GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE: Q&A WITH CRAIG DICKENSON

Please enjoy this Q&A between Craig Dickenson and reporter Scott Mansch of Dickenson’s hometown Great Falls Tribune:

Q: How are things?

A: So far so good. We’ve got good people here. I really like the guys I’m working with and I like the players who are working hard here. We’re disappointed that we haven’t put a W up there, but everything else has been really good. We’re working hard and doing things the right way. I’m confident we’ll get it figured out here before long.

Q: You certainly haven’t opened with an easy schedule, with your first two games being on the road.

A: We had back-to-back East Coast trips, which can be a little bit tiresome. But it’s no excuse. We were ready for both games. I thought we were prepared well. We were in them both, but it came down to making a play here or there at the end and we weren’t able to. So credit our opponents. But we’re playing decent football.

Q: Will there be a lot of parity in the CFL this year, do you think?

A: I think there will be, Scott. My hunch is there will be a lot of teams with similar records when it’s all said and done. I don’t see a team that’s going to pull away from anybody this year, and conversely I don’t see a team that’s far and away worse than everybody else. I think it’s going to be a year when you’ll see a lot of records around the 10-8 or 9-9 mark.

Q: Tell me about your quarterbacks, Coach.

A: We lost our starter right away in our first game against Hamilton (Zach Collaros of Cincinnati). He got a hit to the head and it knocked him out on the third play of the game. Our backup was Cody Fajardo (of Nevada) and he’s our starter now, because Zach is on the six-game injured list. Cody has played well. He threw for about 370 yards and a couple of touchdowns last week. He’s been a backup in a number of spots, Toronto and B.C., and hasn’t really had his opportunity to start and take over a team. But he’s going to be our starter moving forward.

Q: So Cody went to Nevada?

A: That’s right. Here’s something interesting: Cody is one of two quarterbacks who threw for 9,000 yards and rushed for 3,000 yards in a career. And the other one is Colin Kaepernick from Nevada-Reno, the guy he once backed up.

Q: Well, quarterbacks don’t really run that much up in Canada, do they, Craig?

A: Yes they do (laughs), Scott, yes they do. Quarterbacks have to be able to scramble and extend the play. You don’t want them to run a lot, because you get guys injured doing that, but they’ve got to be able to scramble and extend the play because there are only three downs up here. So you’ve only got first and second down in order to get a first down. There’s a lot of play-calling that’s designed for run-pass options. Having a mobile deal is a pretty big deal up here in Canada and Cody is definitely a mobile quarterback.

Q: Those running backs you’ve got, William Powell and Marcus Thigpen, I’ve heard of those guys.

A: They’re both good players. Powell played at Kansas State and Thigpen played at Indiana. He spent some time in the NFL as a returner. Both are good players, veteran guys who understand the league.

Q: Craig, how has your life changed since you were named the Roughriders’ head coach back in January? (Note: He spent 16 seasons as an assistant coach in the CFL and also worked several years for NFL teams, and was the Roughriders’ special teams coordinator prior to being named head coach).

A: It hasn’t honestly changed much. I’ve had to be here a little more in the offseason. Usually I’m in Montana a little longer in the offseason (near his Whitefish home), so I worked more here on building our team and our roster. My actually day-to-day stuff hasn’t changed much at all, Scott. I’m still coaching special teams and coordinating that, so I’m heavily involved in the kickers’ and punters’ work during practice. I guess the thing that’s changed the most is I’ve had to do a lot more media appearances and talk to the press a lot more than I used to.

Q: Well, from knowing you as long as I’ve known you, I’ll bet you don’t mind that. You’re always very good to people.

A: I don’t mind it (laughs), but every once in a while you get asked the same question in different ways. So sometimes you feel like you’re redundant in the answers you provide. Your opinions don’t change, even if the question is asked a bunch of different ways. But I try to be polite and considerate, because I understand those folks asking the questions have a job to do just like I do.

Q: I wasn’t sure you’d have time to talk to me this week, Craig.

A: I totally do, Scott.

Q: Thank you. I appreciate it. Hey, I’ll bet it feels good about the pride you’ve brought to your mother and dad (Sue and Bob Dickenson of Great Falls). They’ve got to be just enjoying the heck out of this year.

A: I think so, but I think they’re proud of all of us (including his twin sister, Amy). We all try to be good people and treat folks the right way. One thing our folks sure taught us was a good work ethic. They taught us how to enjoy the process and the work. I think that was a big thing we’ve learned from them.

Q: You know, Craig, I don’t think I’ve ever even asked David this, and I certainly haven’t asked you, but was your father a great football player back in the day?

A: Here’s some scoop on my Dad: My Dad was a very good speedskater, growing up in Butte, Montana.

Q: Wow. I didn’t know that.

A: Yes. I’m not going to say he was Olympic-caliber, but he was a high-level competitive speedskater in his young days. He played football, all the way up until the eighth grade, and Bob O’Billovich – you know the famous GM up here and University of Montana football player – he actually tackled my Dad from behind on some sort of run play and my Dad tore his knee up, both his ACL and MCL, and he never really played much football after that. That was the end of his football career, in the eighth grade.

Q: I figured your father was a great athlete (laughs). Craig, were you a great hockey player, like I understand your little brother was?

A: No, I’m not much of a hockey player (laughs). I did play as a kid, a little bit. I played defense and was an average to below-average hockey player. But I sure like it. It’s a great game for young people and old people alike. It’s good for your lungs and a great team sport.

Q: David is not too shabby in hockey, right?

A: David’s actually pretty good, yes. He plays quite a bit in an adult league over there in Calgary during the offseason. He’s a pretty good athlete, David is. Kind of sneaky good at all those things, as you well know.

Q: I certainly do know that, Craig.

A: Even bowling. You remember that story when Walter Ray (Williams, famed pro bowler) came to town?

Q: I remember, Coach.

A: (laughs) I was there watching it and I was like, are you kidding me? David hits a 240 or something like that.

Q: Is there any sport where you’ve clearly got the upper hand on him, Craig? Skiing, maybe?

A: (laughs) I can ski circles around him, and snowboarding, too. But that’s just because he doesn’t do it. If he decided to do it he’d probably be better than I am, too. (laughs).

Q: I know you played your brother’s Stampeders in a preseason game, but a Calgary-Saskatchewan game in the regular season is coming up again in a couple of weeks (July 6 in Regina). That will be emotional for you, I’ll bet.

A: Oh yes, it is. We both need a win. He’s 0-1 right now and we’re 0-2, so I hope we both have a win under our belts before we play each other. It will be nice to see him.

Q: Will there be a lot of Great Falls people coming to that one, besides your folks (Note: Regina is about an 8.5-hour drive from here)

A: I don’t think so. It’s here in Regina. I know when we play later in the season in Calgary (Oct. 11), I’ve got a lot of buddies from Great Falls and Montana that want to come.

Q: Craig, did you see the news this week where your old pal Tony Arntson is coming home to coach track at the University of Providence? (Note: The Arntsons and Dickensons were neighbors in Riverview when the boys were growing up.)

A: I did see that, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. He’s a fantastic hire for (Providence) and I know Tony’s happy to be back in Great Falls. It’s a great hire by that school. He’s an awesome football coach, and an awesome track coach. I know he’ll do a fantastic job.

Q: What type of contract do you have up there, Coach?

A: I’m on a three-year deal. And I think we’ll get time to get this thing going in the right direction. I sure hope so. We’re going to work as hard as we can, put our best foot forward each week and let the chips fall where they may.

Q: It has to be a dream come true for you, my friend.

A: Yes, it is. I really want to see this team grow and develop. I think we’ve got the right people here. But we’re just young and a little bit inexperienced. I think we’re getting there. But pro football’s tough. A lot of things go into winning and losing. It’s a lot harder to win a game than you think. You’re not just going to go out there and out-athlete them. It’s not like the old Griz days where you played Chico State every year and you knew you were going to win regardless (laughs).

Q: Have you had any advice from coach Johnson (the retired CMR coach)? Jack told me when you were hired how proud of you he was and how prepared he thought you were.

A: That’s a good man right there. He’s been a mentor to Dave and I. And not just us, but to countless young guys who went through the system and played ball for the Rustlers. I think his influence and his positive energy and respect for football and what goes into it extends a long ways. As much as I respected and cared about the guy when I was playing, and even done playing, the older I get the more I look back on coach Johnson and realize boy, how lucky I was to have him in my life. And I mean as a coach and also to have him as a friend and mentor. He’s a fantastic human being.

Q: Are you feeling OK these days, Coach? I know you had a bad car wreck a few years ago and broke your neck. (Note: the accident happened when Craig was visiting David and his family in Calgary. He suffered a fracture of the C7 vertebra, for which he wore a neck brace for 13 weeks, and also tore a knee ligament).

A: It was 2 and a half years ago and yes, I do feel good. I was very lucky to come out of that without some really bad stuff. So I feel very fortunate. My strength is back, my range of motion is good. I feel good, Scott. I obviously got hurt, but I feel very fortunate I came out of that and am back to my old self. I’m very thankful I was able to come out it healthy.

Q: The good Lord is taking care of you, Craig.

A: Yes. I’ve had a good life. I’ve been blessed with a lot of good things and I’ve been blessed with a lot of good people in my life. I’m blessed to know a lot of good people, like yourself. I feel very fortunate to have grown up in Great Falls and gotten a chance to share my life and my journey with good people.

Q: Thank you, Craig. All of us back home are rooting for you and the Roughriders, man. I wish you all the best.

A: Thanks, Scott. Good talking to you.

https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/sports/2019/06/26/sunday-conversation-craig-dickenson-optimistic-his-roughriders/1576727001/