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The Manny Show will finally have its 2019 season premiere.
Saskatchewan Roughriders wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux will make his Roughriders debut Saturday against the B.C. Lions at Mosaic Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.
The now 31-year-old tore his ACL in an August 25 game against Saskatchewan in 2018.
“It’s been a while but it’s just a blessing. (I’m) just looking forward to tomorrow and coming out here and playing with my teammates,” Arceneaux said after Friday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium. “I’m just trying to come in and do my part.”
Arceneaux said he has no hesitations with the knee ahead of his first game of 2019.
“The knee has actually held up and been good,” Arceneaux said. “The training staff has done a good job as far as holding me out and giving me time to heal. The next step is to go out there and play football.
“I’ve come off plenty of injuries — broken hand, knee and shoulder. Once you’re out there (in a game) with the adrenaline going, you’re going to play. I’m not even worried (about the knee). It was a year ago that I got hurt.”
Arceneaux signed with the Roughriders this past off-season after spending eight seasons with the Lions.
While his first game is against the only other team he’s played for in the CFL, Arceneaux said there’s no extra meaning or emotion to it.
“I played there for eight seasons but I could care less (about that) at this point,” Arceneaux said. “Football is football and they are an opponent now. That’s just how the business works. I’m starting a new journey here with the Riders and that’s what I’m looking forward to (doing).”
During his time in B.C., Arceneaux hauled in 556 catches for 8,169 yards and 55 touchdowns.
Head Coach Craig Dickenson said he’s seen flashes in practice of the player Arceneaux was before the injury.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing him in the game,” Dickenson said. “I think he’s going to step up and make some plays. The other thing he brings is really a professional, calm demeanour to the group. I think he’s going to be a great leader out there.”
He said the team will proceed with caution in regard to Arceneaux in his first game back but still expects him to play quite a bit.
“His conditioning is not where it should be so the reality is we will probably (take him off the field),” Dickenson said. “Physically he’s fine but he just needs to get in shape. He’s worked hard in practice to get there but it’s going to take a few games.”
Roughriders receivers coach Travis Moore said a veteran like Arceneaux can bring leadership and consistency to the group.
“Just the consistency to go out there and be positive,” Moore said. “The young guys feed off that. He’s shown it in practice and now he gets his chance to play.”
With his insertion into the lineup, the receiving corps. receives an injection of experience. In the July 6 game against the Calgary Stampeders, the Roughriders started rookie Justin McInnis (first round, sixth overall) in the wide receiver spot.
Arceneaux, who is in his ninth CFL season, will be joined by fellow veterans Naaman Roosevelt and Cory Watson. Watson is in his 10th CFL season while Roosevelt is in his fifth. Second-year receivers Shaq Evans and Kyran Moore, along with rookies Brayden Lenius (second round, 15th overall) and McInnis round out the team’s receiving group for the game against B.C.
Moore said he’s seen improvement from the young guys in the group.
“You can see Shaq has put in the hard work in the off-season, he’s come back this year hungry. You’ve also seen that in Kyran,” Moore said. “The only thing you can do is continue to come out every day and practice hard. You need to know that no one’s going to give you anything and you have to take it.”
The receiving group will be looking to help quarterback Cody Fajardo avoid a repeat performance like the one against the Stampeders. Fajardo only threw for 89 yards and two interceptions before getting pulled from the game in the fourth quarter in the 35-10 loss on July 6.
The Green Zone pre-game show is set to begin at 3 p.m.