This grizzled gargoyle of a correspondent remembers a time, long ago, when it took slightly more than 2½ seasons for the Saskatchewan Roughriders to accumulate 10 victories.

So here we are in 2025, with a 10-3 record and a four-point lead atop the CFL’s West Division.

Sweet!

Before this year, the Roughriders had not sported such a superlative slate at the 13-game mark since 1970, when the team was 11-2 and destined to finish at 14-2 and with an enduring franchise single-season record for wins.

I was in my first year of Grade 1 at Massey School. A year later, I began to follow Canadian professional football and, naturally, the Roughriders.

Only twice before 1970 — in 1967 and 1969 — had the Roughriders been 10-3.

So savour this long-awaited 10-3, dear reader, and try to eliminate recency bias from the equation.

Easier said than done, I recognize.

Leading into the current bye week, the Roughriders lost 48-31 at home to the Montreal Alouettes.

The best news of the day unfolded before the game, when a last-second loss by the Edmonton Elks — who fell 31-30 to the Toronto Argonauts — secured a playoff berth for Saskatchewan.

Which brings us back to the “it took slightly more than 2½ seasons for the Saskatchewan Roughriders to accumulate 10 victories” part, et cetera.

Beginning on July 4, 1979, the Roughriders endured back-to-back 2-14 seasons. I watched every home game from Section 204, Row 14, Seat 23 in Taylor Field’s new west-side upper deck.

Over those two seasons, I attended seven road games — five with Mom and two with my great friend, Tom Fuzesy.

The good guys were outscored (gulp) 256-93 over those seven contests.

Then came the tonic that was the 1981 season. On Sept. 12, 1981, the Roughriders defeated Winnipeg 32-25 — earning two points in the Manitoba capital for the first time since 1975 — and improved to 6-4.

Joey Walters caught four passes for 174 yards and two TDs, including the game winner at 10:08 of the fourth quarter. Chris DeFrance added five receptions for 150 yards.

(Why, oh why, didn’t we go to that game?!)

Beginning in 1979, it had taken the Roughriders 42 games to get to 10 wins.

This year’s edition needed a mere 12 games to hit a double-digit victory total.

Hence the appreciation for what has transpired of late, from someone who has experienced the other end of the equation.

And, oh, about the clinching of a post-season berth …

From 1977 to 1987, inclusive, the Roughriders did not make the playoffs.

“Eleven years … that’s enough!” was the refrain in 1988, when the protracted drought finally ended.

If you are old enough to remember this — or just old, period, like yours truly — a playoff berth should never be taken for granted.

And a 10-3 record? After more than 50 years, the wait is over. Enjoy!

THOUGHTS ON 200

One highlight of last week’s Montreal game: The Roughriders’ Trevor Harris threw his 200th career touchdown pass.

Only once before had a quarterback hit the 200 milestone while wearing a Saskatchewan uniform. That was on Sept. 4, 1972, when Ron Lancaster threw a 36-yard TD pass to Bobby Thompson in a 32-21 home-field win over Winnipeg.

Lancaster’s TD-pass total fattened a league record he had sat when he surpassed Sam Etcheverry with No. 187.

Fast forward to Sept. 13, 2025: Lancaster’s grandson (Roughriders Offensive Co-ordinator Marc Mueller) called the play that resulted in a milestone-making, 38-yard TD pass from Harris to KeeSean Johnson.

RECEPTIONS ROLL CALL

Johnson has an excellent chance of becoming the eighth Roughrider to lead Canadian professional football in receptions.

Entering Week 16 of the 2025 season, Johnson had 70 catches — one fewer than the league leader, Keon Hatcher of the B.C. Lions.

If Johnson surpasses Hatcher and all other contenders, the Roughriders’ No. 3 will join seven players — Walters (102 in 1982), Jack Hill (60 catches in 1958), Molly McGee (68 in 1977), Craig Ellis (91 in 1984; 102 in 1985), Don Narcisse (123 in 1995), Curtis Marsh (102 in 2000) and Shawn Bane Jr. (93 in 2023) — on the list of Saskatchewan’s CFL receptions leaders.

Counting Ellis twice, Johnson would give Saskatchewan nine receptions leaders.

As it stands, Johnson has registered the 55th season of 70 or more receptions in Roughriders history.

He is the 27th player to reach 70, following Narcisse (8), Weston Dressler (5), Ray Elgaard (5), Jeff Fairholm (3), Lucius Floyd (3), Naaman Roosevelt (3), Walters (2), Chris DeFrance (2), Matt Dominguez (2), Craig Ellis (2), Samuel Emilus (2), Travis Moore (2), Bane Jr. (1), Derick Armstrong (1), Hugh Campbell (1), Duron Carter (1), Shaq Evans (1), Andy Fantuz (1), D.J. Flick (1), Bakari Grant (1), Eric Guliford (1), Curtis Marsh (1), Tim McCray (1), Kyran Moore (1), Taj Smith (1) and Elijah Thurmon (1).

HALL OF FAME, PART 1

Two members of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 have local connections.

Frank McCrystal, who spent 31 seasons coaching the Regina Rams junior and university teams, was formally enshrined as builder on Friday in Hamilton.

The group of players includes Jeremaine Copeland, who was the Roughriders’ receivers coach in 2015.

Copeland, an electric presence on the field for 11 CFL seasons, caught 622 passes for 10,115 yards and 75 touchdowns.

Three of those majors were scored at Taylor Field on July 4, 2003, when he helped the Alouettes win 32-31. He caught two fourth-quarter TD passes to help the Alouettes rally from a 30-18 deficit.

Copeland’s touchdowns were converted by Matt Kellett — one of several McCrystal-coached Rams players who went on to careers in the CFL.

Kellett, who attended training camp with Saskatchewan in 1999, is one of 60 players who auditioned for the Roughriders after being coached by McCrystal. Nineteen of those players would ascend to the active roster at some point.

McCrystal and Glen Johnson entered the CFL shrine as builders. Copeland was joined by fellow players Bryan Chiu, Jovan Olafioye, Darryl Hall and Scott Flagel.

HALL OF FAME, PART 2

Former Roughriders receivers Steve Mazurak and Rob Bresciani are poised to formally enter the Regina Sports Hall of Fame.

“Maz” and Bresciani will be honoured at the Hall’s induction ceremony, alongside Dale Derkatch (hockey), Janine Polischuk (athletics), Mervin Tran (figure skating) and the 2013 Regina Thunder football team.

The 2025 inductions are set for Oct. 9 at the Conexus Arts Centre. The reception will begin at 7:30 p.m., with the program to commence at 8:30.

Tickets are available for $55 (adults) or $25 (children 12 and under) by visiting reginasportshalloffame.com.

Bresciani and Mazurak will join the following athletes and builders with Roughriders connections in Regina’s sporting shrine: Lancaster (inducted in 2003), Dr. Jack Alexander (2003), Sandy Archer (2003), Ron Atchison (2003), Ken Charlton (2003), George Chiga (2006), Bill Clarke (2003), Jason Clermont (2013), Greg Fieger (2016), Alan Ford (2003), Sully Glasser (2014), Greg Grassick (2003), Jim Hopson (2022), Neal Hughes (2019), Gerry James (2003), Doug Killoh (2008), Don King (2003), Don McDougall (2017), Ken Preston (2003), Rob Pyne (2010), George Reed (2003), Dick Rendek (2003), Al Ritchie (2003), Dr. Paul Schwann (2003), Wayne Shaw (2003), Tom Shepherd (2006), Gordon Staseson (2004), Jack Stewart (2003), Piffles Taylor (2003), Clair Warner (2003), Dale West (2003), Fred Wilson (2003) and Andy Young (2003).

MANCHUK MEMORIAL

The life of former Saskatchewan and Edmonton linebacker Bill Manchuk will be celebrated on Sept. 27 — the same day the Roughriders and Elks are to meet at Commonwealth Stadium.

The remembrance will begin at 11 a.m. and continue to 2 p.m. at Edmonton’s Cattail Crossing Golf Club (24427 Township Rd. 542). The Sept. 27 Roughriders-Elks game is set for 5 p.m.

Manchuk, a 2001 Plaza of Honour inductee, passed away on Sept. 12 at age 78. He played in the CFL with Saskatchewan (1971 to 1980) and Edmonton (1981 and 1982).

SHORT SNORTS

• The Roughriders have had the CFL’s top-rated offensive line (according to Pro Football Focus) after seven of their first 13 games this season. Saskatchewan received a unit grade of 72.9 after the Montreal game. The team’s top three individual grades were 76.9 (Jermarcus Hardrick), 76.6 (Jacob Brammer) and 70.4 (Logan Ferland). Additionally, Saskatchewan’s A.J. Allen’s 81.1 grade led all CFL linebackers in Week 15.

• With seven touchdown catches this season, Dohnte Meyers has registered the highest total by a Roughriders since Carter and Roosevelt each scored eight aerial majors in 2017. Meyers has a chance of becoming the first Roughriders to hit double digits in TD receptions since Dressler (13) in 2012.

• Impromptu trivia question: Name the last quarterback to direct a 109-yard touchdown drive against the Roughriders. That would be the team’s current starting QB. Harris guided the Ottawa REDBLACKS on an 11-play, 109-yarder at Mosaic Stadium on Sept. 15, 2018. The punctuation mark was a four-yard TD pass to Diontae Spencer.

• The Roughriders’ last 109-yard march was on July 18, 1991, when the visitors needed only two plays to travel the length of the field at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium. First down: Three-yard run by Milson Jones. Second down: 106-yard touchdown pass from Rick Worman to Willis Jacox.

ROLL CREDITS …

• Nice people who deserve a plug: Kerfalla Exume, Marcus Sayles, Rolan Milligan Jr., Lorne Cherney, Mary Anne Cherney, Andrew Swenson, Heather Ryan, John Lipp, Brendan Abraham, Holly Abraham, Pearce Jones Angela Boyer, Andrea Baker, Dr. Tom Robinson, Steve Mazurak, Rob Bresciani, Shea Patterson, Kelly Remple, Stephanie Taylor, Carman Dyer, Tyvan Dyer, Lana Mueller, Dale Derkatch, Kelly Remple, Sonja-Clifton Remple, Ainsley Remple, Spencer Remple, Ken Wiebe, Tony Seregella and, with our best 60th-birthday wishes, Peter Loubardias.