When the Saskatchewan Roughriders last won at home to secure first place, Logan Ferland was watching from the west sideline at Mosaic Stadium.
Six years later, he hopes to be in the middle of the action during what will ideally be a pennant-clinching game.
As it stands, Saskatchewan sports the league’s best record (11-4) — thanks in no small part to Ferland’s invaluable contributions as the starting centre and a cornerstone presence.
He aspired to be in such a situation in 2019, when he starred for the PFC’s Regina Thunder in addition to being a practice-roster apprentice with the home-province Roughriders.
One high point took place on Nov. 2, 2019, when the Green and White defeated Edmonton 23-13 to finish the regular season at 13-5 and earn hosting privileges for the Western Final.
“I remember coming back into the locker room after we clinched and the energy was just electric,” Ferland recalled.
“It’s a fond memory I have.”
Making more memories is the priority.
Every minute of his exhaustive preparation regimen is geared toward achieving the goal of helping Saskatchewan win — and celebrate — a Grey Cup.
“That’s all a guy fights for his whole career,” Ferland said. “You obviously want to get to the ultimate goal, but (clinching first place) is the first thing you need.
“That’s everything I’ve wanted — to be able to be first in the West and then ultimately complete that goal at the end of the season.”
Ferland was part of Grey Cup week in 2024, as a finalist for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award.
He is a candidate for another prestigious honour in 2025. Last week, he was named the Roughriders’ nominee for the Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award. It is presented annually to a Canadian CFL player who best demonstrates the attributes of our country’s veterans — strength, perseverance, courage, comradeship and contributions to the community.
If Ferland wins, he will be the fourth consecutive Roughrider to be chosen, following centre Dan Clark (2022), receiver Brayden Lenius (2023) and long snapper Jorgen Hus (2024). Also at the 2023 CFL Awards, Roughriders kicker Brett Lauther received the Tom Pate Memorial Trophy.
“There are so many worthy candidates on this team who work with kids around the province, just spreading the things that we learn in a football locker room to the rest of the province and to kids who look up to us,” Ferland said.
“I think it’s passed down from the other leaders — the other award recipients — and from guys like Dan Clark, Brayden Lenius and Jorgen Hus. Brett does so much in the community every year during the off-season.
“When you see guys like that doing it, it really inspires you to do the same thing, so eventually I can pass that torch to the next guy.”
Game-wise, there is also the imperative of flipping the football to quarterback Trevor Harris to begin each offensive play.
Ferland has been the Roughriders’ starting centre from the outset of the 2025 season. He was initially earmarked for his customary position of right guard, but a knee injury to perennial All-CFL centre Sean McEwen early in training camp led to some shuffling.
It was business as usual for Ferland, who started at three positions (centre, right guard and right tackle) and also saw some duty at left tackle due to injury-related flux along the offensive line in 2024.
Ferland started seven games, including one playoff contest, at centre last season following an injury to Peter Godber. When Godber returned for the Western Final, Ferland moved to right tackle.
He was expected to play right guard after McEwen signed with Saskatchewan as a free agent in February. Even while injured, McEwen is making important contributions while helping Ferland master the intricacies of the position.
“I’m picking his brain and seeing how he sees the game from a centre’s standpoint,” said Ferland, who has noticed that the film study intensifies as a starting centre.
“It really changes my mentality, coming at it from a centre’s standpoint. Getting the guys prepared is my job. I have to make sure that we’re prepared for certain looks. Maybe if a coach misses something, I have to have the guys prepared for that look as well, so I have to make sure that’s in the (video) cut-up that week.
“There’s a lot more mentally that goes into it. Not that it’s less physically. It’s still a very physically demanding position, depending on what a defence is giving you, but I think it has really helped slow the game down in a sense for me.”
All the efforts, on and off the field, are appreciated by the Roughriders’ Head Coach.
“He has had a really good year,” Corey Mace said. “We haven’t had to talk about him switching a bunch of positions this year, because he has locked it up at the centre position.
“With his communication and how he gets the guys together off the field as well, he has been an outstanding leader. He grew into one of our captains as well.
“So, man, he’s been excellent.”