This dusty historian’s off-season priorities have been twofold: (1) To unapologetically Hoover all the bagels in the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ lunch room; and, (2) To revise and expand the CFL team’s record book.
One of the new categories was especially eye-opening.
I decided to compile a list of every successful field-goal attempt from 50 yards or more. In so doing, I discovered that the Roughriders’ current placekicker — Brett Lauther — is on an impressive pace.
Since joining the Roughriders full-time in 2018, Lauther has kicked 16 field goals of 50 yards or more in just 81 regular-season games. That averages out to one long-distance boot every 5.1 games.
In terms of all-time 50-yarders, Lauther trails Dave Ridgway (32) and Paul McCallum (28).
It should be noted, though, that Ridgway averaged one 50-yarder every 7.4 games. McCallum’s average: One every 6.6 games.
Ridgway was the first CFLer to connect from 60 yards or more. He accomplished that feat by hitting a 60-yarder against the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sept. 6, 1987.
That league record stood until Oct. 27, 2001, when McCallum nailed a 62-yarder at home against Edmonton. All these years later, McCallum’s mark has yet to be matched.
In 2022, McCallum entered the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, into which Ridgway had been enshrined in 2003.
Rare is the kicker who has been honoured in that fashion. The Roughriders — and the B.C. Lions, in McCallum’s case — have treated their fans to placekicking at its finest.
But, with each passing (or kicking) year, Lauther is carving out his own niche.
Consider, for example, the Roughriders’ career field-goal percentage list.
Factoring in everyone who has attempted at least 100 field goals, Lauther leads the Green and White with an accuracy rate of 83.9 per cent. He is followed by Chris Milo (79.1), Luca Congi (79.0), Ridgway (78.0) and McCallum (76.7).
(NOTE: McCallum’s career percentage swells to 80.7 on the strength of his accomplishments with the B.C. Lions.)
In 2018, Lauther came closer than anyone to topping Ridgway’s franchise single-season field-goal percentage record (90.6, set in 1993). Lauther is next in line at 90.0, followed by Chris Milo (88.5 in 2013).
But, from the standpoint of this numerical nerd, Lauther’s proficiency from long range is especially impressive.
He is halfway toward tying Ridgway’s team record for 50-yarders despite having played roughly one-third as many games.
Lauther is also in esteemed company in the following category:
Most 50-Yard Field Goals, One Season
6 — Dave Ridgway, 1988
5 — Dave Ridgway, 1995
5 — Paul McCallum, 2002
4 — Paul McCallum, 1999
4 — Paul McCallum, 2003
4 — Brett Lauther, 2018
4 — Brett Lauther, 2022
Ridgway, McCallum and Lauther have basically turned a 50-yard field goal — once a rarity — into a routine exercise.
There was a time, though, when a field goal of that distance was unthinkable.
The first Roughrider to clear 50 yards was Jack Abendschan, who was successful from 52 yards against the visiting Blue Bombers on Oct. 2, 1966.
Another 20 years elapsed before a Saskatchewan kicker again split the uprights from 50-plus.
Bob Macoritti did the honours on Oct. 17, 1976, nailing a 54-yarder against the B.C. Lions at Empire Stadium in Vancouver.
Later that year, Macoritti became the first (and heretofore only) Roughrider to produce a three-pointer from 50 yards or more in a non-regular-season game. He kicked a 51-yarder in the 1976 Grey Cup against the Ottawa Rough Riders.
Macoritti’s fourth (and final) long-distance kick as a Roughrider was a 57-yarder against Edmonton on Oct. 19, 1980 at Taylor Field.
Paul Watson upped the club record by two yards by connecting from 59 yards in a home game against Winnipeg on July 12, 1981.
In so doing, Watson tied Edmonton’s Dave Cutler for the longest field goal in CFL history. Cutler established the mark during a visit to Taylor Field on Oct. 28, 1970.
It is reasonable to wonder whether Lauther will soon establish a distance record of his own.
After all, his resume already includes two field goals of 57 yards and two more from 56. And he generally clears the uprights with several yards to spare.
In other words, we expect the following list to be updated before too long …
Longest Field Goal By a Roughrider
62 — Paul McCallum vs. Edmonton, Oct. 27, 2001
60 — Dave Ridgway vs. Winnipeg, Sept. 6, 1987
59 — Paul Watson vs. Winnipeg, July 12, 1981
58 — Paul McCallum vs. Hamilton, Oct. 24, 1999
57 — Bob Macoritti vs. Edmonton, Oct. 19, 1980
57 — Paul McCallum vs. Toronto, Sept. 28, 2003
57 — Brett Lauther at Ottawa, June 20, 2019
57 — Brett Lauther vs. Montreal, July 2, 2022
56 — Paul McCallum vs. Ottawa, Sept. 28, 2002
56 — Brett Lauther vs. Calgary, July 28, 2018
56 — Brett Lauther at Toronto, Sept. 22, 2018
For the sake of completeness, we conclude today’s distance-related deep dive by acknowledging every Roughrider who has delivered from 50 yards or more:
- Dave Ridgway (32 times)
- Paul McCallum (28)
- Brett Lauther (16)
- Luca Congi (7)
- Bob Macoritti (4)
- Tyler Crapigna (3)
- Paul Watson (3)
- Chris Milo (2)
- Jack Abendschan (1)
- Sandro DeAngelis (1)
- Quinn van Gylswyk (1)
- Frank Jagas (1)
- Eddie Johnson (1)
In the case of van Gylswyk, his 54-yarder — against the visiting Stampeders on Aug. 13, 2016 — was his only field goal as a CFLer.
