WEDNESDAY WITH THE RIDERS

The Roughriders moved to the Sasktel Sports Centre for their Wednesday morning workout in Saskatoon.  It was an up-tempo practice as the team prepares to face Ottawa in preseason action Saturday at 4:00 pm at Mosaic Stadium.  The team session was a spirited one and had the intensity of a game although the players admit they are more than ready to start hitting another team at this point in training camp.  It appears the quarterback depth chart looks like this: #4 Darian Durant, #8 Tino Sunseri, #7 Seth Doege and #5 Adam Weber.

The club is still settling on its rotation of players for the Ottawa game.  As far as the running back battle goes, Saturday will go a long ways in determining who their starter will be in Week 1.

“It’s a very interesting deal,” revealed head coach Corey Chamblin.  “We have a couple running backs back there.  That’s an area I’ll watch very closely and see how that comes out.  I’m excited about the young backs.  I always remember our first year here when Kory Sheets was ranked somewhere toward the bottom of the depth chart but got in the game and turned it on.  I’m expecting some of these guys will do the same.  Priority number one for them will be their ability to protect the running back.”

As far as their roster goes for Saturday, I’m told the attitude is “If you’re healthy, you’re playing”.  The team is still sorting out how much playing time the vets will get.

“I’ll talk with the coaches today,” Chamblin continued.  “Some might get a half, some maybe a quarter depending on how much depth we have at certain positions.  I would hope not to see many veterans after the first half.

“From the rookies I want to see fundamentals and how much of the system they’ve retained.  Also can they make plays and make enough plays to push to be on the opening day roster or even the mid-season roster or do they still need to be developed.”