A new face is visiting a familiar place.
Thomas Bertrand-Hudon, a rookie running back with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, is poised to play against the Montreal Alouettes — the CFL team he followed very closely while growing up in Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.
Even at this early stage in his professional football career, he has proven to be quite a draw.
Forty family members and friends will be in the stands at Percival Molson Stadium for Friday’s game (5:30 p.m., Saskatchewan time; TSN, CKRM).
“It’ll be nice seeing the family and everybody else,” he said. “It’ll be fun to be able to play in front of my parents without them having to travel.”
Being able to line up against the Alouettes will add to the enjoyment.
“I grew up watching them, so it’s going to be special being on the field and seeing everything for probably the first five minutes,” Bertrand-Hudon said. “But after that, it’s game time.
“I hope we get out with a win.”
Bertrand-Hudon, whose hometown is 30 kilometres east of Montreal, began to follow the Alouettes during a prosperous period in which Grey Cup appearances were routine.
“When I started watching heavily, it was the time of Anthony Calvillo, Ben Cahoon, Avon Cobourne and all those guys,” he said.
“I became a huge fan and they helped me out, especially with my love of football. Back then, I was just playing for fun. Watching them and idolizing some of those players they used to have, it made the sport of football special to me.”
Recognizing Bertrand-Hudon’s aptitude for the Canadian game, the Roughriders selected the Delaware State product in the fourth round (30th overall) of the 2023 CFL Draft.
“He’s a young player who we really liked coming out of the draft,” Head Coach Craig Dickenson said. “He has been better than we even thought, so we’re really pleased with him.
“He’s a very smart kid. He understands a multitude of positions. He really gives us a lot of versatility.”
The Roughriders’ first four draftees from 2023 are on the roster for Friday’s game — namely defensive lineman Lake Korte-Moore (first round, third overall), defensive back Jaxon Ford (second round, 11th), linebacker Matt Dean (third round, 21st) and Bertrand-Hudon.
“Most of the rookies have been better than we thought, honestly,” Dickenson said. “We don’t expect a ton from the rookies. It’s a big jump. If they can just make the team and be on the practice roster, that’s usually pretty good.
“So for (Bertrand-Hudon) to be active and starting to get meaningful reps on offence and special teams, that says quite a bit for a young guy.”
SHORT SNORTS
- Mason Fine is the first Saskatchewan quarterback to register three consecutive games of 280-plus passing yards since Kevin Glenn early in the 2017 season. Glenn amassed 298, 377 and 380 aerial yards over Weeks 1 to 3. Fine has passed for 284, 302 and 296 yards in his three starts this season.
- With league-leading totals of 47 catches and 615 yards after eight games, Shawn Bane Jr. is on pace for a 106-catch, 1,384-yard season. The Roughriders’ 100-catch club currently consists of Don Narcisse (123 in 1995), Joey Walters (102 in 1982), Craig Ellis (102 in 1985) and Curtis Marsh (102 in 2000).
- Roughriders middle linebacker Larry Dean has 518 career tackles, good for 36th on the CFL’s all-time list. Four players are within his sights — J.C. Sherritt (528), Charleston Hughes (526), Maurice Kelly (526) and George White (525). Hughes and White are ex-Roughriders.
- Dean, with 53 defensive tackles this season, is on pace for 119 over a full 18-game schedule. Darnell Sankey set the team record of 120 tackles last season, when Dean notched 101.
- Dean could very well become only the second Roughrider to boast 100-plus tackles in back-to-back seasons. White had 105 tackles in 2000 and 104 the following year. The Roughriders’ 100-tackle club also consists of Sankey, Dave Albright (118 in 1987), Jeff Knox Jr. (114 in 2015), Barrin Simpson (105 in 2010), Jerrell Freeman (105 in 2011) and Willie Pless (102 in 1999). The CFL did not begin tabulating defensive tackles until 1987.
- Linebacker Micah Teitz has 28 tackles this season — including 14 over his past two games.
