CFL.ca
CFL.ca Staff
TORONTO — With the 2014 calendar year coming to a close and the focus shifting to the off-season, CFL.ca takes a league-wide look at what went down in 2014 — one team at a time. Next up are the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
There wasn’t a more polarizing team in the league than the Saskatchewan Roughriders, so it shouldn’t be surprising that much was made of a turbulent 2014 of many ups and downs in Regina.
From a seven-game winning streak to losing seven of their last nine games of the season, last season was a rollercoaster ride for the Green and White.
Ultimately, a mid-season injury to franchise quarterback Darian Durant marked the sudden turnaround for the Riders, as the team failed to overcome the absence of its veteran leader – the glue that held it all together.
In the end, that may have been the difference for a team that couldn’t repeat a storybook run in 2013 that culminated with winning the Grey Cup on home turf.
| CFL.ca Season Rewind |
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 The Stampeders are champions after a season full of peaks and valleys for every team in the CFL. Follow along as CFL.ca takes a look at the season that was and looks ahead to 2015 where every team hopes to stand at the top of the heap in Winnipeg. CFL.ca Season Rewind |
Overview:
The start of the Riders’ season focused on whether the team could overcome some major off-season subtractions, as many of the team’s key pieces from a 101st Grey Cup Championship run had departed. Kory Sheets and Weston Dressler departed south for a shot at the NFL, while Geroy Simon’s retirement headlined off-season departures that would be difficult for any team to overcome.
But after an up and down first three games of the season (highlighted by a blowout win over the Ticats but losses to the Argos and Lions after), the Riders caught fire after their bye week with seven straight wins.
While five of those seven wins were by seven points or fewer, the Riders were in prime position to contend for the West Division title at 8-2.
An elbow injury to Darian Durant in the Banjo Bowl on Sept. 7 gradually stymied the Riders’ hopes though. Backup quarterback Tino Sunseri is a young and promising prospect for the Riders, but was overwhelmed in his first taste of CFL action.
Switching between Sunseri and Seth Doegi and eventually calling on former Grey Cup-winner Kerry Joseph, the Riders lost seven of their last nine games, including an 18-10 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos in the Western Semi-Final.
Joseph threw five interceptions and completed just seven of 17 passing attempts in that game, while the Riders finished the season as the CFL’s worst passing team, amassing a weekly average of 195.6 passing yards – the only team to finish below 200 passing yards per game.
The Good:
As has been the theme lately, the Riders boasted one of the league’s top rushing attacks, finishing third in the league on the ground with 132.2 yards per game and 5.7 yards per carry, while leading the CFL with 417 rushing attempts.
The ground game took a hit when running quarterback Darian Durant’s season was ended by an elbow injury, but the fact that the Riders still ran the ball so well despite leaning on rookies like Steven Miller, Keith Toston and CFL second-leading rusher Anthony Allen is a testament to both their O-line and their commitment to the run.
Equally impressive was the pass rush, as the Riders led the CFL with 61 sacks – including 51 from the defensive line alone. The Riders boasted three defensive linemen with double-digit sacks, becoming the first team to accomplish that feat in recent memory.
Chick led the league with 15 sacks, while his sacks combined with Foley and George’s 12 sacks each (39) combined for more sacks than the Ottawa REDBLACKS (37) had as a team all season.
The Bad:
The quarterback is the most important position on a football team, but the Riders took that thought to a whole new level in 2014, going 8-2 in games Darian Durant started versus 2-7 in games he didn’t (including the playoff loss to Edmonton).
Durant is the glue that holds the Riders together, and while young backup Tino Sunseri will undoubtedly grow from 2013’s experience, the injury to Durant revealed a glaring shortcoming in the Riders’ organization.
Another area of concern is the Riders’ overall passing game, which as previously noted was the worst in the CFL last season, pickup up less than 200 yards per game. There was concern even when Durant started, as the veteran didn’t once eclipse 300 passing yards in 10 starts – although that’s difficult to dwell on when you’re 8-2.
Some growing pains were expected on both sides of the ball after several off-season changes, but the Riders should look to improve their vertical passing attack in
2015.
Highlight of the season:
The Riders’ 2014 season was loaded with exciting highlights, as it included a seven-game winning streak with many of those games coming down to the wire. The best came on Labour Day though, when the Green and White overcame a late deficit to win 35-30 on a highlight-reel last-minute touchdown by Anthony Allen.
All tied up heading to the fourth after a back-and-forth first 45 minutes, the Bombers took the lead on a late field goal by Lirim Hajrullahu. With 2:58 left on the clock, the Riders and their dominant ground game went to work.
After an incomplete pass by Durant on first down, seven of the Riders’ next eight plays were on the ground. With the help of a 15-yard touchdown run by Allen during which he incredibly kept his balance and avoided hitting the turf, the Riders took a lead with just 28 seconds remaining that they would not relinquish.
That was a high point of the Riders season, as they moved to 7-2 on the strength of their sixth straight win.
Potential departures:
The Riders’ list of potential 2015 free agents is bigger than any other in the league, but they’ve already scratched off two big names by re-signing Ricky Foley and Tearrius George. That means last year’s league-leading defensive line is set to return fully intact.
Some potential marquee free agents remain, however, as Tyron Brackenridge, Ben Heenan and Weston Dressler remain unsigned, while a number of other offensive and defensive starters could also hit the open market.
The Riders have total roster flexibility with the number of players without a contract, meaning they’ll have to think long and hard about who they’ll re-sign and for how much money.
Here’s the list of Roughriders due to hit free agency on Feb. 10, 2015:
| CFL.ca Riders Columnists |
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Jamie Nye
Rod Pedersen |
Anthony Alex, WR, National
Josh Bartel, P, International
Tristan Black, LB, International
Brandon Boudreaux, DE, International
Tyron Brackenridge, S, International
Weldon Brown, LB, International
Dan Clark, G, National
Tim Cronk, FB, National
Dan Depalma, WR, International
Weston Dressler, SB, International
Diamond Ferri, LB, International
Trevor Guyton, DL, International
Ben Heenan, OL, National
Neal Hughes, FB, National
Samuel Hurl, LB, National
Tristan Jackson, DB, International
Scott McHenry, WR, National
Jerome Messam, RB, National
Brian Peters, DB, International
Kevin Regimbald-Gagne, LB, National
Tino Sunseri, QB, International
Hilee Taylor, DL, International
Carlos Thomas, DB, International
Keith Toston, RB, International
Woodny Turenne, CB, International
Korey Williams, WR, International
Rod Williams, DB, International
Why they’ll win the Grey Cup in 2015:
It’s hard to forget that the Roughriders are only a year removed from winning the 101st Grey Cup in Regina. 2014 didn’t end the way they had hoped, but during a seven-game winning streak they showed similar flashes of brilliance.
When healthy, this is sure to be one of the best teams around on paper. Darian Durant is an elite quarterback and a tremendous leader, while his ability as a dual-threat athlete provides a multitude of challenges for any opposing defence.
More than that, the Riders were again one of the top rushing teams in the CFL last season, despite the subtraction of superstar running back Kory Sheets. There’s no reason the Riders can’t repeat their performance on the ground in 2015, as Anthony Allen looks to return and build on a solid rookie campaign.
While Weston Dressler’s return is up in the air, the Riders should have the pieces on offence to get the job done. Young receivers required to step up in 2014 will have an added year of experience under their belt, while a new offensive coordinator will add a punch in the shoulder.
Finally, the Riders’ front four may be the biggest reason for Rider fans to be excited next season. That unit in 2014 was the best the league has seen in a while, and is back and ready to battle in 2015 under new defensive leadership and a new direction.
The Riders have a solid veteran core in place that has proven more than capable of winning football games in the past, therefore there’s no reason the Riders won’t challenge any other team in the CFL next season.
