Nic Marshall and Shaq Evans first set foot on the field as teammates in a CFL regular-season game on June 21, 2018, when they suited up for the Saskatchewan Roughriders against the host Ottawa REDBLACKS.
Now they are poised to collide as opponents — again for the first time. As was the case five years ago, the matchup is Saskatchewan versus Ottawa.
On Sunday at Mosaic Stadium, Marshall will play cornerback for the Roughriders against a REDBLACKS offence that includes Evans, who spent four seasons with Saskatchewan before signing with Ottawa as a free agent in February.
“I know him very well,” Marshall said on Friday, “and it’s going to be a great matchup going against him.”
Marshall’s regular-season debut with the Roughriders preceded that of Evans by a mere six days.
On June 15, 2018, Marshall introduced himself to the CFL — and a future Canadian Hall of Famer — in fine style by intercepting the Toronto Argonauts’ Ricky Ray and sprinting 66 yards for a touchdown at Mosaic Stadium.
Saskatchewan also registered an interception-return TD in Evans’ first game with the Green and White.
He drew the start in Week 2 after then-Head Coach Chris Jones decided to move Duron Carter from wide receiver to cornerback. Carter ended up with a 28-yard interception-return TD during a game in which his replacement on offence — Evans — caught four passes for 56 yards.
Evans ended up leading the 2018 Roughriders in receiving yards, with 785, and followed up with a monster season.
In 2019, he caught 72 passes for 1,334 yards and helped Saskatchewan finish first in the West Division with a 13-5 record.
Injuries limited Evans to 17 games over the following two seasons, while Marshall kept adding to a resume that now includes five interception-return TDs — a Roughriders all-time record.
This season, Marshall has three interceptions over the Roughriders’ first seven games. Evans, who suffered a broken finger in training camp, had one catch for 14 yards in the one game he has played with Ottawa.
“He was an All-Star receiver back in 2019 and he had 1,300-some yards, so you can’t forget about that,” Marshall noted.
“It’s going to be a challenge for both of us and I’m always down to accept that challenge.”
The one-on-one battle between two well-established pros will be worth following, although Roughriders Defensive Co-ordinator Jason Shivers will have a lot more on his plate after Sunday’s 5 p.m. kickoff.
“They’re former teammates going against each other so, more so for those two, it’s going to be intriguing,” Shivers said.
“Obviously, I’m watching the matchups across the board, but Shaq’s a good receiver so Nick will have his hands full.”
INJURY UPDATE
Only one Canadian receiver — Samuel Emilus — is available to the Roughriders for Sunday’s game.
Mitch Picton (head injury), Juwan Brescacin (shoulder), Kian Schaffer-Baker (hip) and Brayden Lenius (foot) have been ruled out for the matchup with Ottawa.
The Roughriders typically start two Canadian receivers, but the numbers do not allow for that this week.
Hence the need for a ratio change — one that will likely result in the elevation of an American (either Kendall Watson or Jerreth Sterns) to the active roster.
Watson has 17 catches for 154 yards in four games this season.
Sterns, whose signing was announced on July 3, led the NCAA in catches (150) and receiving yards (1,902) in 14 games with Western Kentucky in 2021. He was tied for the overall lead in touchdown receptions.
Lenius had returned to the lineup last weekend after missing the first six games due to a lacerated kidney. He suffered a foot injury late in Saturday’s contest against the Argonauts at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
“I feel bad for him,” Head Coach Craig Dickenson said. “That was his first game back after being out for six and he’s going to be on the six-game (injured list) again.
“It has been a tough year for him. Hopefully, if things turn around for him, we may see him at the end of the year, but it’s a fairly long-term injury.”
HOME SWEET HOME
Roughriders quarterback Mason Fine is about to make his fifth CFL start — but only his second at home.
Fine got the nod for the first time on Oct. 22 against the visiting Calgary Stampeders. The subsequent three starts were on the road.
“It’ll be nice to play in front of Rider Nation here at Mosaic,” he said. “I loved playing here the only time that I’ve gotten my minutes (as a starter at home).
“I feel like the fans are going to bring a lot of energy and it’s going to be an advantage for the offence, for sure, so I’m looking forward to playing here at home.”
