Regina, SK (Best E Casino) - FACTS & FIGURES: Division - West. 2007 record - 12-6-0. Playoff result: Second in West Division, beat Calgary 26-24 in division semifinal; beat B.C. 26-17 in division final; beat Winnipeg 23-19 in Grey Cup. Stadium - Mosaic Stadium. Capacity - 28,800. Colors - Green and white.
Last year, the Roughriders were the toast of the CFL. Quarterback Kerry Joseph was the league's outstanding player and the Riders won their first Grey Cup title since '89 under rookie head coach Kent Austin. Well, Saskatchewan will mount its Grey Cup defense without either Austin or Joseph.
Austin, the CFL's coach of the year last season, shocked the Riders in the offseason when he left the CFL club to become the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss, his alma mater. Offensive line coach Ken Miller was hired as Austin's replacement and, like his predecessor, begins his first season as a CFL head coach.
Shortly afterwards, the Riders dispatched Joseph to Toronto after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension with the veteran quarterback. Joseph took a stiff six-figure pay cut to return to Regina last year and after the club's championship run was looking to try to make some of that money back.
However, the Roughriders found they couldn't accommodate Joseph's demands without making significant roster moves in order to adhere to the CFL's $4.2 million salary cap. So, they dealt him to Toronto. Backup Marcus Crandell becomes the starter for the Riders. Crandell has previous experience as a CFL starter, having led the Calgary Stampeders to the 2001 Grey Cup and being named the game MVP. The Riders are confident that Crandell is a good fit in their offensive scheme and that the club won't necessarily skip a beat despite the absence of Joseph, who threw for more than 4,000 yards last season and ran for more than 700 yards.
If Crandell struggles or is hurt, the Riders could be in trouble because backups Darian Durant, Steven Jyles and Drew Tate are all inexperienced.
Wes Cates, who played in the Grey Cup despite a fractured foot, returns to anchor the Riders run game. Cates finished fourth in CFL rushing with 866 yards and averaged a solid 5.7 yards per carry.
D.J. Flick was the club's leading receiver last year with 70 catches for 1,020 yards and 10 touchdowns. Canadian Andy Fantuz had a breakout campaign, too, with 56 catches for 978 yards and seven touchdowns. The Riders' receiving corps would also be bolstered by the healthy return of Matt Dominguez, who was the CFL's leading receiver before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Defensively, the Riders added defensive end Ron Flemons from Toronto and re- signed cornerback Omarr Morgan, who began his CFL career in Regina before signing with Edmonton last year as a free agent. Defensive lineman John Chick is another solid performer with this unit, but the loss of defensive end Fred Perry (trade to Edmonton) and linebacker Reggie Hunt (free agent, Montreal) will hurt.
A great equalizer, though, is defensive coordinator Richie Hall, as one of the league's best remains in the fold.
Luca Congi returns as the club's kicker, but he will have to improve upon his numbers from last year. Congi hit 31 of 45 field goals for a 68.9 percent success ratio, which isn't good enough. Punter Jamie Boreham sported a 42-yard average, which is acceptable.
It's hard to imagine the Riders going from first to worst, but the thing is they will miss Austin. He found a way to make his players buy into his program, which was to be disciplined and always strive to be the best and play their best. Also, the absence of Perry, who led Saskatchewan in tackles and sacks, will be a huge void to fill.
Saskatchewan will battle Edmonton for third in the East and also be in contention to make the playoffs via the crossover. Either way, though, it's hard to imagine lightning striking twice for the defending Grey Cup champs.
Best E Casino Predicted Finish: Fourth.
