Riders’ rushing attack has been grounded so far this CFL season

Frankie Hickson will be tasked with helping to get a struggling Saskatchewan Roughriders rushing attack off the ground.

Saskatchewan’s ground game has averaged only 83.4 yards per outing this season — the second-lowest such total in the CFL — and has only four games this season where it has surpassed 100 yards.

This week, the Riders take on the host Ottawa Redblacks, who feature one of the league’s top rushing defences. Ottawa has given up just 77.6 yards rushing per game, the second-lowest average in the league.

Kickoff for Friday’s game is set for 5 p.m.

Hickson is expected to be the starter with Jamal Morrow out due to a knee injury.

“I feel great. I feel like any opportunity to produce for my teammates and to be a part of the cause to win the game is a blessing,” Hickson said. “It’s a blessing to be on the field with my brothers.”

Hickson has seen his name on and off the roster this season while the team has had to find ways to adhere to the ratio rules.

But remaining patient is nothing new to Hickson, who had to wait about 900 days in between his last college game and his first pre-season game as a member of the Riders in 2022.

“When the smaller picture isn’t showing you what you want to see, you take a look at the bigger picture and vice versa,” Hickson said. “The bigger picture is I’m on a team and I am way better than I was two years ago. I was just on my mom and dad’s couch and now I have a team that has faith in me.”

Canadian Thomas Bertrand-Hudon could also see more carries in the game.

But with a tough Redblacks front facing them, the Roughriders know it won’t be easy.

“They are big and strong and their front four is really physical,” said Riders head coach Craig Dickenson. “We know that and we’ve challenged our guys this week to really run their feet on contact. But that Ottawa defensive front is very good.”

One big piece the Riders have been without for most of the season has been guard Philip Blake. The eight-year CFL veteran missed the team’s first 12 games of the season as he dealt with a torn pectoral muscle.

“(I’m) just having fun out there. It’s been a while and I’m just excited to be back out there playing,” Blake said.

Blake was used as the Riders’ sixth offensive lineman in his first game back, last Friday against the Edmonton Elks. Dickenson said he would let his coaches decide if Blake will be one of the starters this week or if he will remain in a backup role.

The 37-year-old lineman agreed that Ottawa has a stout defensive front, which has made the Redblacks so tough to run against.

“We’re just going to have to attack them and apply pressure to them and put a little pressure on the linebackers to make plays,” Blake said.

Notes: The Riders will be without a number of players on the defensive side of the ball for Friday’s game. Linebacker Justin Herdman-Reed (quads), defensive lineman Miles Brown (groin), defensive back Deontai Williams (hamstring), defensive lineman Nic Dheilly (foot), defensive end Anthony Lanier II (hip), defensive back Nelson Lokombo (knee) and linebacker TJ Brunson (ankle) have all been ruled out. Defensive end Pete Robertson is questionable with a back injury.