OTTAWA — Some members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders got quite an eye-opener Wednesday.
The CFL team held a walkthrough on Parliament Hill, doing their work in front of fans, tourists, politicians, aides and members of two different police forces who comprise the usual security detail on the Hill.
A large group of people also participated in a noon-hour yoga session on an adjacent chunk of grass while the Roughriders wrapped up their preparations for Thursday’s contest against the Ottawa Redblacks at TD Place (5:30 p.m., CKRM, TSN).
Regina-born defensive tackle Zack Evans has been to the Parliament Buildings before with family members and with the Redblacks during his four years with that team. But Evans had never practised on the lawn before and neither had some of his teammates.
Asked if he told the American neophytes about the historical significance of Parliament Hill, Evans opened his eyes wide.
“I don’t think they realized that that’s like our White House,” he said. “They’re like, ‘You’re allowed to practise on here?’ They’re talking about gates and security in front of the White House and I’m just like, ‘This is Canada. We’re nice to each other.’ ”
Roughriders quarterback Zach Collaros had been to Parliament Hill before in his career. Over the years, he and several teammates have taken in the sights in Ottawa’s downtown.
“I always love coming to Ottawa because of the architecture and how cool the buildings are,” said Collaros, a product of Steubenville, Ohio.
“I’m a fan of history. I’m not as well-read as (former Roughriders offensive lineman) Peter Dyakowski is, but it’s always cool and I always look forward to coming here to play and walking around the town a little bit. Walking into Parliament and seeing all of that is pretty cool.”
It’s the third straight season that the Roughriders have held a practice on Parliament Hill. Head coach-GM Chris Jones had the idea one day while on a tour of the facility.
“We looked out the window and I happened to tell a security guard, ‘Hey, there’s a perfectly good field right there. Why don’t we just practise there?’ ” Jones recalled. “He said, ‘Well, that’s public ground, so certainly you can do it.’ So I told him, ‘A big white Ford F-150 is going to pull up tomorrow with all of our equipment.’
“We just kind of started it then and it became something that the guys seemed to really like to do. It’s right there at the hotel we stay at, so it’s very convenient for us. I think it’s good for the players from both countries to be able to see (the buildings).”
That said, Jones isn’t sure the players grasp the significance of the event.
“They’re young; I don’t think they grasp a whole lot,” he said. “After a while, it will sink in about what they’ve been able to do.”
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Evans is making his first visit to Ottawa since packing up his truck and moving back to Saskatchewan in March.
Evans began his CFL career with the Roughriders in 2012, but was claimed by the Redblacks in an expansion draft prior to the 2014 season. He played four seasons with Ottawa before signing as a free agent with Saskatchewan in February.
On Wednesday, the 27-year-old walked into TD Place through a different door and walked to a different dressing room than he had since 2014. On Thursday, he’ll face his former teammates for the first time.
“I haven’t been able to actually go full tilt on them yet,” Evans said. “Obviously in camp and in practice, you never go 100 per cent, so I’m kind of intrigued on how that’s going to work out and how we’re going to play against each other. I think it’s going to be lots of fun.”
Evans is hoping he can pick up what he called “garbage sacks” caused by the pressure exerted by ends Charleston Hughes and Willie Jefferson. If Evans gets one (or more) on Thursday, that means he’ll be taking down another ex-teammate in quarterback Trevor Harris.
“I haven’t been able to hit him since he was in Toronto,” said Evans, referring to the fact that Harris began his career with the Argonauts. “I’m kind of excited.”
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Duron Carter obviously isn’t overcome by the prospect of his second career start at cornerback.
On Wednesday, Carter was asked what kind of challenges the Ottawa receivers could present.
“I don’t think they bring any challenges, to tell you the truth,” he replied. “They’re not better than the receivers we go up against in practice.”
Ordinarily a receiver, Carter played corner for the first time in his career during the 2017 CFL season. He made one start at the position for Saskatchewan — and his 43-yard pick-six against the Calgary Stampeders on Oct. 20 was memorable.
When he makes his second start Thursday in place of the injured Nick Marshall, Carter will be trying to once again prove he can do the job.
“This is only my second game starting at DB full-time and I have a lot to learn,” he said. “I’m just watching film with (halfback) Ed Gainey and getting with him. He’s our captain out there, so pretty much anything he says, I do.”
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With Carter moving to defence, Shaq Evans will get a start at wide receiver.
The 27-year-old product of Inglewood, Calif., had 
several NFL stops after being selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, but he didn’t play a regular-season game. That means his appearance Thursday will be his first game action since 2013, when he was a senior at UCLA.
“I haven’t played a competitive game in a few years, so to get to contribute to a team means everything,” Evans said. “It’s a blessing to know they have the confidence in me to put me out there.”
Evans earned a roster spot with a solid training camp, but he was one of the Roughriders’ two scratches for their season-opening 27-19 victory over Toronto on Friday. He’s expecting some early jitters Thursday, but he hopes to overcome them quickly.
“I’m super-prepared for this,” he said. “There’s nothing that’s going to keep me from being out on that field.”
