Rod Pedersen
CFL.ca
Veteran Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive backs Eddie Davis and Omarr Morgan are in Regina this week for a get-acquainted session with their new coaches on that side of the ball. Davis took a break from his “Mr. Mom” duties at his off-season home in Calgary for the visit while Morgan flew up from his winter home in Hollywood, CA. Both performed a minor form of damage control on a radio appearance Monday night.
The Rider Nation is concerned about the loss of Richie Hall, their longtime defensive coordinator and secondary coach who fled to Edmonton this winter to become the head coach of the rival Eskimos. Also gone to the Alberta capital is middle linebacker Maurice Lloyd, who many believed was the best at that position in the team’s 98-year history. Add to that the departure of all-star linebacker Anton McKenzie to B.C., and you can see why Rider fans’ knees are knocking.
“We’re just excited about what’s going to happen,” explained Davis, the St. Louis, Missouri product. “Defensively, all the DBs are still here which has been the core of this defense for a long time. Yes, Maurice Lloyd is gone but Ray Williams is going to do a great job for us now.”
Indeed, CFL fans will become quite familiar with the name Renauld “Ray” Williams in 2009. The former San Francisco 49er, Miami Dolphin and Cincinnati Bengal has served a reserve role in Saskatchewan the past two years but is ready to step into the prime time.
“You’re going to be surprised in Ray Williams,” offered Omarr Morgan. “He’s going to be an all-star this year, you watch. Each time he played last year, he was player of the week. And we got other great guys in James Patrick, Denatay Heard, so we got a lot of guys that are going to be heard from.”
Gary Etcheverry reprises his role as Rider defensive coordinator this season, the same position he held in 2001 in Saskatchewan. Nelson Martin is the new secondary coach in Saskatchewan while the team’s strength and conditioning coach and head scout Joe Womack is lending a hand in that department as well.
On the day Etcheverry was hired as Richie Hall’s replacement as coordinator, the longtime CFL coach said their schemes on defense will be “exactly like Richie’s, only a little bit different”. Although Etcheverry habitually speaks in riddles to the media, he’s pretty clear and up front with his players about what their plans are for this season which includes terrorizing CFL quarterbacks. In 2008, the team had only 28 sacks — a measly 1.5 per game — which was sixth in the eight-team loop.
“Not having a healthy DE John Chick last year was a factor for that, and also moving DE Kitwana Jones to a new position which was new to him,” reasoned Morgan. “With Etcheverry’s scheme, they’ll get to the quarterbacks. It’s just a matter of when. They’re gonna get there. We’re not worried about the sacks. That really doesn’t affect anything, as long as we’re getting pressure, we’ll be okay.”
So if the defense is in good hands, what about the offense? The Michael Bishop experiment was an admitted failure in Saskatchewan and the maligned pivot was set free two days after the embarrassing home loss that was the 2008 West Semifinal. That leaves returnees Darian Durant, Steven Jyles and newcomer Dalton Bell to fight it out for positioning on the quarterback depth chart in 2009.
“I don’t think there’s a big change at quarterback,” Davis said. “Granted, when Bishop came around Labour Day, Darian Durant was doing great when he got his opportunity before that. I think we’ll be fine in that department. As far as Dalton Bell goes, to be honest, I hardly saw him. I don’t think he got a lot of reps in practice last year.”
Omarr Morgan is a definite believer in Durant’s abilities coming back for his first season as the clear-cut starter.
“I think he’s a leader. On and off the field,” Morgan confirmed. “When he started, I think he won every game. So coming into the season knowing he’s the guy, will take a lot of pressure off him. He won’t have to look over his shoulder wondering if he’ll get pulled. It’s his time.”
Not to mention, Durant has a deadly set of weapons around him on offense which should provide every opportunity for him, and the team, to be successful.
“The fans should be excited about this year because we still have a great core of players around here,” Eddie Davis exclaimed. “RB Wes Cates is a monster! Guys on other teams don’t want to tackle Wes Cates. He’s going to open a lot of things up. Then you got the other Wes, Weston Dressler, going down and flipping the field for us. Andy Fantuz, I mean we got a lot of weapons over there.”
And what about the club’s prized free agent catch, veteran slotback Jason Clermont who returns to his hometown after seven star-studded seasons with the B.C. Lions?
“Clermont is going to be a great guy,” Davis explained. “He’ll just catch the ball and run people over. Being on the other side of him, I can say it now, I hated playing against him. I won’t lie. It’s like hitting a brick wall. I’m glad he’s on our side now because he’s going to do some great things for us.”
So Rider fans can take their finger off the panic button for now, but we can’t forget that everybody in the CFL is optimistic about their team in April. Soon we’ll find out for real, as training camps are set to open June 7.
Rod Pedersen is the Voice of the Saskatchewan Roughriders on 620 CKRM Regina.
