SASKATOON — Corey Mace began rookie camp with a veteran move.

As the cameras rolled at Griffiths Stadium, the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Head Coach conveyed a very public message to his wife, Petra.

“A quick shout-out … happy anniversary, babe,” Mace said. “Love you.”

The CFL’s reigning Coach of the Year commemorated the 10-year milestone as part of the team’s first media scrum of the 2026 season — a chat that followed the rookies’ first workout of the year at Griffiths Stadium.

The Green and White returned to the field 171 days after defeating the Montreal Alouettes 25-17 in the 112th Grey Cup Game.

“Our next game is not for a trophy,” Mace said when asked about the Roughriders’ status as defending champions. “We’re working like we’re starving, because everybody across the league wants to play in the last game of the year. We’re no different than anybody else. We’ve got to go earn the right to do that.

“This is Day 1 and it’s incredible to be out here to get back on that journey.”

Rookie-camp workouts are also set for Thursday and Friday on the University of Saskatchewan campus. The main portion of Coors Light Riders Training Camp, incorporating the veterans, is to commence on Sunday.

“We’ve got a smart group of football players,” Mace said. “We talked about that as a staff (Tuesday) night in meetings. It was nice to see it parlay on to the field (on Wednesday).

“It’s an intelligent group of football players, so that’s encouraging. With the rookie class, we want them to be up to speed so they can fly around and push the competition once the vets come.”

Players on one side of the ball stood out for Mace during Day 1.

“I think the defence walked away with the win today,” he said, “so we’re looking forward to seeing how the offence responds tomorrow.”

JuJu Hughes and Seyi Oladipo Jr. each had an interception to lead the defensive highlight reel.

The rangy James Burgess Jr., who is 6-foot-3, had two pass knockdowns in short order. Garnett Hollis Jr. was the other defensive back to knock down a pass on Wednesday.

David Gbenda added a knockdown from his linebacking post. He was also quick to diagnose and thwart a running play.

Tyrie Cleveland, who played in 23 regular-season games with the Cleveland Browns, looked every bit the established pro during his first CFL workout. He made the catch of the day — a twisting reception of a long pass for a touchdown.

Freddie Swain’s NFL experience (33 games with the Seattle Seahawks) was on display as he smoothly settled under a long pass and glided into the end zone.

Factor in Hughes, whose 26-game NFL career included time spent with the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions, and it was a banner day for CFL rookies with four-down credentials.

“Those are the things you’re excited about,” Mace said. “You never know until you see them in person, but judging by the film that they’ve had to get to this point, they’re really good players.

“We’re kind of matching them up with other guys who have had a bunch of success to this point. We want to see who rises to the top.”

SHEMAR’S SIZZLING START

Shemar McBean enjoyed another new beginning on Wednesday, taking part in his first practice with a professional football team.

McBean celebrated an earlier milestone in fine style, catching a 98-yard touchdown pass for the UBC Thunderbirds in his introductory Canada West game — a 30-21 victory over the Alberta Golden Bears on Sept. 3, 2022 in Vancouver.

He finished the contest with five catches for a game-high 136 yards.

“That is definitely a highlight of my career,” said McBean, the Roughriders’ speedy seventh-round selection (65th overall) in the 2026 CFL Canadian Draft.

“I didn’t expect it to happen that way, but I’m glad it did. I’ll definitely remember that (98-yard) play. It’ll be deep in my heart forever.”

Later that season, McBean scored a 46-yard TD in his first game at Mosaic Stadium to help UBC post a 28-14 playoff victory over the University of Regina Rams on Nov. 5, 2022.

(Current Riders receiver D’Sean Mimbs was the game’s leading pass-catcher, with six receptions for 71 yards on behalf of the Rams.)

Most recently, McBean had nine catches for 134 yards and one TD in the Thunderbirds’ 31-29 victory over the Rams at Leibel Field on Oct. 24, 2025.

McBean also has two career TD receptions at Griffiths Stadium. His 12-yard score in a Nov. 1 playoff game against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies was the Thunderbirds’ final major of 2025.

Last season, McBean caught 49 passes for 792 yards and four TDs in nine games. His average yardage per game (88.3) was ninth in U Sports.

“Shemar had an outstanding season at UBC last year,” Mace said. “Now he’s just trying to digest the pro playbook. We’ll see what that looks like for him.

“We’re not afraid to play Canadian receivers. We believe we’ve got some really good ones. Those guys are going to be in the mix to go and try to earn a spot on this team.”

DRAFTEE WATCH

Receiver Dylan Djete, Saskatchewan’s second-round Draft choice (18th overall) in 2026, was sidelined on Wednesday with a minor soft-tissue issue.

“He’ll be out here fairly soon,” Mace said. “He’s a guy we thought highly of, as shown by where we picked him in the Draft.”

Djete, from Levis, Que., caught 28 passes for 422 yards and four TDs in 12 games with the Alabama State Hornets last season.

“He’s an excellent player,” Mace said. “He’s going to have a great shot. But, like anybody else, he’s got to go out there and prove it.”