The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ first practice at Leibel Field in 2017 was conducted under mostly sunny skies Monday.
So much for any effect from that solar eclipse.
The celestial event was the first total solar eclipse visible in centres across the United States since 1979. In Regina, the moon was to block 78 per cent of the sun’s rays at the height of the eclipse.
The Roughriders and Leibel Field were ready for darkness — the facility’s lights were on in preparation for the CFL team’s practice — but the effect of the eclipse was minimal.
“Huge letdown,” said Roughriders guard Peter Dyakowski, who once was crowned Canada’s Smartest Person on a TV show. “Way too much hype. Waaay too much hype.
“Listen, I’ve seen lunar eclipses that were 10 times better. And you could look at it without hurting your eyes.”
•••
International defensive lineman Mike McAdoo practised with Saskatchewan for the first time since being acquired Friday from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The Roughriders got McAdoo and a sixth-round selection in the 2018 CFL draft from Hamilton for international wide receiver Ricky Collins and a seventh-round pick in 2018.
Collins, who had 48 catches for 720 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games with Saskatchewan last season, appeared in just one contest this season. He was hurt in the Roughriders’ season-opening loss to the Montreal Alouettes on June 22 and spent the next six games on Saskatchewan’s injured list.
He returned to practice prior to the Roughriders’ game against the B.C. Lions on Aug. 13 and was eligible to come off the six-game list this week after Saskatchewan completed a bye.
“It’s a good opportunity for Ricky to go play,” Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones said of the deal. “We’ve got a deep receiving corps. We’ve got Caleb (Holley) and Chad (Owens) both over there waiting to get their turn.
“(The trade) gave us an opportunity to switch positions in the draft and it also gave us a pass-rusher who we’ve been looking at for quite some time. Now it’s a matter of seeing if he’s good enough to play for us.”
McAdoo, a 6-foot-7, 250-pounder out of the University of North Carolina, played two games with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2013. He also has had NFL stints with the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys.
The 27-year-old spent the past two weeks on Hamilton’s practice roster.
“He’s a big, long guy,” Jones said. “He reminds you of Willie (Jefferson). I hope that he’s as athletic as Willie. We looked at a little bit of one-on-ones today, so we’ll see as we progress.”
Saskatchewan also made two roster moves Monday, adding international defensive lineman Royce LaFrance to the practice roster and releasing international defensive back Mark Roberts.
LaFrance, a 24-year-old from New Orleans, played collegiately at Tulane. The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder was a recent cut of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints.
•••
The Tiger-Cats made a trade Sunday that will give Saskatchewan a look at another ex-Roughrider on Friday.
Hamilton sent defensive end John Chick to the Edmonton Eskimos, who play host to the Roughriders later this week.
Chick already faced Saskatchewan this season, recording four tackles and a quarterback pressure for Hamilton in its 37-20 loss to the Roughriders on July 8.
“I think it’ll be kind of funny,” Saskatchewan quarterback Kevin Glenn said of facing Chick in his first game with the Eskimos. “It’ll be a little different because we’ve already played him, especially for the offensive line.
“We know what we’re going to get. We’re going to get a hard-fighting guy who takes his job seriously. He’s very talented at what he does. Then you put him next to some of those guys on the Edmonton defensive line and it’s probably going to make it even tougher.
“I think it’ll be a good matchup.”
•••
Glenn’s responsibilities could be curtailed Friday.
The 38-year-old pivot could be handing the short-yardage duties over to newly acquired quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. — and Glenn couldn’t be happier.
“I’ll go in with the coaches and be (Adams’) agent to tell them, ‘Hey, this guy needs to be running short yardage,’ ” Glenn said with a chuckle.
Glenn doesn’t like those duties, suggesting that they can lead to more punishment for the man carrying the ball.
“I don’t think any quarterback likes (short yardage),” he said. “I think the only quarterback that likes short yardage is (Edmonton’s) Mike Reilly. He’s the only guy.”
Glenn, meanwhile, welcomed Adams to Regina with open arms. The 24-year-old QB, who was acquired from Montreal last Tuesday, played with Glenn and current Roughriders backup Brandon Bridge with the Als last season.
“It’s kind of like a reunion,” Glenn said. “I was with those guys a year ago and now we’re back here together. They’re like my two little brothers. They’re following their big brother everywhere.”
