‘It should be a fun game’: Riders ready for CFL rushing leader Stanback

If the Saskatchewan Roughriders want to emerge from Montreal with a win, they will need to stop a red-hot William Stanback.

The Montreal Alouettes running back is coming off a game that saw him rip the Toronto Argonauts’ defence for 203 yards rushing in a 37-16 win. Stanback now sits atop the CFL rushing standings this season with 880 yards.

“It should be a fun game,” Riders defensive tackle Micah Johnson said ahead of Saturday’s showdown, which is set to start at 5 p.m.

“He’s a very physical runner and he’s also very patient. He does a good job of finding holes. You’ve got to be disciplined as a D-line and everybody needs to stay in their gaps or he will make you pay.”

Johnson has been a dominant force for the Riders this year, compiling eight tackles for a loss. That doubles the four from linebacker Micah Teitz, who is second on the team in that category.

That trend will need to continue if the Riders (6-4) want to stop an Alouettes team (6-4) that has won three straight.

Riders head coach Craig Dickenson described the talented 27-year-old runner as “a runaway train.”

“When he gets rolling, it makes for a tough day on defences so we’ve got to stop him first and foremost,” Dickenson said. “When he’s going well, it makes life a lot easier for the Alouettes and a lot tougher for the defences. (He’s) a very good player and I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”

After a strong second CFL season in 2019 that saw him rush for 1,048 yards and five touchdowns, Stanback signed with the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.

But after he was waived by the Raiders in 2020, he signed a two-year contract with the Alouettes just months later.

It’s the second time in a row the Riders will deal with a running back who likes to punish defences. The Riders just completed three games against the Calgary Stampeders and running back Ka’Deem Carey, who is second in the CFL behind Stanback with 681 yards.

“They’re both big guys and guys that don’t shy away from the contact,” Johnson said. “There’s actually some strong similarities between the two running backs.”

But Johnson welcomes the challenge.

“Even going back to college and in the NFL as a linebacker, I always liked the bigger, physical backs. I’d take that any day of the week versus a small scatback type of guy that can make you miss,” Johnson said.

“You’d better have your chinstrap strapped up heading into a game like this. You’ve got to have your mindset that you’re going to be physical and be physical for four quarters.”

Notes: Guard Logan Ferland (back) was missing from practice Wednesday. Josiah St. John practised in his place … Slotback Justin McInnis (illness) was absent from practice … Safety Mike Edem has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a wrist injury. Edem got hurt in the Banjo Bowl on Sept. 11.