The countdown to Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp is on, and for the first time in three seasons, the defence will be working from a new playbook.<\/p>\n
The countdown to Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp is on, and for the first time in three seasons, the defence will be working from a new playbook.<\/p>\n
Head coach Corey Mace has handed over defensive co-ordinator duties to Joshua Bell for the upcoming CFL campaign, a move he believes Bell is more than ready for.<\/p>\n
Mace said Bell, 41, has been preparing for this opportunity for years.<\/p>\n
\u201cJosh has been an excellent coach in this league, and I’ve been very fortunate to be with him pretty much every single year,\u201d Mace said.<\/p>\n
The connection between the two goes back more than a decade to 2014, when they were teammates before later making the transition from players to coaches within the same organization.<\/p>\n
According to Mace, Bell has long been viewed as one of the CFL\u2019s rising coaching talents.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a popular guy around the league as somebody who\u2019s going to be an up-and-coming co-ordinator.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mace added that Bell\u2019s influence on the defensive game plan has already been visible over the past several seasons, both in Saskatchewan and at previous stops they shared together.<\/p>\n
Now, Bell gets the chance to put his own stamp on the Riders\u2019 defence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited to see the nuances and the wrinkles of what he wants to put his brain to, maybe some things I was too chicken to do,\u201d Mace said. \u201cI want him to have that feeling that he can go out there and be that, and know that I\u2019m always there in the hip pocket.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mace said he is proud to see Bell step into the role as the Roughriders continue preparations for training camp.<\/p>\n