The Saskatchewan Roughriders starting Dawson Hodge at kicker over Alex Hale makes a lot of sense to Glen Suitor.
The trial by fire of inserting Hodge into the Labour Day Classic rematch in Winnipeg against the hated Blue Bombers has its benefits. Suitor even called the hostile environment “perfect.”
“This is the ideal time, really, to put him under the pressure cooker,” Suitor, the CFL analyst and former Rider, said on the SportsCage. “You’re still trying to catch Edmonton for tops of the division, but you’re trending in a nice way as a team despite all the injuries.
“If he misses (a field goal), the very next minute and a half of how he handles that is going to be very telling.”
Hodge will make his CFL debut for the Roughriders at a crucial juncture of the season after signing with the team last month.
Riders coach Corey Mace is turning to the Canadian Hodge to replace the Australian Hale out of necessity more than anything else.
Hale missed two of three field-goal attempts last Sunday and was booed by Riders fans after his second unsuccessful try. The two wide kicks came from 46 and 47 yards, dropping his season rate to 50 percent from 40 yards or more (six of 12).
“It’s not been a complete train-wreck disaster,” Suitor said. “But he’s been so inconsistent that I think it would be hard for Corey Mace and the staff to fully trust (Hale).
“(A kick) to win the game, there’s going to be a lot of really nervous guys on that sideline if you stay status quo.”
Suitor added that Hale, who has a 75 percent success rate overall this season, seemed lost after missing one kick left and the other right.
“I watched him,” Suitor said. “We had some really tight shots of him with his helmet in his face and his expression.
“He looks unsure. The body language, just I might shake the cage a little bit if I’m Corey Mace.”
Regardless of what happens this weekend with the kicking game, the Riders should explore bringing in a veteran, who “understands the pressure,” Suitor said.
Watch the full segment below.
