The defensive line for the Saskatchewan Roughriders was on the run last Friday, chasing down Edmonton Elks quarterback Tre Ford and running back Kevin Brown. This week, the movement is within the defensive line positional depth chart.
Edmonton utilized their running game to pick up the 36-27 win last Friday. The Elks had 265 yards on the ground, with Brown accumulating a career-high 175 yards on the ground and Ford adding 70 rushing yards.
Saskatchewan lost three defensive linemen against the Elks, with Anthony Lanier II(Hip), Miles Brown (Groin) and Nic Dheilly(Foot) all going down with injuries.
For defensive tackle Charbel Dabire, that’s still not an excuse for last week’s loss.
“When a guy goes down, we just got to be ready to come back with the next guy up, ready to do his job.”
The trio of injured defensive linemen will not return in time for this week’s matchup on Friday in Ottawa.
In addition, defensive end Pete Robertson (back) is questionable.
Head Coach Craig Dickenson says Cody Roscoe and Christian Albright are two candidates to move into the Roughriders game day roster.
DE Lake Korte-Moore thinks even with the new bodies in the lineup, it’s business as usual for the defensive line.
“Here in practice our d-line swap a lot, so a lot of guys get reps, we’re used to playing with each other since camp.”
The Roughriders rookie defensive end said, “Everyone practices as they’re going to start each week and we know that, and we hold each person to a high standard no matter where they are I guess on the depth chart, even if they’re on the practice roster cause we know they have the ability to come up and play.”
Dabire felt despite the absence of veterans like Lanier II and Robertson at practice, the younger players did a great job of preparing themselves for extra responsibilities.
“People are rallying up, speaking up, young people are talking up.”
As a four-year veteran, Dabire says he’s been trying to help the newest members of the defensive line as much as he can.
“We got to teach them the schemes and everything, trying to get them up to date as fast as possible, being able to get them in there.”
He adds the younger players have been fast learners.
“They came from football, so they understand the game, so it’s now teaching our scheme. “
One week after the Roughriders faced a dual threat at quarterback in Ford, the Saskatchewan will meet another mobile quarterback in Ottawa’s Dustin Crum.
Dabire is expecting the REDBLACKS QB to be active in the ground game.
“He’s (Crum) very elusive, he likes to run and find those gaps when it’s there.”
Saskatchewan will be looking to limit Crum like they did in their previous matchup on August 6, when the REDBLACKS QB was held to 21 rushing yards in the Roughriders 26-24 win.
Practice Notebook
- Running Back Jamal Morrow will be miss Friday’s game (knee).
- Other players that will be out this week LB Justin Herdman-Reed (Quad), DB Deontai Williams (Hamstring), DB Nelson Lokombo (knee), and LB T.J. Brunson (ankle).
- The Roughriders are travelling to Ottawa on Wednesday, giving themselves an extra day in the nation’s capital before they meet the REDBLACKS.
Coverage for Friday’s game on 620 CKRM begins with Countdown to Kickoff at 2:00, Rider Nation Pre-Game Show at 4:00, and the opening kickoff with Michael Ball and Luc Mullinder at 5:00.
