Riders’ AJ Ouellette ready to rush against Argos for first time

AJ Ouellette is looking forward to facing off against some familiar faces this week.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders running back will take on the Toronto Argonauts for the first time as a CFL player. Kickoff for the game at Mosaic Stadium on Thursday is set for 7 p.m. The Green Zone pregame show begins at 5 p.m.

“I always liked playing against players that you know and respect. I’m going to have fun getting after (linebacker) Wynton (McManis) and I’m sure he’s going to have fun trash-talking me,” Ouellette said.

The now 28-year-old running back played five seasons at Ohio with the Bobcats, recording 3,833 rushing yards and six touchdowns in his time there.

After going undrafted in the 2019 NFL draft, Ouellette signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints but was released shortly afterward. He also signed with the Cleveland Browns but was once again released.

So that year, the Covington, Ohio product came to the CFL after signing with the Argos.

His role would increase throughout his four seasons there, helping Toronto with the 2022 Grey Cup and then becoming the feature back in 2023.

In 15 games last season, Ouellette rushed for 1,006 yards and eight touchdowns.

“Always appreciative for the first shot but most of those guys are gone,” Ouellette said.

Ouellette joined the Riders this past offseason, joining new head coach Corey Mace in coming over from the Argos.

While Ouellette is only averaging 54 yards per game, he had his best outing in the Riders’ 36-20 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats before the bye week, rushing for 98 yards and hauling in four passes for 47 yards.

But Ouellette says each week brings a new challenge so momentum doesn’t always carry over.

“Every team is going to bring in a different wrinkle so you can’t rely on what you did last week. You have to reload and fix some of the mistakes that we had,” Ouellette said. “We left some big plays out there so have to capitalize on those and try to improve every week.”

The Argos could choose to put even greater importance on stopping Ouellette as the Riders start Shea Patterson at quarterback. Patterson is making his first career CFL start after Trevor Harris was injured in the win over Hamilton. The 38-year-old veteran quarterback is going to be put on the six-game injured list with what the team is calling a moderate MCL sprain.

But Ouellette doesn’t feel like he needs to change his game or try to do more with Patterson getting the start.

“Everyone likes to say you have to put the weight of the team on your shoulders whenever a new quarterback comes in there,” Ouellette said. “We’ve seen him since day one of camp and he is more than capable of coming in here and being the starting quarterback of the Roughriders and winning games.”

Notes: Along with Harris, slotback Shawn Bane Jr. (personal), linebacker Adam Auclair (shoulder), and running back Thomas Betrand-Hudon (head) are all out this week.