Monday was the final day of practise without pads at the Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp, and the first look for fans and media at the team’s 2025 first round draft pick, Ali Saad. After playing four years at Bowling Green, Saad was absent from last week to attend San Francisco 49ers mini-camp, so he admits there was some adjustment to the Canadian game. “That was my biggest issue was getting used to that one yard off the ball,” said Saad. “Getting your footwork right, honestly that to me was the main thing. Especially because I like to move around a lot, I like to [hesitate], I’m not a bull rush type of guy. If I have to do it, I’ll do it. But today, based on the situation, I had to long arm a little bit more, bull rush a little bit more.” Despite arriving late last night, he impressed coaches in his first practise. “I thought he showed well today,” said Corey Mace, head coach. “There’s of course going to be a few mistakes, but you give him a little bit of grace. He’s only been here less than 24 hours. But he showed really well in the one-on-one pass rush as well, he’s certainly the guy we expected to see.” Intensity ramped up during practise despite the lack of pads. Saad’s torn jersey tells the story of a team in high gear less than two weeks from its first exhibition game. “If you’re a physical player and you’re coming with violence all the time and doing the things you need to, you’re going to get ripped jerseys,” said Phillip Daniels, defensive line coach. “He kind of reminds me of myself. I was a physical player when I played, and my jersey stayed ripped. It’s also a sign they’re holding us a lot, too.” Phillips only had a couple of hours to spend with Saad on the playbook before his first practise with the team. “To stay up late with me, learn the playbook and come out to practise the next day and give me what he gave me, that was awesome,” he said. “It’s only going to get better down the road as he gets rest.” Injuries decimated the offensive line in 2024, but Mace says it was a blessing in disguise. “In that situation, just the gift and the curse of having so many guys play is when you come back to camp the next year,” said Mace. “Your depth is pretty deep of game experience. So, it’s early, we feel really good about it now.” The offensive line that saw 13 different players take snaps had one pillar. West Division Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Logan Ferland suited up for every game last season, in three different positions. Ferland says he’s happy to have a healthy line and to be focusing on just one position in camp. “One-hundred per cent,” said Ferland. “It helps mentally. You don’t have to have that pressure of possibly having to play tackles, whether it’s right or left, having to go centre or go left guard. Being solidified at the right guard spot right now, we’ll see what happens after camp, but right now it feels good to sink my teeth in and just be able to really focus on that one position.” Training camp continues from Griffiths Stadium until the Roughriders pack up for their first exhibition game, May 24 in Winnipeg.
