Jamie Nye
CFL.ca
The phrase ‘our quarterback is not our problem’ left Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Greg Marshall’s lips several times after the Riders dropped to 1-4 for the season.
The problem may not be Darian Durant but the group he leads out onto the field.
The Roughriders offence has scored an abysmal 101 points through the first five weeks, which ranks last in the Canadian Football League. They also rank at, or near, the bottom in most key offensive categories.
So where does the blame lie if not at the feet of quarterback Darian Durant?
Is it offensive coordinator Doug Berry, the receiving corps, the offensive line? It’s definitely not the running backs because they’ve gotten the least amount of work out of any running backs in the league in terms of the amount of rushes this season.
So who?
Most of the heat is being put on the play calling of Doug Berry, but there are several things coaches can’t do. They can’t throw, catch, run or hang on to the football for their players. It’s their job to put their players in the best position to win and prepare their players to achieve their maximum potential.
Berry didn’t drop the touchdown pass that Jason Clermont should have caught or several other passes that receivers let hit the turf over the first five weeks of the season. On those plays, Berry made the call, Durant made the read and the last player involved in the process let the team down.
That’s where the problem lies within the Roughriders: the receivers are not filling the shoes of those who have come before them.
Is this a different team with Andy Fantuz, Rob Bagg and Cary Koch?
Yes.
That’s not to say the Roughriders are doomed because Chris Getzlaf, Terrence Nunn and Efrem Hill can’t get the job done but it is time for them to show their worth.
And it’s not just catching the football that’s the problem with the Roughriders offence.
“There’s some miscommunication on some plays and guys not understanding the details of plays, and there is just the finish problems that some of us veterans haven’t been able to finish on a couple of plays and those would have been a big difference,” says veteran receiver Jason Clermont.
So before making the easy call and blaming the coach calling the plays, there needs to be a look at the bigger picture, something the Roughriders have been dealing with all season.
The players need to go with what play is called, not worry about if it’s the right one or not, and execute the play to the best of their ability.
And basic execution is what’s letting down a team that’s been known for their high success rate over the years.
Against the B.C. Lions this week, the Roughriders, especially the receivers, have to start executing at a higher level.
This doesn’t mean Darian Durant and Doug Berry are off the hook.
Durant needs to be a little more accurate on the deep ball and Berry needs to call a higher percentage game, allowing Durant to get out of the pocket a little more often.
However, to point the finger at those two alone would be ignoring the elephant in the room.
The talent level among the receivers may just not be good enough right now for the Riders to excel, outside of Weston Dressler.
