When Saskatchewan Roughriders’ vice president of football operations and general manager Jeremy O’Day hired Corey Mace on November 30, 2023, he wasn’t just looking for a new head coach, they were looking for a new foundation, a new culture, a new standard of excellence.
That vision crystallized in the 112th Grey Cup, when the Riders beat the Montreal Alouettes 25–17 to claim the fifth championship in franchise history. As the green-and-white confetti fell, it became clear what Saskatchewan built over the last two seasons wasn’t just a winning team, it was a blueprint.
When Mace arrived in Riderville nearly two years ago, he came armed with a detailed PowerPoint with expectations, responsibilities, and standards. But he also knew slides don’t change culture, people do.
“The presentation, those are words on a slide. It takes these guys to live those things out. They’ve done nothing but commit to that since the first time we all came together last year and it carried over to this year. It’s our ethos, it’s who we are, it’s beyond culture, it’s just who the hell we are. This is what it could look like if we stick to our plan.”
The Riders stuck to it, they bought in, and according to their head coach, what they built together goes far beyond football.
“How special are they? You look at everything they go through for one another, it filters through to them and the rest of the coaches. Listen, this is such a close group, they love each other. All of our kids know all the guys, our kids play together — all those guys are superheroes to my children. We love each other.”
One of Mace’s earliest and most important decisions was hiring hometown product Marc Mueller as offensive coordinator. Mueller, the grandson of Riders legend Ron Lancaster, returned to Regina after 10 seasons in Calgary, where he worked as a defensive assistant, running backs coach, and quarterbacks coach with the Stampeders.
Mueller is widely considered a rising star in CFL coaching circles and winning a Grey Cup with his hometown team? That was something else entirely.
“This is awesome. To win it with this group of people, it’s really special. I’m really happy for these guys, they’ve earned it.”
Saskatchewan’s offence found its groove in the second and third quarters of Sunday’s game and Mueller credited the buy-in from every corner of the roster.
“I mean, these guys, they work hard. They love each other, they believe in each other. I’m so happy to be a part of them and be their teammate.”
He agreed the cohesion inside the locker room was extraordinary — and crucial.
“It’s amazing to be a part of,” Mueller said. “I mean, these guys work hard, they help each other out. It takes everybody to win. We always talk about offence, it takes all 12 and these guys bought in.”
Mueller and Mace shared a vision when they arrived: return the Grey Cup to Saskatchewan. Now, his name is etched alongside the team he grew up cheering for.
“It’s amazing. It’ll be something that will be remembered forever and this group of guys get to be remembered forever.”
No one has seen more chapters of Roughriders football than O’Day. From his arrival as a player in 1998 to his role VP and GM role, 2025 marked his 27th season with the organization.
He’s won as a player. He’s won as an executive. And now, after hiring Mace and Mueller, watching their vision come together, he’s won again with a team built methodically, deliberately, and with character.
The Riders’ mantra all year was simple: 1-and-0 every week. No looking ahead, no skipping steps, according to O’Day.
“That’s our head coach. That was his motto from the get-go. We talked about the Grey Cup one time in training camp, until we won it, we never talked about it again.”
For the veteran executive, Sunday brought a deep sense of pride.
“It’s gratifying,” O’Day said. “It’s a team of character, they’re all a team of characters, and they deserve it.”
Mace set the standard. Mueller sharpened it. O’Day backed it. And the players delivered it.
A fifth Grey Cup for Saskatchewan and a new blueprint for excellence.
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