Physicality was analyzed with Saskatchewan Roughriders Head Coach Craig Dickenson on his weekly appearance on the SportsCage with Michael Ball.
The battle of the trenches , the Riders running game, injuries and the secondary were among the topics discussed with the Riders Head Coach.
Looking back at the game film from Saturday’s victory against Montreal, Dickenson felt they controlled both lines of scrimmage with their running game along with stopping the run on defence. “And those are two things you need to do to win consistently in football I believe.”
Besides the offensive line, the fullbacks are a huge factor in the green and white’s rushing attack. Dickenson noted Albert Awachie and James Tuck were presented game balls following the win against the Alouettes. “We felt that the run game really revolves around the fullbacks and what they’re able to do for us.”
The Riders Head Coach pointed out that Tuck has been a valuable addition to the team. “Probably one of the best signings of the offseason was signing James Tuck. We knew he was a good special teams player, we knew he could play fullback, he’s just exceeded our expectations, he’s done a great job.”
On the injury front, it appears that the Riders dodged some bullets. Cody Fajardo was feeling better than expected on Monday said Dickenson. He noted the Riders QB should be a full go at practice starting tomorrow.
Kicker Brett Lauther is bruised and battered according to the Riders Head Coach, but added he should be fine this week.
Derrick Moncrief is also banged up, Dickenson said the linebacker’s x-rays came back negative on his wrist. Moncrief should be able to practice on Tuesday.
There is a possibility Duke Williams misses practice on Tuesday said the Riders Head Coach, adding that he’s hoping for the wide receiver to be able to practice on Wednesday.
Amari Henderson made his debut at defensive back on Saturday and recovered a fumble. Dickenson was pleased with Henderson’s efforts and noted one of the reasons the Riders released defensive back Damon Webb was because of the emergence of Henderson. “He can really cover and he’s not afraid to tackle.”
One player who played with a physical edge in the secondary was Rolan Milligan, the Riders Head Coach explained. “We like DBs who can cover, we love DBs who can cover and tackle and he can cover and tackle.”
On Sunday the Riders acquired returner Mario Alford from the Alouettes. Dickenson believes Alford is a talented player when healthy.
With Jamal Morrow seeing a significant role in the offence, the Riders Head Coach felt some support in the return game was needed. Dickenson isn’t sure how he’ll address his roster when activating Alford, he did note that he would like to keep Frankie Hickson in the lineup with the addition of the returner.
Alford will be joining Saskatchewan’s roster following the Ottawa matchup.
Special teams continue to be a common topic for the Riders Monday meetings. Dickenson felt a lack of technique was a main reason for the breakdowns in Week 4. He added the mistakes are correctable and and finding the right combination is being looked at. “We still got to find the right mix of guys, we’re still working on it.”
Saskatchewan will be back on the practice field on Tuesday. They host Ottawa on Friday with a kickoff at 7:30.
