The word on Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Aubrey Miller Jr. is that he plays with the right amount of hate.
That approach should come in handy Sunday in the most hyped game of the season. Miller is set to start at weakside linebacker in place of the injured Josh Woods in the Labour Day Classic against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“It’s just domination,” he said. “We all want that. We just want our opponents to lay down and not get up.
“I feel like anybody stepping in front of us, they’re in the way of stopping what we came to accomplish. A part of domination is making sure that they don’t get to do that, and we put our will and demand anything that we want against anybody.”
Yeah, he sounds like someone who understands the assignment all right.
Miller has been waiting for an opportunity like this one for quite some time.
The Riders signed Miller in August 2024, three weeks after he was released by the Edmonton Elks. Though he’s got reps on defence while wearing green and white, Miller has been used more on special teams.
He’s made 15 tackles this season and only two of them have come on defence.
“It’s a proving ground for special teams to earn the right to get snaps on offence and/or defence,” Riders coach Corey Mace said. “Aubrey’s done that at a high level. We’ve had really good players just ahead of him in those spots.
“He’s had some different packages. He’s come into games and done well. It’s not a matter of trust here in these situations. You’re just really excited for the guy to get the opportunity and see what he can do.”
Miller was a backup middle linebacker for previous contests. He was tabbed by the coaching staff to slide over to the weak side with Woods (ankle) and Nick Wiebe (knee) sidelined.
It’s the intensity with which Miller plays that has caught Mace’s attention. No kidding.
Miller gets a chance to take on Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira, the CFL’s leading rusher with 956 yards. Oliveria is known for his physicality and Miller can’t wait to meet that head on.
“I do because I love contact,” he said. “That’s what I’m looking for.”
It feels like the CFL season is about to truly get going, beginning Sunday.
The Edmonton Elks lead the West Division with an 8-3 record, and then it’s a logjam after them. Saskatchewan (7-4), Winnipeg (6-5), B.C. (6-6), and Calgary (5-6) are all jockeying for playoff position.
Though the Riders aren’t atop the division, they’re gunning for that spot. They’re also the defending Grey Cup champions.
So, Miller doesn’t need to manufacture his rough edges.
“We’re the Riders. Everybody knows who we are,” he said. “They know how much this means to us. They’re going to bring their A game every time they play us.”
There’s no time like a starting gig in a massive game to show what he’s all about.
Sunday marks Miller’s first Labour Day tilt and he’s said that’ll come with some heightened emotions leading up to kickoff.
One of those emotions, however, is pure excitement with the Riders about to play one of their most hated rivals.
“The most violent games are the funnest,” Miller said.
Seems like he should fit in just fine with the whole Labour Day scene.
