On Monday’s edition of the SportsCage, the “Craig Dickenson Show” saw the Riders head coach catch up with Michael Ball.

Veteran leaders on and off the field

Free agency in the Canadian Football League is less than a month away. On February 14, players on expiring contracts can begin to sign with new teams.

With expectations high for the Roughriders following a disappointing 2022, the green and white may need to turn a more veteran presence this upcoming season to help the team on and off the field.

Dickenson says the locker room leaders establish themselves on the field along with their duties off of it.

“I think if you can’t play, your voice goes unheard in a lot of ways.”

The Riders head coach says the team will be looking to add players who can make a valuable contribution to the organization.

“We’ll sign a good veteran player that will be a good leader in the locker room, but he still has to play.”

The Offensive & Defensive Lines remain a top priority 

Inside of the trenches will be another area for Saskatchewan to address this offseason. This past year reinforced Dickenson’s belief that offensive and defensive lines are key to the outcome of a football game.

“You better be good up front, you better be able to protect your quarterback and run the football and you better be able to get after the quarterback.”

The Riders head coach said the lines on both sides of the ball are one of the main focuses of the team, and this offseason may see the green and white add players with more experience at those positions.

Rounding out the Coaching Staff

Saskatchewan has two vacant coaching positions to fill. They are still looking for a new receivers coach along with a defensive line coach.

Dickenson hopes to have both spots filled by the end of the month. He said that they are deciding between four candidates for the receivers coach and there are three applicants they are looking at for the defensive line coach. Offensive coordinator Kelly Jeffrey and defensive coordinator, Jason Shivers will now get involved in the hiring process.

Dickenson and general manager Jeremy O’Day are heading into the final year of their contracts, which means no one is promised long-term security on the green and white coaching staff.

Even with a head coach and general manager on the hot seat, the Great Falls, Montana, product says that has not scared away candidates from the Riders search to fill out their coaching staff this offseason.

” People that follow the league, that follow our situation know that we got to win this year, but they also know you have to win every year.”

He pointed out most new coaching staffs usually get two to three years before major changes are made. Dickenson also noted that most assistant coaches’ contracts operate on a year to year basis.