Argonauts.ca staff
TORONTO – The Argos return home this weekend, as they play in their 2015 home opener against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday.
It will mark the conclusion of the season series between the two squads, with the Argos squeaking out a 42-40 overtime victory at Mosaic Stadium back in week two.
The Argos enter the matchup with a 3-2 record, stuck in a logjam with the Ottawa REDBLACKS and Hamilton Tiger-Cats at the top of the East Division. It was a short week of preparation for the Argonauts, playing just five days after their week six matchup: a tough loss to the rival Ticats.
Toronto will look to rebound this weekend against a Roughriders team which has been plagued by injuries, especially at the quarterback position. After losing starter Darian Durant in their season opener, the Riders were dealt another blow in week five when back-up Kevin Glenn was injured. Now the 0-6 Riders look to CFL rookie Brett Smith as they continue their quest for their first victory of 2015.
While Smith, who spent six weeks on the Argos practice roster in 2014, hasn’t yet thrown a touchdown pass this season, he’s quick on his feet and has a big arm, and the Argos won’t be taking him lightly.
“He does have a good arm, I’ve seen him slinging it to the wide side of the field” said linebacker James Yurichuk. “He’s got some wheels on him too, so you can’t underestimate those two factors when you face him.”
Yurichuk, who has found his niche with the Argonauts as a special teams ace and occasional fill-in at linebacker, has been promoted to the starter position this week after the loss of Cory Greenwood to a concussion. A seven-year CFL veteran, Yurichuk says he’s prepared for the challenge that faces him.
“I’ve been preparing every week in case they call my name,” he said. “They called my name this week, and I’m ready to play some football.”
Though Greenwood had been one of the stars of the Argos’ defence through five games, head coach Scott Milanovich felt no trepidation in going to Yurichuk in his stead.
“Yuri will make a play, he always seems to,” said Milanovich.
Argonauts fans will remember the final matchup between the Tiger-Cats and Argos last season, when Yurichuk sacked Hamilton quarterback Zach Collaros to seal an Argos victory as time expired.
“He doesn’t get in there very often at linebacker, but I’d be willing to bet that Yuri will make a play in this game,” Milanovich continued.
The Argonauts will be led once again by quarterback Trevor Harris, who remains the league leader in touchdown passes (12) and completion percentage (74.1%) through six weeks. Though he still racked up over 300 passing yards in last week’s loss to Hamilton, Harris failed to throw for two touchdown passes for the first time as an Argo starter.
And despite the Argos 3-2 record through a stretch of five consecutive road games to start the season, Harris is far from satisfied.
“Absolutely not,” said Harris. “Anybody that would tell you we’d be happy to be 3-2 or satisfied with a barely-winning record, I mean that’s not good enough. In our minds we want to win every single game we go into.”
Harris will go to battle this week without one of his favourite targets, as SB and former CFL MOP Chad Owens will miss his first game of 2015. In his place steps rookie Diontae Spencer, who comes from a similar mould as Owens: a small, speedy return man with the ability to make defenders miss in open space.
“Diontae is a speed guy,” said Milanovich. “He has some ability to return, maybe he’ll give us a shot in the arm there. We’ll see what he can provide when he gets an opportunity, and his number will be called.”
Saturday marks the official beginning of the end for the Argonauts at the Rogers Centre; the team’s first of their final eight regular seaosn home games there before moving to BMO Field in 2016. After a month and change of staying in hotels and playing in hostile territory, the Argos will finally return to play in front of their home fans.
“It’s nice that we’re able to play a game at home, in front of our fans,” said Yurichuk. “It’s going to be a great atmosphere. Whenever we play Saskatchewan it seems to be our highest-attended game, so when you couple that with it being our home opener, it should be a great night at the dome.”