Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson. (File photo courtesy of the Saskatchewan Roughriders)

By Britton Gray

Unselfish Mentality

Dickenson’s team-first message being heard in Riders’ locker room

Oct 9, 2019 | 10:29 AM

Team before self.

That’s the philosophy Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson has his team following during his first season as the CFL team’s sideline boss.

Dickenson has the Roughriders at 10-4 and sitting atop the West Division entering Friday’s game against the host Calgary Stampeders. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Dickenson said he shaped his player-friendly, team-first coaching style from his dad, Robert.

“My dad was an excellent coach. He didn’t coach at the college level because he was teaching high school and he wanted to see my brother (Dave) and sister and I grow up,” Dickenson said.

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“He has always been a real influential man in my life and I learned a lot of how I coach and how I interact with people from my father.”

Many of the players have said all season it’s a next-man-up mentality and there’s trust between everyone in the locker room to go out and do their job.

“We’re a team, the offence has (the defence’s) back and we’ve got their back,” linebacker Cam Judge said following the Roughriders’ 21-6 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday. “It’s just fun going out there.

“(Quarterback) Cody (Fajardo) is a guy I’ll buckle up my helmet (with) if I’m 50 years old and if he wants to play. I’ll always go to battle for him.”

Dickenson said he’s glad to see the players have trust in each other in the locker room.

“That’s good to hear. I can assure Cam we will not be playing him when he’s 50, even if he thinks he can play,” Dickenson joked. “It just shows you that the guys really care about each other and we talk about that a lot.

“It’s important to want to win and want to do well but it’s even more meaningful when you want to do it for the guy next to you.”

Fajardo said he has never been in a locker room that has embraced the coaching culture as quickly as the Roughriders have done with Dickenson.

“Usually it takes years and years,” Fajardo said. “For us it kind of happened naturally and there’s a lot of guys in here that believe in each other. Coach Dickenson is so positive and it creates a positive energy. Guys want to be here.”

Wide receiver Kenny Stafford is someone who has put the team above himself this season in Saskatchewan.

The Roughriders traded returner Christion Jones to the Edmonton Eskimos for Stafford in August. Stafford was on his way to one of his best seasons in the CFL at the time, but he has been left off Saskatchewan’s game-day roster every week since the deal.

Stafford said it has been a humbling process for him.

“It’s kind of just taking a backseat, being a veteran and showing the younger guys what it takes to win and what it takes to work and just being that extra set of eyes,” Stafford said. “It’s humbling (and) it’s frustrating but you’ve got to put the team before yourself.

“In Year 7 (of my career), I understand you don’t want to be a distraction. You don’t want to have a bad attitude. You have your good days and you’ve got your bad days but I am still playing football. I’m still getting paid to play a game I love. You have to look at the pros instead of the cons.”

Dickenson praised the way Stafford has handled the situation.

“He has been a real pro,” Dickenson said. “When we made that trade with the anticipation of playing him, we didn’t have great depth when we made that trade and we were a little knicked up. Kenny has come to work each day and done what’s asked of him and so I’m really proud of Kenny.”

Notes: Judge (concussion) is questionable to play in Calgary. Dickenson said the Roughriders want to take it slow with Judge, so the head coach wasn’t sure if the linebacker would be available for the game … Wide receiver Shaq Evans was named one of the CFL’s top performers for the week Tuesday. He recorded 193 receiving yards and a touchdown on seven receptions against the Bombers … The Green Zone pre-game show gets underway Friday at 5:30 p.m.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a revised version of this story, with the correct time for kickoff.)