{"id":285577,"date":"2025-11-15T22:40:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-15T22:40:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/285577\/"},"modified":"2025-11-15T22:40:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T22:40:11","slug":"landrys-5-takeaways-from-riders-als-walkthroughs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/285577\/","title":{"rendered":"Landry’s 5 takeaways from Riders, Als walkthroughs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just another gorgeous day at Princess Auto Stadium, today.<\/p>\n

The only thing spoiling it was a fire alarm that chased us out of the stadium just prior to some scheduled appearances by a few members of the Montreal Alouettes at the podium.<\/p>\n

The media avail, then, was cancelled.<\/p>\n

Wait a minute. You don\u2019t think\u2026 they couldn\u2019t have, could they? Nah. Players and coaches LOVE the media. I\u2019ve never been more certain of anything in my life.<\/p>\n

Here are five takeaways from walkthrough day.<\/p>\n

\"112th112th GREY CUP
\u00bb\u00a03 storylines that could define the 112th Grey Cup<\/a>
\u00bb Walkthrough Photo Galleries: Saskatchewan<\/a> | Montreal<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a0Everything you need to know ahead of the 112th Grey Cup<\/a>
\u00bb Landry\u2019s 5 takeaways from Als, Riders Friday practices<\/a>
\u00bb Landry\u2019s 6 takeaways from Riders\u2019, Als\u2019 Thursday practices<\/a><\/p>\n

THE HAY IS IN THE BARN. NO MORE HAY. STOP WITH THE HAY, ALREADY
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

The Als were having fun at their walkthrough ahead of the 112th Grey Cup on Sunday (Thomas Skrlj\/CFL.ca)<\/p>\n

Both the Roughriders and Alouettes kept it cool and casual on walkthrough day, and that is a fairly usual occurrence, I\u2019ve found, over the years, though there are different levels of keeping it c and c and that was the case on Saturday.<\/p>\n

While some of the \u2018Riders did what sure appeared to be a little light preparation down at one end of the field, the others were elsewhere, keeping loose and engaging in a little fun.<\/p>\n

The Alouettes were even more casual, turning their walkthrough into more of a \u201cmill-through,\u201d if you catch my drift. \u201cMill-around through,\u201d maybe? I\u2019m still workshopping the right term.<\/p>\n

At any rate, the Als took a series of position group pictures and turned walkthrough into Family Day, with plenty of loved ones out on the field, soaking up the moment with the players.<\/p>\n

Til the fire alarm.<\/p>\n

By the way, nothing serious, we were told, just maybe a little trouble with a burst water pipe.<\/p>\n

At least, that\u2019s the story the Als are sticking with.<\/p>\n

THE GAMES BEGIN BEFORE THE GAME BEGINS<\/p>\n

Riders specialists are playing a game of who can get closer to the yard line here at walkthroughs. It\u2019s getting competitive. #GreyCup<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Lo3y3ySC2J<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Kristina Costabile (@kcostabile1) November 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Saskatchewan\u2019s punters and kickers, along with long-snapper Jorgen Hus<\/a> and assistant special teams coach Jeff Higgins were sequestered in a small portion of the field, taking part in what appeared to be a fun challenge, with each of them trying to land footballs as close to a yardage stripe 10 yards away, in a number of ways.<\/p>\n

Different types of kicks and throws were part of it and while it looked like there was a great deal of fun involved, it also appeared to be waaaay competitive.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday we did a one shot for it all,\u201d said Hus, \u201cand, you know, yours truly came home with the win there.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the challenges had the competitors trying to long-snap closest to the line and Hus absolutely put his on the stripe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe try not to do that one too often, because, you know, I feel like it\u2019s an unfair advantage,\u201d he laughed. But when somebody else calls it, I got to step up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Punter Jesse Mirco also striped one, in the Aussie-style pooch punt portion of the competition, as you might expect since he is from Australia and has proven how adept he is at it during games.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always good fun,\u201d said Mirco of the season-long competition. \u201cLike Jorgen said, every walkthrough it kind of takes us away from football for a little bit, which is nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

BONUS TAKEAWAY: Hus called for sweeping on one of his rolls and I knew I had met a kindred spirit right there and then.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you curl?\u201d he asked me. \u201cI\u2019m a big curling fan,\u201d he added as we commiserated a bit about the roaring game.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother-in-law actually is going to Olympic Trials next week, Team Kleiter out of Saskatchewan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, Saskatoon\u2019s Team Rylan Kleiter is one of eight mens squads vying to be Team Canada in Italy, in February. The Trials begin next Saturday, in Halifax.<\/p>\n

If the \u2018Riders and Kleiter pull off the double, this would be quite a November for sports fans in Saskatchewan.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

YOU CAN CALL THEM THE \u201cBOUNDARY BOYS\u201d<\/p>\n

Montreal receivers Tyler Snead<\/a> and Charleston Rambo have bonded to the point where they have a nickname for themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoundary Boys,\u201d said Snead, pointing out that Rambo was the one who started saying it.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarlier, in the year, I don\u2019t know what week it was, he came up with that. I got to give him credit for that one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Snead and Rambo line up on the tight side of the field and they relish the competition in tight quarters, so it makes a lot of sense.<\/p>\n

Also, we all love alliteration.<\/p>\n

IT\u2019S KIND OF A BIG DEAL, PART I
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Trevor Harris and Mitch Picton spoke to the media on Saturday (Thomas Skrlj\/CFL.ca)<\/p>\n

Saskatchewan\u2019s Mitch Picton has been in and out of the Roughriders\u2019 lineup throughout this season, and so his participation in the Grey Cup game was not a certainty.<\/p>\n

But this morning, when the depth charts came out, there he was, listed as a backup to wide receiver Ajou Ajou.<\/p>\n

The 30-year-old, six-year veteran is on the game day roster and his emotions really came to the surface during a post-walkthrough media conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think about family making sacrifices for us,\u201d said Picton in response to a question about who he\u2019ll be playing for. \u201cAnd yeah, they\u2019re always there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy parents, my brother, my wife, they\u2019re all very special to me,\u201d he said, visibly choking up and then apologizing for the emotion.<\/p>\n

He needn\u2019t have, though. It was beautiful.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s gonna be cool,\u201d the native of Regina said, composing himself. \u201cThere\u2019s gonna be a lot of Picton jerseys, a lot of \u201881s\u2019 out there in the stands tomorrow. It\u2019s something I\u2019m very excited for. I\u2019m very thankful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if his cousin Noah \u2014 whom Mitch played with at the University of Regina \u2014 was coming to see him play, Picton got emotional again.<\/p>\n

\u201cNoah saw the depth chart this morning, texted me and said, \u2018I\u2019m hitting the highway tomorrow.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

And he choked up again.<\/p>\n

A little later, Roughriders head coach Corey Mace explained why Picton was in the lineup, citing his ability to rise to the occasion, play any receiver spot in a pinch, and do anything he\u2019s asked to do on special teams.<\/p>\n

But then he embraced the emotional side of the story too.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d he said, warmly. \u201cMitch is supposed to be playing tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

IT\u2019S KIND OF A BIG DEAL, PART II<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the season, Montreal offensive lineman Tiger Shanks was a raw rookie, a first round pick (fifth, overall) who was just hoping to make his way into the good graces of the coaching staff and earn a spot as a back-up on the team.<\/p>\n

He did that, but now he\u2019s a 23-year-old rookie right tackle about to start in the Grey Cup game.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it\u2019s been surreal,\u201d said Shanks, during Montreal\u2019s mill-about. \u201cBut, you know, I\u2019m super excited. It\u2019s a huge, huge deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely been a whirlwind, going from not playing most of the season, because I sat almost, like, 14 weeks or something like that, and then finally being able to take over the position.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamar McGloster<\/a> had been the Als\u2019 starting right tackle but Shanks was pressed into the role when McGloster was injured during a Week 16 game against Toronto.<\/p>\n

The Grey Cup Game will mark the Vancouver native\u2019s seventh consecutive start and he will have family in attendance for the big day.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have my mom (Kerry), my dad (Hunter) and my stepdad (Blair) at the game,\u201d Shanks said.<\/p>\n

Will they all be rocking number 52 Alouettes jerseys?<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely my mom will,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n