WEDNESDAY WITH THE RIDERS
Here are some brief notes from Wednesday’s closed Rider practice at Mosaic Stadium:
– Don’t tell the players these two remaining games are meaningless. That includes rookie QB Keith Price (pictured) who made his prob debut in Saturday’s 35-24 loss to Edmonton. Turns out the price was right, as he lobbed a touchdown on his first professional pass attempt.
What did the opportunity mean to him?
“I kind of wanted to shed years for a minute but was also excited,” Price said after the workout. “I got to sit back and think about how cool of an opportunity this is, not only for me but for the rest of this team.”
– Price also divulged that CFL, NFL and Washington Huskies Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon funded Price’s entire collegiate career at Washington. Keith said he’d never met Moon before that but Moon’s name was on his donor card and he later became a mentor.
– Head coach Bob Dyce remained hesitant to outline the Riders’ roster for Saturday’s game at Calgary. However he said the club will debut some new receivers and running backs.
– Dyce also agreed it’ll be a fun challenge to try to shutdown Stampeders running back Jerome Messam, a Rider two weeks ago, who enters the game just 174 rushing yards shy of 1,000. Dyce admitted however that it likely won’t be a “fun” challenge as Messam is a 255-lb freight train.
– The Rider quarterbacks likely breathed a sigh of relief with Wednesday’s NSA that Stamps sackmaster Charleston Hughes will miss the game with a broken hand.
RP
Why are we trying new receivers and running backs when defensive backs is the main problem? We don't have a DB we should be keeping.
Plucking Tevaughn Campbell off the Stamps practice roster and starting him at DB against his old team would be a bold move to see if he can fit in for next season. Besides, pissing Hufnagel off wouldn't be such a bad thing with him losing focus each game against the Riders. Ha!
All the Stamps could have broken hands and beat this "Practice Team" .
The Rider coaches should make all their defensive players study and practice the great open field tackle by Carolina Panther line-backer great Thomas Davis against the Saint's Darren Sproles (see NFL.com for video).
Smart move trying new receivers! Go Riders
Closed practice?? Wasn't everyone ticked at Chamblin because he had closed practices? I guess it's OK now.
So if the riders are going to use new receivers, who sits? Smith, Dressler or Roosevelt? I'm sure they will all be willing to sit to let someone new play in their place.
"Dyce also agreed it'll be a fun challenge to try to shutdown Stampeders running back Jerome Messam, a Rider two weeks ago, who enters the game just 174 rushing yards shy of 1,000. Dyce admitted however that it likely won't be a "fun" challenge as Messam is a 255-lb freight train."
So which one is it?
Practice team is too good. Tackling dummies perhaps. Ball bags next year.