REGINA — On the eve of the annual Labour Day Classic between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Green and White faithful have packed Mosaic Stadium as part of their annual fan appreciation festivities.
Amidst the sea of green, one figure stands out: a man who, for years, was the face of their most bitter rival. Andrew Harris, the Winnipeg-born running back who led the Bombers to back-to-back Grey Cups in 2019 and 2021, now stands on the opposite sideline.
In Riderville, Harris is no longer the enemy. He’s part of the family.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
Andrew Harris leaves the Princess Auto Stadium with a box of his old Bombers gear in April 2024.
“I’m in green now,” Harris said when asked about Sunday’s annual Prairie showdown. “Just do my best job to help the guys execute on the field.”
The irony of the situation is not lost on Harris, but as he prepares for his first LDC in Riders’ colours, his focus is solely on the task at hand. While the sight of him in a Riders T-shirt might be jarring to some, Harris said the transition from player to coach has been a natural progression.
“It’s very similar, as far as the process, and the breakdown of film and the study,” Harris said. “My biggest thing as a player was trying to understand the defence better than it knows itself, and understanding how guys attack you, trying to find little advantages and little keys to utilize getting the most out of every run play, every pass play, and just making an impact every chance you get. Now, as a coach, just passing that process down, passing on the years of knowledge that I’ve obtained and grown into.”
He added: “It’s been seamless, honestly.”
Harris said there are certainly moments where he feels the itch, wishing he was the guy out there to make the plays and difference in a game. Harris officially retired ahead of the 2024 CFL season, signing a one-day contract with Winnipeg to end his decorated career as a Bomber.
Harris played 15 seasons in the CFL, with six of those years spent with the Blue and Gold.
In Winnipeg, he led the CFL in rushing three times and earned the honour of Most Outstanding Canadian in 2017. He ranks sixth all-time among Bomber running backs with 5,402 rushing yards and is the league’s all-time leader in rushing yards among Canadians, with 10,380.
For years, Harris was the running back fans in Riderville loved to hate. His on-field success with the Bombers was a constant source of frustration, seemingly reaching new levels with each successful Bombers season and Grey Cup victory.
“I was probably public enemy No. 1 when I was playing,” Harris said with a smile, before adding that the local reception has been overwhelmingly positive. “The keyboard warriors are out there, for sure, but it’s been all love. It’s really similar to Winnipeg in a lot of ways, and the family is close, with grandmas coming over all the time.”
“I have dreams and goals of moving forward, whether that’s staying here or going to the States or potentially becoming a head coach or GM.” – Andrew Harris
As running backs coach, the main focus for Harris has been to mentor the next class of great CFL tail backs. He works closely with Riders running back A.J. Ouellette, who currently ranks third in the CFL, with 713 rushing yards in 10 games.
Harris and Ouellette first met as teammates with the Toronto Argonauts, winning a Grey Cup together in 2022 as a formidable one-two punch in the Argos’ backfield. Toronto defeated the Bombers in the championship game, ruining Winnipeg’s bid for a rare three-peat, with Harris simultaneously exacting his revenge following an unceremonious exit.
“Having a relationship with (Ouellette), I can talk with him a different way and be like, ‘You got 98 yards, how come you couldn’t get this?’” Harris said, speaking rhetorically. “I push them hard. It’s been a great intro to coaching, working with someone you have a good relationship with.”
Harris confirmed he logs more working hours as a coach than he ever did as a player. He said he usually gets home around dinner time on a regular day, but that game-planning can often keep him working a 15- or 16-hour shift.
The 38-year-old father of three didn’t want to get ahead of himself when asked about his future goals in football, but he has thought about it. While he’s fully focused on his current role in Saskatchewan, he’s open to seeing where this thing takes him.
“I have dreams and goals of moving forward, whether that’s staying here or going to the States or potentially becoming a head coach or GM,” he said. “I’m just taking it one year at a time, one game at a time and just learning as much as I possibly can and just taking it all in.”
Taking over for Harris in Winnipeg was Brady Oliveira, another homegrown talent. Harris treated Oliveira like a little brother while with the Bombers and the two remain tight to this day.
Harris’s eyes widen when talking about Oliveira’s rise in recent years, including being the CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Player.
“He’s doing all the right things and he’s playing out of this world right now,” Harris said. “There are a lot of things where it’s like I’m watching my own film. It’s humbling to be able to look at the keys and things that you pass down and watching guys use them and be successful.”
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
Andrew Harris speaks to the media at the Princess Auto Stadium in April 2024.
As a former Bomber, Harris brings a unique perspective to the Riders’ coaching staff. Given his intimate knowledge of the Bombers and some of the systems they like to run, he could have an impact on Sunday that goes beyond Saskatchewan’s run game.
Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter
“The biggest thing is just understanding how guys play and just the mentality of what that team’s about,” Harris said. “I have some insight, and passing that down, little tips and reminders and things that they can utilize, hopefully we can get it done.”
With three games against Winnipeg still to be played this year, Harris was asked if, like former Bomber teammate Adam Bighill and the Calgary Stampeders, he thought his insider knowledge could lead to a series sweep. Harris hesitated a second, but ended up taking the bait.
“Absolutely,” he said.
Let the games begin.
Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca
Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer
Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.
Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.