CHAMBLIN: “WE’RE A VERY AVERAGE FOOTBALL TEAM RIGHT NOW”

Roughrider head coach Corey Chamblin lit into his charges after Thursday’s morning workout at a damp Griffith’s Stadium in Saskatoon.  While we’ve done our best to keep the Rider Nation positive about their team’s chances in 2014, Chamblin picked Thursday to describe exactly where his club is at five days into 2014 Training Camp presented by Groundforce Drilling.

“Right now we’re a very average football team,” Chamblin shrugged to reporters.  “What I mean by that is it has nothing to do with the guys leaving or guys coming back.  I just think we’re average in the way that we do things right now.  We’re average in the way we practice.  There’s a lot of things we need to get better at regardless of whether the starters are in or out.  We just need to be a better football team.  There are mistakes that we’re making and a lot of that has to do with guys coming from other places and they do things one way but we try to be as disciplined as we can and we try to win in every thing that we do.  We’re average at doing those things right now.”

Chamblin was asked if it’s a carry over from the Grey Cup championship season of 2013.

“There’s a lot of things going on,” Chamblin continued.  “There’s a lot of distractions that can be in the air with those guys and I’m sure a lot of other camps may be going through it too.  But right now at this point, the biggest thing is we’re average in execution but we have a high expectations.  We have expectations that we’ve set out but right now we’re nowhere close to being that.  Were we there last year at this point?  Nope.  But I just want to point out we’re still average.  I gotta see a jump between here and next week.”

– There were a ton of interceptions served up by Rider quarterbacks on Thursday.

– Linebacker Brian Peters continued to shine in this training camp as he picked off Darian Durant and made another long return.  He smiled after the workout saying right now he has Darian’s number.

– Rookie DB Marshay Green, a former Arizona Cardinal and Indianapolis Colt, picked off rookie pivot Seth Doege in the skeleton session.

– Rookie slotback Ryan Smith gets stronger every day and made three solid receptions on Thursday morning.

– Veteran receiver Chris Getzlaf has been hampered by a quad injury all week but worked his way back onto the field in the individual session.

– Rookie quarterback Adam Weber jumped on a bad high snap and proceeded to do ten push-ups.

– The sun came out for the afternoon workout in which the players didn’t wear pads.  It was the coldest day of Training Camp so far, at 11 degrees, and the wind was gusting to 51 km/h.

– There was a scary moment in the workout when defensive lineman Markus White (pictured) went down during a drill and started convulsing.  He was attended to my Rider medical staff for about 10 minutes before leaving on a cart.  Apparently he has a history of seizures.  The Florida State product and former Redskin and Buccaneer is having an excellent camp playing both inside and outside on the defensive line.

– The dog days of camp are evident as people are getting testy.  There’s still a very long ways to go until the first preseason game June 14 versus Ottawa in Regina.

– Of the first play of the afternoon team session, Eron Riley made a nice catch over the middle but went down with the injury.  He was down for awhile.

– It wasn’t the best day for import receivers Brett Swain and Chaz Schilens.  Swain had the dropsies and Schilens couldn’t stay on side.

– Regina Thunder product Mitch Thompson made a spectacular finger-tip catch over CB Paul Woldu in the endzone.  As CKRM analyst Luc Mullinder observed, “He’s had a good camp!  I’ve looked for his name six times.”

– Mullinder has been impressed with the play of veteran lineman Dan Clark.  He says his footwork and hands are much better, and he’s getting a great push.

– You will notice in the injury report from the team below that there are no offensive linemen on it.  Luc pointed that out, and said the Riders have the best O-line in the CFL.

– Luc also said, “If there’s going to be a fight, today’s the day”.  There was tension.

– In the skeleton session (7 on 7) there were several breakdowns in the secondary leading to deep gains by Rob Bagg and Ryan Smith.

– The session ended with a “players only” meeting.  It was led by player rep Brendon Labatte leading us to believe they were discussing the CFL labour situation.

RP

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The following is the Day 5 report from the 2014 Roughrider Training Camp.

ROSTER MOVES
None

INJURED                
NImp WR Alex Anthony – hamstring (day to day)
NImp DL Ricky Foley – hamstring (day to day)
NImp WR Chris Getzlaf – quad (day to day)
NImp FB Neal Hughes – foot (day to day)
Imp LB Mortty Ivy – hamstring (day to day)
NImp FB Scott McHenry – knee (day to day)
Imp DL Carlton Powell – hamstring (day to day)
Imp WR Eron Riley – back (day to day)
Imp WR Demarco Sampson – hamstring (day to day)
Imp DL Markus White – illness (day to day)
NImp LB Shomari Williams – knee (day to day)

PLAYS OF THE DAY
Head Coach Corey Chamblin vocally encouraged the players to improve their effort and focus on a cold, blustery and wet morning. During the teams period, veteran defensive back Terrell Maze followed a double deflection and cut back for his second interception of training camp.

QUOTE
Head Coach Corey Chamblin, “At this point right now, we are a very average football team. What I mean by that has nothing to do with the guys leaving or the guys coming back, we are average in the way we do things and the way we practice. There are a lot of things we need to get better at, regardless if the starters are in or out, we just need to be a better football team.”

FAN ACCESS
Select players will be available to fans for autographs along the west fence line following the afternoon practices throughout the week.  Today the linebackers walked the fence line and spent time with fans.

FRIDAY
Players and coaches will hit the practice field at Griffiths Stadium for Day 6 of training camp with two practice sessions. The first walk through practice will take place at 9:45AM, while the second will start at approximately 6:15PM for a session under the lights.