When it came to negotiations on a new contract, Jorgen Hus made it snappy.
“We didn’t waste a lot of time at all,” said the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ long snapper, whose two-year extension was announced on Tuesday.
“I’m just super-excited. I’m probably more excited now than I was after my first contract, back in 2015. It still feels just as cool, just as exciting. I’m fired up.
“I’ve already been working out this off-season. I know good things are around the corner. We’re going to get things going in the right direction and it’s going to be a good year. I can feel it coming.”
Hus, who had been eligible to test free agency in February, signed his new pact in the latter days of the 2023 CFL season — which is to conclude Sunday when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Montreal Alouettes meet at Tim Hortons Field in the 110th Grey Cup Game.
Before departing for Hamilton, where CFL Players’ Association meetings are to take place this week, Brett Lauther was asked about the re-signing of Hus.
“It’s huge,” the Roughriders’ placekicker and CFLPA representative replied. “Like I’ve always said, he’s the most important guy when we’re going out there on special teams. Everything starts with him. We’re not able to do our jobs without him. He’s so consistent, so good.
“I think he’s starting to get a little bit more credit as the best guy in the league now and he deserves all of it. Having him back for a couple of years, the team’s always in great hands when the ball starts with him every special teams snap.”
Nonetheless, there is always room for improvement.
That is why Hus, who resides in his hometown of Saskatoon during the off-season, will spend part of the winter in Eau Claire, Wisc., working with renowned long snapping coach Kyle Stelter — the founder of Special Teams University.
“I went down and saw him for the first time last off-season and he improved my game, big-time,” Hus said.
“I’m still not all the way there, so I’m looking forward to going back this off-season and picking up where I left off and just taking it one step forward. I’m trying to adapt as many of his techniques as I can.”
That is the focus even though Hus is virtually unerring, as evidenced by the effusive praise dispensed by Lauther.
“That’s awfully nice of him, but our game comes down to fractions of a second,” said Hus, who also works closely with Roughriders punter/holder Adam Korsak.
“You’re splitting hairs, essentially, but they mean a lot to us. To the untrained eye, you don’t notice anything, but to us they can be a big deal.
“Everyone can develop bad habits, so it’s all just little things. It’s a matter of sharpening that axe all the time. If you don’t always have your nose to the grindstone, you can develop those bad habits and you’re not as effective and you’re not as consistent.
“At the end of the day, what motivates me is I want to be as consistent as I can so Brett and Adam can have All-Star seasons. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what motivates me.”
Hus, the longest-serving current member of the Roughriders, is as motivated as ever.
“I just love football so much,” said Hus, 34, who will celebrate his 10th anniversary as a Roughrider during the final season of the two-year renewal.
“The fire burns, just like it did in 2015, and even more so. There are so many things I feel I can get better at in my game.
“I love the year-round, 12-month process. It’s easy to get fired up on game day, but when you’re fired up in January or February to get up at 6 o’clock in the morning to go work on your craft, that’s when I think you can play a long time.
“You can’t really fake it. You’ve got to actually really enjoy doing it, because getting up at 6 in the morning and getting in your car at minus-50 to go work out isn’t for most people — just us crazies.
“But I still love doing all those things and that’s why time flies by and here we are, 10 years later.”
