CFL rookie offensive tackle is doing everything but backflips
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Published Jun 21, 2024 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 4 minute read
It’s likely a tossup, deciding whether the Saskatchewan Roughriders have tried more offensive left tackles recently than embattled MLA Jeremy Harrison has told gun-in-the-legislature stories. It looks like the CFL team, at least, has settled on one: Trevor Reid.
Heading into their third game this season, Sunday against the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the undefeated Roughriders haven’t run the football effectively. Nor have they done an outstanding job of protecting immobile quarterback Trevor Harris, who has been sacked six times and has not yet carried the football.
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But since putting Reid under the gun on the first day of training camp, the Riders have decided the 6-foot-5, 307-pound CFL rookie from Louisville — whose college posted a video of him unbelievably doing gymnastic back flips — is the up-and-coming athlete who can play the “Blind Side” position of left tackle on their offensive line.
“I told the team as far as athleticism, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more athletic offensive tackle in my time in the CFL,” said Roughriders head coach Corey Mace. “He’s a freak athlete!
“His arrow is only gonna go up. We’re asking him to do a lot in an important position and he’s been pretty good so far.”
The Roughriders haven’t really had a consistent starter at left tackle since Xavier Fulton left Saskatchewan in 2016. The search has led them through Takoby Cofield, Jerald Hawkins, Brett Boyko, Andrew Lauderdale, Terran Vaughn and Brandon Council — to name just a few.
“I didn’t know about all that coming in,” said Reid. “I’m just trying to continue to show and prove that I can protect Trevor to the best of my abilities. We’re never good enough. We had what, four (sacks allowed during Sunday’s 33-30 victory over Hamilton)?
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“We need to cut that down. The job’s never done.”
In a league where quarterbacks are usually dual threats, Harris has exceeded 300 passing yards in his first two games while rarely moving the pocket other than varying his dropback depths.
During training camp, after missing most of last season because of major knee surgery, Harris joked about running the football more frequently this season. Harris was asked this week about zero carries for zero yards.
“You’ll have to blame that on (offensive co-ordinator Marc) Mueller,” Harris said with a chuckle after a recent practice at Mosaic Stadium. “I know there’s gonna come a time, maybe a game where I need to do that three or four times, and I’m fully prepared to do it.
“I was working my sprints today, to make sure I’m in shape so what happened against Edmonton at home last year, where I had to run three or four plays in a row, and it (doesn’t look) like I blew out my hamstrings. That was just cuz I’m slow and can’t sprint.”
Mace also joked about the situation, saying the Roughriders had installed a “quarterback draw” for their upcoming game. It might not be so noticeable if the Roughriders had someone else running the football. Running back A.J. Ouellette, the team’s highest-profile free agent signing during the offseason, is averaging only 2.2 yards on his 29 carries.
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Ouellette missed a few practices this week, but he’s expected to start Sunday. Newcomer Clint Ratkovich would likely replace Ouellette.
“When you have A.J. Ouellette, you gotta make sure that we’re doing our part to get him involved,” said Harris.
“We’re gonna get the run game going. There’s no question about that. It’s a point of emphasis for us. it always will be because if we don’t have that then we’re not gonna be our maximum selves.”
To be clear, the Roughriders had also been desperately seeking right tackles until luring free-agent Jermarcus Hardrick away from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Hardrick has been limited in recent practices, plus left guard Philip Blake suffered a long-term leg injury in Saskatchewan’s last game and centre Peter Godber missed workouts for personal reasons.
A good running attack is established by a strong offensive line, so a potentially reconfigured group might have difficulty springing Saskatchewan’s ball carriers.
Backup Ryan Sceviour will most certainly be starting somewhere on the offensive line. Sceviour and Reid are roommates, sharing a rental property in Regina and hotel rooms on road trips. Is it too corny to say Reid is right at home at left tackle?
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