Day 3 of camp brought the first fully padded practice at Griffiths Stadium, giving head coach Corey Mace exactly the type of physical, competitive session he had been waiting for.
“It was a good physical practice,” Mace said afterward. “Good decision making. Usually, this practice, we got to hit some sprints. We didn’t have to do that today.”
The Riders practiced with a noticeably sharper edge as players finally got an opportunity to show how they handle contact situations and trench battles. Mace said the compete level immediately jumped once the shoulder pads arrived.
“You’re always looking for that first inside team run period,” Mace explained. “It was a lot of thuds. It was a lot of aggressive play, which is the mentality we want to play with.”
Several players stood out during an entertaining workout.
Defensive back Nelson Lokombo came away with one of the top defensive plays of the day, hauling in an interception after a massive collision tipped the football into the air. Rookie receiver Shemar McBean also had a highlight moment when veteran quarterback Trevor Harris dropped a perfectly placed touchdown pass into his hands during team drills.
Meanwhile, defensive back Garnett Hollis Jr. delivered a sensational pass breakup while covering star receiver Samuel Emilus.
The kicking competition also continued to impress. Both Michael Hughes and Jonathan Kim connected from 49 yards with wind-aided kicks that saw the ball sail through the end zone.
Off the field, the club announced defensive back Billy Jonas Pernier had been released, while defensive back Gideon Agyei retired. Running back Thomas Bertrand-Hudon, defensive linemen Caleb Sanders, Marcus Haynes and Benoit Marion, along with defensive back Tevaughn Campbell, did not practice.
One of the biggest standouts of the day came along the defensive line.
Defensive lineman Devin Adams turned heads throughout practice with an explosive and physical performance that earned praise from his head coach.
“Bull in a china shop, man,” Mace said. “Extremely athletic. Some people look at him because he’s not the tallest guy in the world, he’s giving people hell out there.”
Adams joined the Roughriders in December after spending the past two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. In 24 CFL games, the 25-year-old has registered 25 defensive tackles and six sacks.
But Adams’ football journey has been anything but conventional.
Before entering the CFL, Adams starred at Peru State College, where he became one of the most versatile athletes in the program. Along with piling up 21 sacks and 59 tackles for loss, Adams also punted, returned kickoffs and even completed passes on offence.
“Yes, I did,” Adams laughed when asked about averaging nearly 40 yards per punt in college. “One day in high school, they were like, ‘Oh, you do kickoffs, can you punt?’ Then I hit it one time, and it boomed really loud.”
The athleticism that made him a multi-purpose weapon in college appears to fit naturally into Saskatchewan’s aggressive defensive system.
“There’s a lot of moving pieces,” Adams said. “A lot of places to be. I love that. I love the accessibility to do different things and move around.”
Adams admitted his first two CFL seasons were frustrating at times, which made the opportunity with Saskatchewan especially meaningful.
“I just talked to God, and he said go for it,” Adams said. “It’s been nothing short of amazing. The mentality here, the way we do things, the way we walk around in the locker room, it’s just a different vibe.”
He also credited new defensive line coach Micah Johnson for helping ease the transition. The longtime CFL star only recently retired as a player before joining the coaching staff.
“He knows firsthand what it’s like to be a player,” Adams said. “He’s super loving, super supportive, and he cares a lot.”
As camp progresses, Adams is hoping his versatility, motor and athleticism can help him carve out a consistent role on Saskatchewan’s defensive front. Based on Day 3, he is already making life difficult for opposing offensive linemen.
Hear the entire conversation with Devin Adams here:
