Taylor Shire
Regina Leader-Post
From what C.J. Avery can tell on film, Edmonton Elks quarterback Tre Ford looks like a playmaker.
“Never played him but watching him on film, really an electric guy,” said Avery, a first-year linebacker with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. “He can change the game with his legs and arm.”
Avery has yet to face Ford in his CFL career, but that will change on Saturday when the Riders (5-2) host the Elks (0-7) at Mosaic Stadium (5 p.m., TSN) as Ford will make his first start of the season replacing McLeod Bethel-Thompson on a winless Elks squad.
“I just expect to go in and do my job,” Ford told media in Edmonton after practice Wednesday. “I’m not going to go in and try to be a superhero and change what we’ve been doing.
“I’m just going to try to do what I do and execute at a high level and get my receivers and running backs the ball and them be the heroes and be the superstars.”
Last week in relief of Bethel-Thompson, the 26-year-old Ford led the Elks on three straight touchdown drives in a 44-28 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“He’s an electrifying player,” said Roughriders head coach Corey Mace. “Obviously with the limited time that he got, he was very effective.
“Throughout his playing career in this league, he’s got the capability to put you on a highlight reel.”
Last season, Saskatchewan found that out the hard way in Week 15 as Ford threw for 173 yards and rushed for 70 more in a 36-27 win over the Riders, in a game that also saw Elks’ running back Kevin Brown rush for 175 rushing yards himself.
“(Ford) is a playmaker,” said Riders’ defensive lineman Lake Korte-Moore, who had two tackles in that game last season. “He has the ability to throw the ball and he has the ability to get out of the pocket.
“We’re just going to try and limit those things and try to keep him in the pocket and do the best that we can to get him down.”
While the Roughriders gave up 265 combined rushing yards in that loss to Edmonton last season, this year, Saskatchewan’s run defence is allowing an average of just 48 rushing yards per game, which is on pace for a CFL record.
“We’ve just got to do our jobs at the end of the day and go out there and just stop the Elks,” said Korte-Moore. “Not only just Tre Ford but stop every single player on that field that they have.”
Saturday’s game will be the second meeting of the season between the Elks and the Riders, after Saskatchewan won 29-21 in Week 1 of the season.
In that game, which Bethel-Thompson started, the Elks were up 21-8 in the fourth quarter before the Riders stormed back with 21 unanswered points for the victory.
And while it will be a different quarterback at the helm this week for Edmonton, the Riders will be preparing for whatever comes their way.
“Most offences, they’re going to be themselves,” said Avery. “Most of their route concepts and everything like that will stay the same.
“We’re going to make sure we execute the calls that coach Mace has for us and play ball.”
Harris update
While Shea Patterson will get his fifth straight start this week, injured quarterback Trevor Harris is slowly working his way back into the lineup.
Harris isn’t fully back to practice yet as he is recovering from a knee injury suffered on June 23, but the veteran pivot has been on the field going through progressions and play calls with the offence.
“Trevor is very close,” said Mace. “He’s just got to get a few things hammered out from the medical staff.
“We want to make sure we look at it from the totality of the season but he’s very close.”
Injury report
After missing Tuesday’s practice, linebacker Adam Auclair (shoulder), receiver Mitch Picton (upper back) and defensive lineman Bryan Cox Jr. (lower back) were back to practice Wednesday.
Running back A.J. Ouellette was also absent for a second straight day as Frankie Hickson looks to be in line to make his second straight start.
Meanwhile, defensive linemen Micah Johnson (personal) and Anthony Lanier II (knee) missed a second straight day. After practice, Mace said Johnson should be able to play while Lanier sounds doubtful.
The Riders also got an injury scare near the end of the workout as right tackle Jacob Brammer hobbled off the field with a hamstring injury.
“I’m hoping that it just looked scarier than it actually was,” said Mace. “We’ll probably have more information (Thursday).”
Brandon Council would likely start at right tackle if Brammer is forced to miss time.
Centre Peter Godber (personal) and defensive lineman Nic Dheilly (personal) were also absent Wednesday.
tshire@postmedia.com
