes it doesn’t. With the rosters the way they are, it’s hard to have multiple punters, multiple kickers, so I don’t think it would help.

“I trust him. Truthfully, I hope it comes down to his foot this week because I know he’s mentally a tough kid and he’s got confidence so he’s gonna come through for us.”

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