Zack FRY (67), Week 4, CFL, Canadian, Football, 1st Half Saskatchewan Roughriders vs BC Lions at Mosaic Stadium on Jun 28, 2025..Featured: Zack FRY (67).Photographed by: Arthur Ward
Cutdown day isn’t necessarily a stress inducer for a professional football player.
Consider the case of Zack Fry, who is to start at left guard when the Saskatchewan Roughriders oppose the Calgary Stampeders on Friday (7 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
“Fry’s got a haircut,” Head Coach Corey Mace said. “That’s how I know he’s ready.
“I’m excited to see the kid roll.”
Fry has played an assortment of roles since becoming a full-time CFLer in 2023 — a year after being drafted in the second round (18th overall).
He started eight games, including both playoff contests, at left guard for the Green and White last season.
If he is thrust into duty during a game, the offensive line never misses a beat. That has been the norm since the start of the 2024 season, considering the frequency of injuries up front and the linemen’s well-established ability to adapt and excel.
“Some of these guys had to train through the fire last year,” Mace said. “It’s similar to any other guy who has had to step up this year. Nobody’s holding hands or anything like that.”
It is a “luxury,” in the assessment of Mace, to have a player such as Fry on the roster.
Fry started at right guard in the June 5 regular-season opener against the visiting Ottawa REDBLACKS. Most recently, he was called upon after left guard Trevon Tate suffered a shoulder injury late in the first half of a June 28 home game against the B.C. Lions.
Saskatchewan went on to win 37-18 and improve its record to 4-0, thanks in large part to robust run blocking that enabled A.J. Ouellette to rush for a career-high 139 yards.
“It’s super unfortunate that Tate went down, but it’s next man up and I’m excited to play,” Fry said.
“We hang out with these guys every day and they’re so awesome. We spend so much time together outside of the football field and on the football field. You hate to see (an injury), but it’s an opportunity and a job. You’ve got to be ready to go whenever.”
Fry played right tackle at Western University before joining the Roughriders. Most of his time in the CFL has been spent at guard, but he can also play centre if necessary.
“You want all the reps you can get,” he said. “It’s a great job by the coaches to get us those reps because everything starts to feel a little more familiar.”
COACH’S COMMENT
Roughriders linebacker A.J. Allen was recently a guest weather specialist on CTV Regina.
His appearance in front of the weather map included barbs aimed at his team’s Head Coach and starting quarterback.
“Our record is 37.8 degrees in 1931,” Allen told the viewers. “That’s around the year Coach Mace was born.
“Our record low of 2.2 degrees is from 1917, which is the year Trevor Harris was born.”
Mace — like Harris, a mere pup of 39 — was asked on Tuesday if he wished to offer a rebuttal.
“I didn’t see it,” Mace said. “Outside of having to deal with A.J. in the building, I choose not to, otherwise. He talks too damn much, so it doesn’t shock me.
“Now I’ve got to go look it up to see if I’ve got to go fight him or not.”
FAMILIAR FACES
Calgary has just won the inaugural Stampede Bowl, defeating the visiting Blue Bombers 37-16 on Thursday.
So now what? The Rose Bowl?
Not according to Mike Rose — a former Stampeders standout who is about to play defensive tackle against his ex-teammates for the first time.
“We haven’t talked about it. He hasn’t talked about it,” Mace said. “We’re just ready to go play a game.”
Rose, a member of the Stampeders from 2017 to 2024, has earned divisional All-CFL recognition in each of the past four seasons. He received league All-CFL honours in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
He signed with Saskatchewan on Feb. 3, just six one week after being released by Calgary.
