As August dawned in 2014, Jermarcus Hardrick could not have imagined that he was lining up against his future head coach.
But here we are on the first day of November, 11 years later, and Hardrick is the much-decorated starting right tackle for the Corey Mace-coached Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“You cross paths with so many different people and sometimes you don’t know you had crossed paths with them before,” Mace said. “It’s really cool from that standpoint, but that’s definitely the CFL.”
Mace and Hardrick were routinely mentioned in the same breath on Thursday, when they were both named CFL Awards finalists.
For the second time in a row, Mace is up against the Montreal Alouettes’ Jason Maas for Coach of the Year.
For the second time in his career, Hardrick is the West Division’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. Brandon Revenberg of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats is the East Division nominee.
Hardrick and Revenberg are both well-established CFLers. But there was a time, more than a decade ago, when Hardrick was trying to find his footing in professional football.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder jokes that he was “cut 789 times” en route to becoming one of the CFL’s elite players and all-star people.
Having spent time in the NFL (Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints) and arena football (Utah Blaze), Hardrick signed with B.C. on July 15, 2014 and dressed for the Lions a mere four days later.
“In my first game, I didn’t even know 12 people were on the field,” Hardrick recalled. “I was just playing. (Offensive Line Coach) Dan Dorazio told me, ‘Block the guy in front of you.’
“I showed up (at practice) on the Tuesday. They told me I was going to be on the practice squad. On Friday, it was, ‘Hey, you’re playing.’ I had just got there.
“I didn’t know any rules. I knew there was a yard off the line of scrimmage. Dan Dorazio stayed up with me all night … and here we are today.”
Hardrick dressed for two games as the Lions’ sixth offensive lineman before drawing his first starting assignment — against the visiting Calgary Stampeders on Aug. 1, 2014.
Calgary’s front-line defence included veteran tackle Corey Mace.
“Like most things, when you see a rookie out there, you’re expecting to treat them like a rook, but he has put together an unbelievable career,” Mace said.
“I do vaguely remember him. The scouting report on him was, ‘He was just playing arena football. Now he’s coming up here and doing double duty.’
“I thought, ‘This dude’s crazy,’ and I was right. He’s crazy, but he’s our crazy, and we love him to death.”
The two opposing linemen collided on two occasions in 2014, when the schedule also included a Nov. 7 Stampeders-Lions matchup in Vancouver.
Their head-to-head history became topical after Hardrick joined the Roughriders as a free agent on Feb. 13, 2024.
“I think when I signed here, I was like, ‘Mace, you know we played against each other a couple of times,’ ” Hardrick said. “He said, ‘I remember you a little bit,’ so I sent him the clips to remind him.
“I’m glad he didn’t cut me.”
Suffice to say that Hardrick made the cut.
“I watched the game and he was still doing the stuff that he does now, toeing the line,” Mace said. “I think he tossed me on my tail a couple of times.
“There’s a reason he’s playing and I’m coaching.”
HUGH-MILITY
Chief Financial Officer Kent Paul is such a modest gentleman that, before writing this item, I asked for his permission to share some great news.
I received the go-ahead, thankfully, so let the plaudits begin.
Kent is the 2024 recipient of the Hugh McKay Memorial Award. The honour became public knowledge on Oct. 25, when the announcement was made on the SaskTel MaxTron during the regular-season finale against B.C.
The annual award honours a Roughriders employee who embodies the same admirable characteristics Hugh displayed during his time with the Green and White.
Hugh, a member of the organization for 21 years, was the team’s Manager of Facilities and Stadium Operations when he passed away in untimely fashion in August of 2019.
Kent, who worked alongside Hugh for four years, recently celebrated a 10th-anniversary milestone as a Roughrider.
“On top of taking great care of our finances, Kent has been involved in every major project we’ve had,” President-CEO Craig Reynolds said.
“Kent was really instrumental in the stadium construction. He came on board just as that project was sort of kicking off. He was very, very involved in that.
“Kent was also the Chair of our operations committee for the 2022 Grey Cup, so he had a lot to do with what was a very successful Grey Cup Festival.
“He’s the type of person who really goes above and beyond in raising his hand for projects or becoming involved and really delivering.
“I think Kent embodies a lot of the same characteristics that Hugh had. He has this ‘can-do’ spirit. He goes above and beyond in what he does. He does it sort of behind the scenes, similar to Hugh.
“Much like Hugh, Kent doesn’t get probably the credit he deserves for how involved he is and the leadership he shows in major projects with the Club and for leadership in general.
“He’s got a certain humility to him, like Hugh did, and he’s extremely well-liked inside and outside the organization.”
I am reminded of my first day as a member of the organization: Feb. 21, 2023.
That morning, I ran into Kent just outside the main boardroom. We had a long, pleasant chat. I was still trying to remember many of the names, but I knew exactly who he was.
Kent could have not been more welcoming to a soon-to-be-59-year-old rookie.
I am certain that anyone who knows Kent has a comparable story.
We appreciate him as a colleague and a friend for myriad reasons — one of which is his modesty.
Consider his response upon presentation of the Hugh McKay Memorial Award: “Not necessary, but appreciated.”
Kent joins an esteemed list of award winners that also includes Gordon Gilroy and Brian Lach (both 2021), Gail Mund (2022) and Bill Wright (2023).
Congratulations, Kent, and thanks for being great in every context.
A TRUE PRO
Asked how he mastered the position so quickly, Ferland replied: “Shout-out to Sean McEwen.”
McEwen, a perennial All-CFL centre, signed with Saskatchewan in February — only to suffer a season-ending knee injury early in training camp.
Instead of lamenting his fate, he immersed himself in assisting his new teammates.
“He helped me out so much this year from a centre standpoint, just seeing the game differently and really slowing it down from a centre’s standpoint,” Ferland said. “Hats off to him for what he has done off the field for us as a unit as well.
“That guy spends arguably the same time the coaches do in there, if not more. The amount of work that he puts in, hats off to him for doing that, let alone with the mental hurdle that he has.
“Knowing that he’s not going to play but still being able to put that time in is pretty amazing.”
DÉJÀ VU
I enjoyed two sporting events for the price of one on Wednesday night.
From the comfort of Section 101 at the Brandt Centre, I watched an entertaining Western Hockey League game between the Regina Pats and Brandon Wheat Kings while listening to a World Series radio broadcast.
Brandon won 3-2 in a shootout.
The Toronto Blue Jays, meanwhile, defeated the host Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1 to assume a 3-2 series lead.
Watching Dayce Derkatch skate for the Pats, I was reminded of Oct. 16, 1981 — another multi-sport night at the former Agridome.
The Pats’ home game against the Winnipeg (now Moose Jaw) Warriors coincided with Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, between the Dodgers and Montreal Expos.
Derkatch’s father, Dale, was a rookie with the Pats in the fall of 1981.
This was long before the Internet, wireless headphones, so it was considerably more challenging to follow two events at once without losing track of something.
The Pats did their best to be helpful, setting up TVs on the concourse so attendees could keep tabs on Expos versus Dodgers.
I was standing (OK, loitering) at the west end of the arena during an intermission when the Expos’ Jerry White clubbed a three-run, sixth-inning homer — the big blow in a 4-1 Montreal victory.
Another key contributor, winning pitcher Steve Rogers, twirled a complete-game seven-hitter.
“I don’t want to take on the burden of representing Canada,” Rogers told reporters after making mound magic. “The country identifies with us right now because we’re seen on national TV and, right now, Toronto is in its building stages.
“Everyone likes to root for winners and right now we’re doing well.”
The Pats were also winners on Oct. 16, 1981. They defeated Winnipeg 6-5 on the strength of two goals by Jock Callander.
It was another banner night on the sporting calendar this past Wednesday, when the Pats once again faced a Manitoba-based opponent while Canada’s favourite baseball team limited the Dodgers to one run.
“JUST DON’T DRESS UP LIKE ROB”
I love to wear ballcaps because, if we’re being honest here, they are cheaper than a toupee.
On most days, the top of my aging head is covered by a Roughriders hat. Occasionally, though, I will sport headgear that celebrates the Regina Pats, Winnipeg Jets, Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, New York Mets or, naturally, the Expos.
The latter hat initially rankled Head Coach Corey Mace, who reasonably concluded that I was trolling Blue Jays supporters.
I am not above such antics but, honestly, the Expos hat was selected because a friend (thanks, Arielle) had brought it back for me after spotting it in a store in Toronto. A recent practice provided the first opportunity to wear the Expos hat and field the feedback.
But that got me thinking: What if I really wanted to wear a hat that rankled Coach Mace? What would I do?
(Cue salivating.)
Then it hit me: Mace is a proud alumnus of the University of Wyoming Cowboys — whose arch-rival is the Colorado State University Rams.
DING!
I promptly ordered a CSU Rams hat.
It arrived late Thursday afternoon.
I wore to Mosaic Stadium on Friday.
As Corey approached the reporters for the daily post-practice interrogation, I made a point of standing directly in his line of sight.
Trust me when I tell you that he did not particularly care for the (stylish) CSU hat.
He did get me back, though, after CKRM’s Dave Thomas — clearly complicit in the payback process — asked: “Clearly, Rob has got the worst Halloween costume. Are you dressing up or do you have any go-to advice for Rider Nation?”
Mace’s response: “Go out and have fun. I encourage parents to get out there. If you’re walking around with your kids, that time isn’t going to last long before they kick you out of going trick-or-treating. So dress up with them, man. Get some pictures. Just don’t dress up like Rob.”
ROLL CREDITS …
• Nice people who deserve a plug: All members of the 2025 Colorado State Rams football team, Kent Paul, Jake Paczko, Gursh Barnard, Keri Simpson, Matthew Simpson, Sarah Simpson, Caleb Dynna, Chantel Nagy, Sean McEwen, Joe Couch, Kian Schaffer-Baker, A.J. Allen, Ross Vanstone, Nelson Bird, Liz Roper, Doug Hodson, John Lipp, Tom Shepherd, Kevin Shaw, John Paddock, Jermarcus Hardrick, Logan Ferland, Jacob Brammer, Kent Maugeri, Jordan Linnen, Bernadette McIntyre, Stewart Johnston, Darrell Romuld, Dale Derkatch, Dayce Derkatch, John Paddock, Kayleen Sawatzky, Kyle Carson and, with slightly belated 71st-birthday wishes, legendary Roughriders receiver Joey Walters — a spectacular player and person.