ROBSERVATIONS: A victory for Sack-skatchewan … Harris, Fajardo face former teams … welcome back, Roger Goree!
The Saskatchewan Roughriders had plenty of Santa sacks — eight! — on Christmas in July.
Edmonton Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo was felled eight times at Mosaic Stadium on Friday, where the home side won 21-18 to improve its record to a CFL-best 6-1.
“We’re definitely happy about it,” defensive tackle Micah Johnson said.
“We’ve been grinding week after week. I think guys have been rushing well. Guys have been getting wins. Sacks are things where sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn’t.
“I’m super proud of how we’ve been rushing all year. For it to finally kind of come together like that, I’m super happy for the guys.”
Johnson, Shane Ray and Malik Carney each registered two sacks. C.J. Reavis and A.J. Allen added singles as Saskatchewan increased its 2025 sack total from 12 to 20 in one evening.
On top of that, the Roughriders limited Edmonton to 25 rushing yards — the lowest total by a Saskatchewan opponent since the championship season of 2013.
The gutsy Fajardo led the Elks in rushing, with 20 yards on four scrambles. Edmonton managed five yards on five handoffs.
“The whole week, we talked about everybody doing their job and I think it really showed,” Johnson said. “We can be a great defence.
“We take pride in stopping the run. That’s first and foremost. That’s our bread and butter. We hang our hat on that.”
As much as the linemen and linebackers play a role in restricting the ground game and pressuring the passer, there is a third component to the run defence that should not be forgotten.
“A lot of credit goes to the defensive backs,” Johnson said. “I tell people all the time that defensive backs and the D-line are tied together at the hip.
“There are so many times when we could have a good rush and somebody could be open, so we don’t get the sack. Or, vice versa, they could have good coverage and we haven’t got home so the quarterback sits in the pocket and finds somebody.
“So, for us, it’s just hats off to the D-backs for the way they played.”
The firm of Carney, Johnson and Ray became the fifth trio of Roughriders — and the first since 2014 — to each record two or more sacks in one game. The previous four hat tricks were on:
July 8, 1984: Rick Goltz (2), Al Johns (2) and Eddie Lowe (2) at Hamilton.
Aug. 17, 1989: James Curry (3), Gary Lewis (3) and Bobby Jurasin (2) versus Ottawa.
Sept. 17, 1989: Curry (3), Jurasin (2) and Vince Goldsmith (2) versus Edmonton.
June 29, 2014: Ricky Foley (3), John Chick (2) and Derek Walker (2) versus Hamilton.
FACING FAJARDO
The storyline — former Roughriders quarterback faces his former Saskatchewan teammates — was appetizing, but hardly novel.
On Friday, Fajardo became the 20th quarterback to see front-line duty against a Roughriders team for which he once started.
Trevor Harris, who was Fajardo’s opposite number on Friday, made his fourth start for Saskatchewan against an Edmonton team for which he played in 2019 and 2021.
After joining the Green and White in 2023, Harris became the 21st Roughrider to earn a start against a team that had once assigned him No. 1 duty.
Such a scenario is bound to unfold with some frequency in a nine-team league — especially at a marquee position where there is only one starter.
“I think it’s sometimes a game of musical chairs,” Harris said, “and sometimes all the seats get filled up.”
Harris started against a former team for the 10th time when he suited up against Edmonton on Friday night.
Overall, Harris and 20 other Saskatchewan quarterbacks have a 55-52-1 record, playoffs included, against their former clubs.
Ron Lancaster has the most starts (18) of any Roughrider against a former team. Reggie Slack is next in line at 16, followed by Kevin Glenn (13) and Harris (10).
On the flip side, Fajardo and the other 19 quarterbacks who opposed their former Saskatchewan comrades are 68-67-2 in games of that description.
Henry Burris leads the way with a whopping 32 (!) starts against Saskatchewan. Also on the leader board: Glenn (26), Tom Clements (14) and Zach Collaros (14).
Burris, Clements, Collaros, Glenn, Slack, Joe Barnes, Michael Bishop, Tom Burgess, John Hufnagel and Joe Paopao appear on both lists.
The best numbers belong to Burgess, who was 6-0 in games he started against the Ottawa Rough Riders.
Saskatchewan won those games by a combined score of 259-125. Most notably, Saskatchewan set an enduring team record for points while defeating Ottawa 58-22 at Taylor Field on Aug. 7, 1989.
Burgess threw for four TDs for the second time versus an Ottawa team that traded him to Saskatchewan for Paopao on April 21, 1987.
In fact, Burgess twice made the move from Ottawa to Saskatchewan. He was part of a three-way trade, consummated on March 13, 1994 that resulted in Austin landing with the B.C. Lions.
LINEBACKING LEGENDS
Two-thirds of the best linebacking trio in Roughriders history was at the game on Friday night.
Cleveland Vann was seated a few feet away from Roger Goree and his family in Mosaic Stadium’s Alumni Lounge.
Vann, who resides in Regina, was the Roughriders’ middle linebacker from 1976 to 1980. He was named the top defensive player in the 1976 Grey Cup Game.
Goree was an outside linebacker with the Green and White from 1975 to 1980. He travelled to Regina from Texas with seven of his loved ones to watch the Roughriders versus Elks.
Goree and his wife, Krystal, were joined by their son Trent and daughter Karee.
Trent Goree attended the game with his wife, Rachael, their son Steven and their daughter Emma. Karee Huggins’ son, Riggs, was also part of the excursion.
I had the opportunity to chat with all of them on Thursday, shortly after Vann met them at the airport. They are the nicest people!
Actually, I met Goree way back in 1977, when I got his autograph (and that of Vann) following a training camp session at the University of Regina.
Vann and Goree also signed my autograph book two years later at a Meet the Riders function.
As I told Trent, I am not a big fan of being old, but there are advantages.
“I am old enough,” I said, “to remember watching your dad play.”
Roger Goree was undersized (6-foot-0 and 205 pounds) but try telling that to anyone who absorbed a hit from the Roughriders’ No. 37.
I am reminded of a photo from the team’s 1976 calendar. Goree is shown levelling Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Dieter Brock in the 1975 Western Conference semi-final.
The following year, Goree was named a CFL All-Star. He was honoured as the Roughriders’ Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 1977.
Goree was inducted into the SaskTel Plaza of Honour in 1998.
Vann was enshrined two years later.
It was Bill Manchuk’s turn in 2001, when his 10 seasons (1971 to 1980) as a standout linebacker with the Roughriders were recognized.
Fittingly, the Goree family will spend some time in Alberta before returning to Texas.
While in the Edmonton area, they will pay a visit to No. 75, Bill Manchuk.
ROLL CREDITS …
• Nice people who deserve a plug: Roger Goree, Krystal Goree, Trent Goree, Rachael Goree, Emma Goree, Steven Goree, Karee Huggins, Riggs Huggins, Cleveland Vann, Bill Manchuk, Greg Fieger, Kip August Johnson, Craig Smith, David Masuhara, Ka’Deem Carey, Susan Dauk, Melique Straker, Darius Washington, Jack Coan, Gord West, Twylla West, Brenden Purdy, Alec Salloum, Barry Trapp, Don Hewitt, Gregg Drinnan, A.J. Ouellette, Joe Couch, Colson Schulz, Noah Zerr, Malik Carney, Tom Burgess, Cody Fajardo, Micah Johnson, Lana Trider, Jenna Phillips and Jayden Dalke.
