Riders’ Micah Teitz excited to play hometown Stamps

Micah Teitz has a lot of memories of McMahon Stadium in Calgary.

The second-year Saskatchewan Roughriders linebacker grew up in Calgary and also played his university football there as a member of the Dinos.

Teitz is to get a chance to add another memory to the list when the CFL’s Roughriders meet the Calgary Stampeders on Friday. Game time at McMahon Stadium is 7:30 p.m.

Teitz and Sam Hurl have been splitting time with the Saskatchewan defence this week because starting linebacker Cam Judge suffered a concussion against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday.

“I’ve always wanted to sack Bo (Levi Mitchell) ever since I’ve been watching him since I was in Grade 9 — so ever since he started (in the CFL),” Teitz said after practice Wednesday at Mosaic Stadium.

“I’d love to get a sack but (I’m) just looking to make the plays when they come to me.”

It’s a big game for the West Division rivals, with top spot in the division on the line. The last time the teams met was on July 6, when the Stampeders won handily 37-10. Quarterback Nick Arbuckle started for Calgary while Mitchell recovered from a pectoral injury.

Teitz said he’s excited to share the moment with family and friends who will be at the game.

“It’ll be fun. I’m looking forward to it,” said Teitz, who wasn’t in the Roughriders’ lineup last season when they visited Calgary. “I’ve been dreaming of this and waiting for it. It’s always nice to beat the team that I grew up watching.”

Teitz was taken in the second round (14th overall) of the 2018 CFL draft. The now-23-year-old linebacker has spent most of his career playing on special teams, where he has recorded 16 tackles in 23 games.

“When Coach (Chris) Jones drafted me, he said special teams was how you get your start in the CFL so I did that my first year,” Teitz said of the former Roughriders bench boss. “This year, I’ve been chugging along and doing the same thing and (I) just had to wait for the opportunity. Now that it’s here, it’s up to me to seize it.”

Hurl, who is in his eighth CFL season, was Saskatchewan’s starting middle linebacker in 2018 but began splitting time with Judge as the season went on.

Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson said Teitz has worked hard over his first two seasons in the league to get a chance to be a contributor.

“(Teitz) has been working hard trying to learn the defence (and) he’s gotten better on special teams,” Dickenson said. “He’s grown as a player and I know he wants to do more and he wants to contribute.”

Dickenson said along with rotating in with the starting defence, Hurl and Teitz will continue to play on special teams as well.

Notes: Defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy (foot) didn’t practise Wednesday. Dickenson said Purifoy will be good to go for the game … The Toronto Argonauts dealt former Roughriders quarterback Zach Collaros and a fifth-round draft pick in 2020 to the Bombers on Wednesday at the CFL’s trade deadline. Winnipeg sent a third-round draft pick in 2020 the other way. The Roughriders traded Collaros to the Argos on July 31 for a fourth-round pick in 2020 … The Green Zone pre-game show gets underway Friday at 5:30 p.m.