After fielding 10 kicks in fine fashion, Mario Alford appreciatively accepted a handoff.
He was presented with a game ball by Head Coach Corey Mace after sparking the Saskatchewan Roughriders to Thursday’s season-opening, 31-26 CFL victory over the Otfffftawa REDBLACKS at Mosaic Stadium.
“It was cool, man,” the Roughriders’ return specialist said after Tuesday’s practice.
“The guys played their butts off. The special teams played well. The guys blocked well.
“It was a good night.”
It was, indeed, as returns by Alford set up two of the Roughriders’ four touchdowns.
His 60-yard return of a missed field goal was followed by a seven-play, 64-yard scoring march that helped Saskatchewan create a 7-7 tie and shake off a sluggish start.
His 34-yard kickoff return, which positioned the Roughriders on the REDBLACKS’ 43-yard line, was the catalyst for a five-play TD drive.
All things considered, the 33-year-old Alford totalled 217 return yards — 112 on four kickoff returns, 45 on five punt returns and 60 on the missed field goal.
“He’s awesome,” quarterback Trevor Harris said. “People keep saying, ‘He’s getting older. He’s getting older. He’s getting older.’ Eventually it’s, ‘Just stop saying he’s getting older,’ because he’s a really fast, explosive, electric returner.
“He’s going to keep flipping the field for us all year. He’s a guy that we’re fortunate to have. Not only that, he’s a tremendous human being. I love the guy.”
Early in Year 4 with the Roughriders, Alford is already the team’s All-Time leader in return touchdowns (eight). He broke Corey Holmes’ record of six in 2023.
“You always want to start the offence off in good field position,” Alford said. “That’s going to be my motto and that’s our game plan all year.
“If I don’t score, at least get the offence in great field position so we can score.”
Alford modestly refers to himself as a “go-to-work, bring-a-lunch-pail guy.” It is not a conventional description for someone who covered the 40-yard dash in a blistering 4.27 seconds during his pro day.
That was a decade ago, just after he had completed a standout NCAA career as a receiver and a returner at the University of West Virginia.
He was equally quick to mentor another returner with impressive college credentials when former Texas Tech Red Raiders speedster Drae McCray arrived at his first Coors Light Training Camp in May.
McCray, who is now on the practice roster, enjoyed an auspicious pre-season debut. Afterwards, he credited Alford for being “a great person” and taking him “under his wing.”
Mace had made it clear before camp that everyone was competing for a roster spot, regardless of reputation, but that did not deter Alford from assisting a new and promising returner.
“At the end of the day, we’re teammates,” he said. “I know what I can do, and Drae is going to be a hell of a player.
“It’s my job to drop my knowledge on young guys and teach them the game. He’s new to the game and the (Canadian) punt return rules and kickoff rules, so it’s my job to help him.
“It’s what I’m supposed to do.”
See also: Game-altering kick returns.
Alford enters Saturday’s road game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with 11 return touchdowns — seventh on the league’s All-Time list.
He scored three times with the Montreal Alouettes before being traded to Saskatchewan early in the 2022 season.
Four more return touchdowns, in only 13 regular-season games as a first-year Rider, led to his selection as the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.
He earned All-CFL honours in 2023 after scoring on three punt returns. Two of the majors were in one game.
Last season, Alford registered the second-longest kickoff return TD (101 yards) in franchise history. Bobby Thompson set the standard of 115 against the visiting B.C. Lions on Oct. 24, 1971.
Having signed a new contract this past off-season, Alford is now hoping to become the second Roughrider, after Holmes, to score on a return in four different seasons (and four in a row).
“It’s home for me, man,” Alford said. “I appreciate it here.
“That says a lot about the organization. It says a lot about me, my status here, and what I’m doing. Obviously, I would say I’m doing something right if I’m still here and they still want to re-sign me.
“It feels great. I’m so comfortable with it. I love the fans here. I love playing here.
“It’s just a great environment, a great province, so I can’t complain about that.”
MOST RETURN TOUCHDOWNS IN CFL HISTORY
31 — Henry Williams (1,397 returns, 203 games)
15 — Bashir Levingston (442 returns, 78 games)
13 — Brandon Banks (524 returns, 127 games)
12 — Earl Winfield (363 returns, 130 games)
12 — Janarion Grant (382 returns, 57 games)
12 — Keith Stokes (604 returns, 88 games)
11 — Mario Alford (429 returns, 65 games)
MOST RETURN TOUCHDOWNS BY A ROUGHRIDER
8 — Mario Alford
6 — Corey Holmes
3 — Albert Brown
3 — Weston Dressler
3 — Willis Jacox
3 — Christion Jones
3 — Curtis Mayfield
