Thomas Bertrand-Hudon’s jersey number (30) will be suitable to the surroundings when the Saskatchewan Roughriders oppose the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday.
The 27-year-old running back expects as many as 30 family members and friends to be in the stands at Percival Molson Stadium.
Bertrand-Hudon hails from Mont-Saint-Hilaire, which is 40 kilometres from Montreal.
“It’s nice to have a good support group that comes to see you at games like this,” he said. “It’s going to be nice to show up for them and get a win.”
The Roughriders and Alouettes carry 5-1 records into a showdown for first place overall in the nine-team CFL.
As a rookie last year, Bertrand-Hudon attracted a sizable cheering section for an Aug. 11 game in Montreal.
The Bertrand-Hudon boosters were treated to his first CFL carry, which produced 18 yards.
It was an impressive gain, albeit one that was 88 yards off his personal best.
As a member of the Champlain College Lennoxville football team in 2017, he erupted for a 106-yard touchdown run.
“I remember that one,” he said with a smile. “It was fun.
“It was a playoff game. I just had to make a play. We had a great scheme and I had great blockers to just open it up for me. I just ran it.”
For virtually the entire length of the field!
Wasn’t that tiring?
“Not as much as you think,” he said. “We work out for it, so we’re OK.”
After playing in the CEGEP ranks in his home province, Bertrand-Hudon spent a semester at Carleton University in Ottawa before exploring collegiate options in the United States.
He proceeded to showcase his skills at summer football camps, where he attracted the interest of coaches from Delaware State University.
Over four seasons of NCAA football, he rushed 239 times for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“It was a good experience,” he said. “I always dreamed of playing NCAA.
“The speed and toughness gave me that competitive edge that I needed so I could make it to the pros.”
The 6-foot-0, 227-pounder made the jump after being selected by Saskatchewan in the fourth round (30th overall) of the 2023 CFL Draft.
As a rookie, he rushed 13 times for 96 yards — an average of 7.4 yards per carry — and two touchdowns. He also returned 11 kickoffs for an average of 24.4 yards.
This year, his one kickoff return has produced a gain of 35 yards.
“He’s a Jack-of-all-trades,” Head Coach Corey Mace said. “He does a lot for us.
“Offensively, he can play fullback and he can play tailback, and then he could play on all four special teams if we really asked him to.
“He’s a ‘the more you can do …’ type guy. Guys like that have a lot of value and we have a few all over the roster.
“It’s just great for him to have an opportunity to go back and play in front of his family.”
ADAM’S FAMILY
Like Bertrand-Hudon, linebacker Adam Auclair is looking forward to a road game that doubles as a homecoming.
He estimates that “25 to 30” people are going to be at Percival Molson Stadium watching him play in his home province for the first time as a Roughrider.
“It’s going to be special to be back in Quebec, but we’re there for business and we want to win this one, for sure,” Auclair told reporters before the team flew east on Wednesday morning.
Auclair, from Saint-Georges, Que., spends his off-seasons in Quebec City.
“I have to stop at the Rider shop before we leave,” he added, underlining the imperative of ensuring that his supporters are outfitted in green.
Auclair spent three seasons with the Ottawa REDBLACKS before signing with Saskatchewan as a free agent on Feb. 13.
This season, he has eight special teams tackles — a total that ties him for fifth in the league — and one interception.
His first pick as a Roughrider was registered in Friday’s 19-9 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Mosaic Stadium.
