The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ 2023 schedule is unfolding in ideal fashion for Frankie Hickson.
On July 8, 2022, Hickson scored his first CFL touchdown — on a 63-yard run — to help the Roughriders defeat the Ottawa REDBLACKS 28-13 at Mosaic Stadium.
Ottawa was also the opponent when Hickson made his first start of the 2023 campaign. He rushed for 77 yards, averaging an eye-popping 8.6 yards per carry, during last Friday’s 36-28 loss to the host REDBLACKS.
Next on the agenda is Friday’s road game against the B.C. Lions, against whom Hickson rushed for a career-high 129 yards on Aug. 26, 2022 to help Saskatchewan win 23-16 at BC Place Stadium.
His average per carry in that 2022 contest: 8.6 yards (repeat).
“It’s a nice memory,” Hickson said. “I would like to do something similar again but, at the end of the day, what matters is the win.
“If that means that I get zero touches and we throw the ball 60 times, or if we run the ball 60 times and we throw it zero times, it doesn’t matter.
“It’s about what the team needs and about how we can, as a collective, come together and win the game.”
Hickson started last week in place of Jamal Morrow, who sat out with a knee injury, and performed in robust fashion.
Four of Hickson’s nine carries produced at least 10 yards.
“Frankie has been running really, really hard and I’m proud of him for that,” quarterback Jake Dolegala said.
“Up front, (the offensive linemen) were getting a great push and Frankie was running hard. We hope to continue that, because it frees everything else up — our play-action, our down-the-field shots. It’s really good when you can get the run game going.”
The primary objective is to now go on a run, period, with only four games remaining in the regular season.
The Roughriders (6-8) carry a three-game losing streak into Friday’s game against B.C.
“When stuff like this happens, you fall back on things that you have been foundationally repping in your mind,” Hickson said. “For that to be our mantra up until this point, it’s time for us to further fall back on those principles — which is just to flush (misfortune) and move on.
“Play the next play — next man up — and let’s get the job done.”
That said, not everything needs to be expunged from the memory bank.
After all, one doesn’t want to forget a nine-carry, 77-yard game. As well, less-pleasant elements of a team’s performance can also be used constructively.
“That’s the beautiful thing about win, loss, draw,” Hickson said. “It doesn’t matter. You can still learn from positive, negative. It doesn’t matter.
“It’s about having the mindset of learning. As long as we have the mindset of ‘we’re not where we need to be and we want to be better and we want to learn from the good, the bad and the ugly,’ we should come out better next week.”
LOOKING OUT FOR NO. 1
Roughriders defensive lineman Cody Roscoe celebrated a career milestone last weekend when he registered his first CFL sack.
Playing in his fourth game of professional football, he felled REDBLACKS quarterback Dustin Crum for a 12-yard loss late in the second quarter.
“It was a good experience,” Roscoe said on Tuesday. “A lot of the guys were there to help me throughout the process.
“It was kind of a surreal moment to have my first professional sack that wasn’t in the pre-season.”
On June 3, Roscoe had sacked Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Dru Brown — again, late in the second quarter — during the Roughriders’ pre-season finale at IG Field.
“I felt like that was actually my first sack,” Roscoe said, “but this was the first one that actually counted.”
How did it feel at that moment?
“I actually didn’t get to celebrate, because I was so mad,” he responded. “I didn’t get the ball out (to force a fumble), so when I got to the sideline, I was like, ‘Dang! That was my first sack and I didn’t even celebrate at all.’
“I know that the next go-round, I’m going to take time out to celebrate, because I didn’t get to do any of my celebration or anything.
“When I got to the sideline, I think Pete (Robertson) looked at me and said, ‘Man, you just got your first sack and you’re going to hang your head and pout?’ I was like, ‘I didn’t even notice.’ ”
Roscoe got on the board during his second game of the 2023 season. He also appeared in two contests with Saskatchewan last season.
A 24-year-old graduate of the University of Syracuse, he was added to the Roughriders’ practice roster a year ago today — Sept. 26, 2022.
