Rider Head Coach Corey Mace stopped practice twice on Tuesday. (CP Images/Matt Smith)

By CKOM News - Britton Gray

Riders

‘Didn’t meet the standard’: Mace stops Riders practice twice

Sep 17, 2024 | 5:40 PM

Head coach Corey Mace was unhappy with the effort he saw from the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Tuesday’s practice.

Before the stretch had even taken place, the players were called to mid-field by Mace who unleashed a profanity-filled tongue-lashing on the group.

Then late in practice, following another drop by one of the Riders’ offensive players, Mace told the players to leave the field where he once again admonished them in the locker room. From there, the players came out and finished practice with minimal coaches on the field.

“We just have to approach every day like we are trying to accomplish something,” Mace said. “It wasn’t our best day today. We just didn’t meet the standard.”

“We talk about the standard that we want in this facility and I just felt we didn’t meet it since the beginning of the day and it trickled into practice and we had to address that,” said Mace. “I thought we had a great day yesterday and we’re always looking to be better each day. I thought we kind of failed at that today. It was just the message that we have to come to work and have a lot to play for but we need to prove it each day.”

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And what is the standard Mace has for his group?

“Coming to work every day and find ways to get better,” Mace said. “Really fighting complacency regardless of the circumstances because there is no perfect and there is always something to work on so you want to make sure the guys in the room, the staff and everyone in this building is finding ways to improve each day. That’s the standard.”

Quarterback Trevor Harris said they didn’t bring the energy to practice.

“The way we came out wasn’t acceptable and when that happened, us captains got together and said we were going to finish practice and so we went out there and finished practice as players because we know where we need to be and what we are capable of,” Harris said. “The good coaches have a good pulse for when the lock-in isn’t right and when the energy isn’t right but you could feel the urgency from the guys.

“A couple of lackluster plays here and there is what has cost us games and today was a great message from Mace was that it wasn’t acceptable and can’t happen.”

Mace said there were a lot of things he saw in practice that led to him feeling the need to hold the players accountable.

“We know what it’s supposed to look like and it just kind of didn’t look like that today,” Mace said. “We just didn’t meet our expectation and that’s something I think is my job — to hold everybody to that expectation and when we don’t, we just need a subtle reminder. I’m looking forward to seeing what tomorrow looks for those guys.”

Mace said days like this are just a part of pro football and the current Riders’ record of 5-7-1 wasn’t necessarily the reason for his approach.

“I’ve been around teams where things like this happen and we’re not in the situation we have. It’s because the standard is the standard. The record is irrelevant. It’s what are we trying to do and what are we trying to build current day and what the makeup of what this team is supposed to be for the future of well,” Mace said. “Week 16, Week 1, training camp — when we don’t meet the expectations, it needs to be talked about.”

The Riders were back on the field for the second time since coming back from their bye week. Saskatchewan is currently stuck in a seven-game winless streak that saw them go from the top of the CFL West Division to now in third place and on the playoff bubble.

Saskatchewan heads to Calgary for a Friday showdown with the Stampeders this week. Kickoff for the game is set for 7:30 p.m.

Notes: Linebacker Nick Wiebe was injured near the end of practice and had to be helped off the field by teammates. Wiebe made his CFL debut in the last game after missing most of the season recovering from a torn ACL he suffered as a member of the U of S Huskies.