Christian Albright waited several weeks for his first CFL sack … and just a few more ticks of the clock for the second one.
The 24-year-old defensive end enjoyed a dazzling debut with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday, registering back-to-back sacks in a 36-28 loss to the host Ottawa REDBLACKS.
“It was great to get back out there, finally, and help contribute to the team,” Albright said after Monday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium.
“I know we didn’t get the end result we wanted, so we’re going to work on that, but it was good to be back out there and to get back into the groove a little bit.”
Albright had been on the Roughriders’ practice roster until Thursday, when he was activated for the Ottawa game.
Early in the second quarter, Ottawa had advanced to the visitors’ 45-yard line at TD Place Stadium before Albright felled quarterback Dustin Crum for a loss of seven.
The sack was Albright’s first since May 27, when he added a tackle for a loss in the Roughriders’ 30-27 pre-season victory over the visiting B.C. Lions.
Regular-season-wise, Friday’s sack was Albright’s first since 2021 — his final season at Ball State.
“It was a great feeling — a feeling of the work finally paying off and the film study throughout the week paying off and seeing how you’re going to attack the man across from you,” he said.
With Friday’s ground-breaking, drive-altering sack out of the way, Albright then toppled Crum for a six-yard loss to drive Ottawa back into its own territory and force a punt.
It was, to the best of Albright’s recollection, the first time he had ever registered back-to-back sacks, even dating back to high school.
“It was high emotion,” he said with a smile. “My teammates were all around me. I couldn’t even tell who was who, because there were so many people around me congratulating me.
“It was just a good feeling, knowing I could help them out.”
That he did, adding a forced fumble, three defensive tackles and one special teams stop.
“I thought he played great,” Head Coach Craig Dickenson said. “That was what we saw in practice with Christian. He was a dynamic player. We knew that if we got a chance to play him, there was a good chance we’d see what we saw.
“I think he might have played his way on to the roster. We’ll see when we get everybody back (from injuries).
“Certainly, those are the nice parts of late in the season, when you get a chance to put a guy out there who has maybe been on the PR the whole year and he shows well.
“I was real proud of him. He does it in practice every day, so I wasn’t surprised.”
Albright received some snaps that would have ordinarily gone to veteran defensive end Anthony Lanier II, who missed the Ottawa game with a hip injury. Lanier, who is on the one-game injured list, did not practise on Monday.
Two other defensive linemen — Miles Brown (groin) and Nicholas Dheilly (foot) — sat out against the REDBLACKS. Brown and Dheilly are on the six-game injured list.
INJURY UPDATE
Lanier II was among five veteran CFLers who did not practise for the Green and White on Monday.
Also sidelined were centre Peter Godber (knee), guard Philip Blake (calf), running back Jamal Morrow (knee) and defensive halfback Trumaine Washington (finger).
The Roughriders have encountered a spate of injuries along the offensive line this year, so the absences of Godber and Blake raised eyebrows.
However, Dickenson is optimistic that they will be able to play on Friday against the host B.C. Lions (8:30 p.m., TSN, CKRM).
“I don’t think we’re going to miss them in the game,” he said. “I think they’re both going to play. But both of them sat out (on Monday).”
Dickenson also expects safety Jayden Dalke to start on Friday after sitting out two games with a knee injury.
Dalke, defensive back Godfrey Onyeka (pectoral) and receiver Jake Wieneke (healthy scratch) were listed as full participants on Monday’s injury report.
Onyeka is getting closer to making his first regular-season appearance of 2023 after being injured in training camp.
“We’re hoping he can play,” Dickenson said. “We feel like he’s close and the only way we’ll know for sure is to put him out there practising.”
Linebacker T.J. Brunson (ankle) and defensive back Deontai Williams (hamstring) were listed as limited participants in practice.
