REGINA — Saskatchewan Roughriders' defensive lineman Jaylen Pate has no problem admitting he was a little taken aback when it came to learning the intricacies of becoming a dual threat at his position in the Canadian Football League.
The six-foot-three, 272-pound Northwestern University product found himself in a rather unique position through training camp and the preseason in that not only did he line up at his usual position as an outside pass rusher, he also took plenty of reps at defensive tackle. That might not seem like too much of a stretch, but at the professional level, that shift a couple of yards to the left or right can make all the difference for a player.
But through it all, Pate has quickly acclimated — to the point he’ll be making his CFL debut on Friday night when the Riders take on the Toronto Argonauts at Mosaic Stadium. It took some work to get to this point, though, with being a true ‘swing’ outside-inside player on the defensive line requiring plenty of patience and preparation.
“It's something that would honestly frustrate me at times when I was trying to learn both during training camp,” Pate said. “If I'm inside, knowing certain ways they might be rushing, or if I'm back on the outside, knowing different things that a tackle likes and understanding those both."
“I feel like it slowed down my progression at both because I was trying to do two things, but now I feel like I've actually gotten to that point where it's clicked. Knowing everything, all four positions, being able to switch them, I think it helps a lot. Not just with my teammates but also my own knowledge and the different things I'm doing. I think versatility has always been a strength of my game.”
The hard work it took to get to the point the coaching staff was comfortable with slotting the rookie in the line-up was definitely noticed.
“That's all the kid does, man, he's a high-effort worker,” said head coach Corey Mace, himself a former CFL defensive tackle. “I feel like when you're a swing or a tweener guy, they like to tag you with how physical he plays inside and outside, the speed and effort in which he plays with. You feel comfortable having him in both spots.”
There’s little question Pate will be getting an acid test in his CFL debut, as he faces a Toronto Argonauts offence that has put up a ton of yards through quarterback Chad Kelly and his receiving group. Dealing with the dangerous pivot while also shutting down the run game will be key in Pate’s eyes.
“We have to stick to our game plan,” he said. “We know Toronto primarily wants to throw the ball and stuff, but each time, you got to make sure you stop the run. If we do that, we think we'll have some chances to get after the pass rush.”
One thing that’s for certain is the experience of playing in front of a packed stadium with a sole focus on winning will be a special one.
“Quite frankly, it's been a while since I've been part of a winning team in general, so learning those habits and how the team operates has definitely been big for me,” Pate said. “It took a lot longer for me to get out on the field, but all my preparation has led to this point and I'm looking forward to it.”
The contest between the Roughriders and Argonauts kicks off at 7 p.m. from Mosaic Stadium, with the Rider Broadcast Network pre-game show beginning at 4 p.m. Dave Thomas and Luc Mullinder have the game call at kickoff.
