Back-to-back 6-12, non-playoff seasons, means lots of new faces as the Saskatchewan Roughriders opened their 2024 main training camp Sunday at Griffiths Stadium.

The most notable change is with head coach Corey Mace while there are several new players with previous C-F-L experience elsewhere. Among them is running back A-J Ouellette, who rushed for over a thousand yards last year with Toronto. In all, 99 players are listed on the training camp roster, including seven non-counters, with five others announced as being suspended by the Green and White just before Sunday’s first workout started. Session two of camp goes Monday morning at 8:30 at Griffiths Stadium and is open to the public. Following are media scrums with Mace, Ouellette and quarterback Trevor Harris plus a news release from the Riders…..

DATE:                       May 12, 2024

RELEASE TIME:      IMMEDIATELY

RELEASE:                SR24-068

COORS LIGHT ROUGHRIDERS TRAINING CAMP OPENS IN SASKATOON

Coors Light Roughriders Training Camp opens in Saskatoon Sunday morning with the first practice kicking off at 8:30 a.m. at Griffiths Stadium.

The Roughriders have made the following roster moves:

ADDED FROM JUNIOR

• National linebacker Stephen Smith

SUSPENDED

• American offensive lineman Brandon Council
• American offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins
• American offensive lineman Jonathan Hubbard
• American offensive lineman Sadarius Hutcherson
• American wide receiver Dazz Newsome.

RELEASED

• American defensive back Jalon Edwards-Cooper

Smith (6’0-220) played the last three seasons with the Regina Thunder of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL). Over 29 games, Smith recorded 233 tackles, one tackle for loss, five sacks, one fumble recovery, two interceptions and one blocked kick. Smith had a career-high 2023 season with the Thunder in which he logged 89 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery. Smith was named the 2023 CJFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, PFC Defensive Player of the Year, Most Outstanding Linebacker and a PFC All-Star. He was also named a First Team Defensive All-Canadian.